misty mountains - the agony and the ecstasy!

verge flowers

We had two nights at Martha Creek camping, it was very pleasant - we had our first day of pretty lousy weather which sadly coincided with our trip to Mount Revelstoke National Park.  It’s a 26 km drive up the 'Meadows in the Sky Parkway' to an altitude of about 1900 metres   Because Canada is celebrating 150 years birthday all the parks are free this year which is a nice idea so we got a park pass at the gate and started the slow drive to the top.  

misty mountain views

It was very picturesque, there were loads of viewpoints to stop and look at but it was getting very cloudy and when we got to the car parking almost at the summit it was raining.   This didn’t detract from the colourful verges, they were lovely full of wild lupins, yellow daisies and red and white flowers with a very typical background of tall thin fir trees.  All this is surrounded by massive snow covered peaks which slowly disappeared into the mist and clouds which just got thicker and thicker until they were not visible at all!!! 

Not wanting to be put off by a drop of rain and being hardy northerners we donned our waterproofs and headed for a walk around the lake, we walked to a viewpoint but there was very little to see it was just completely obscured by cloud.   It dented our enthusiasm a bit!!! The temperature had dropped to about 9 degrees it was raining and we were on top of a misty mountain – almost good but not quite right!!! We decided to go sit the weather out in the car for an hour – knowing it could change quite quickly and it did – for the worse so after a while we took stock, Dr Fred wasn’t feeling too good again, he was still a bit sniffy so we decided we needed a good solid meal and a lot of coffee.  

So that's what we did - I knew Dr Fred must be under the weather declining to walk to a mountain peak.  I was slightly worried, but we headed into town and all started to feel better once we had had a slap up mexican meal and then went back to Martha Creek for a pleasant evening by the lake.

However....In the  morning we woke and Dr Fred had had a slight relapse, it had been very noisy on the campsite and neither of us got much sleep, a man with a sniffle snores something terrrible...but it was evident he was just not quite right so we decided to book into another motel and have a proper kip in a proper bed and showers etc, just to get this pesky cold knocked on the head. We used the Tourist info wifi and managed to sort out my phone which was playing up, check out everyone at home - always good to know we are not missed and everyone is jealous, book a hotel and hit the road for a short drive to walk round the Cedar forest and the western Hemlock boardwalk both lovely and verdant with giant trees some predating Christopher Columbus!! 

Dr Fred meditating under cedar tree

Then the real scenery started - as we headed into the mountains- first steep forested slopes giving way to huge granite snow cap peaks - with ridges to die for!!! Dr Fred definitely started to perk up although his awe was tinged with some regret , knowing these mountains are there but impossible to climb!!!! He is a tormented soul!!  as we drove up the valley the peaks got bigger and loomed dramatically across the skyline, Dr Fred was all but drooling we now have endless skyline ridge mountain pictures... 

the start of real rockies

OMG...

there will be more to follow... but for now it recovery and relaxation time in a classic type (expecting Fargo kinda goings on)  motel in a place called Golden!