Mountain Therapy Escape Day 4 January 27, 2022

This morning I crossed over into Kootenay National Park in British Columbia to hike around Marble Canyon. I stopped off at the Continental Divide border to take a photo and decide if I wanted to carry on further along the 93S.  The road had a bit of snow on it, I was driving in and out of fog, there were a few transfer trucks heading in both directions  and I felt a bit unnerved.  After collecting myself and my thoughts I forged on.  

The parking lot was empty and there were no tire marks nor footsteps in the new snow.  I bundled up in my warmest gear, strapped on my spikes and aimed for the trail.  It was gray, it was dull and it was lightly flurrying yet I could see a bit of blue further off into the end of the canyon. That was where I headed!

What a load of snow!  This is one of the many bridges to cross.  In summer the railings would be level with my waist, today they were level with my ankles.  There was a packed trail in the middle of each bridge and I gingerly worked my way across them.

This was the view around me and behind me!

This was the view ahead of me.  

Marble Canyon is deep, this was as close as I dare lean to get a photo.

There were a few trails that led off into the trees and I knew the red chairs were in there some where.  I followed a few of the trails, this being one of them but no National Parks red chairs down here. 

I eventually found them and rested for a bit in one of them.

This is a summer shot of them.

I carried further along the trail where I could get a deeper view down into the canyon, or so I thought.  I was not leaning over any further.  The sky was opening up more and presenting more blue.

This was as far as I hiked.   Some one made a trail through the snow over the railing, that I am sitting on, and to the side of the canyon but there was no way I was venturing any further.  From here I followed the trail on the other side of Marble Canyon and then crossed back over one of those bridges.

I found a few spots where I could easily and safely get down to the water in the canyon.  

the colour of the water against the snow looks incredible 

Mother Nature's marshmallows

icy edges

It was still foggy and flurrying a bit when I arrived back at the parking lot and my only concern was driving that 93 again and safely making it back to the No 1 where I would veer right and hit the highway to home.  I white knuckled it and then breathed a sigh of relief once I was on the main highway. 

This mountain therapy escape did everything for me that I hoped it would!    

Ahhh! Sigh!