Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park February 9, 2023

I exited my front door with a purpose this morning after seeing something!  Hiking one of the trails at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park would serve that purpose.  Sun rise had already occurred by the time I arrived at the parking lot yet a touch of pink still glowed in the sky for the first tiny while.  Once the pink dispersed, a dull grey became dominant which was not what I hoped for. I hiked with that purpose in mind along the top of Yodel.   

It was early enough that I was first along the trail and startled the deer while they were enjoying breakfast. In fact, they startled me too as they were not far off the trail and my thoughts were else where.  While watching their swift movement flying through the air, I then began realizing today's purpose.  

Yet it was once I was down off Yodel and gaining elevation along The Narrows that my purpose for being here today was fully coming to fruition. From the top of the trail, the view west of the iced up Bow River was gorgeous.  The blue in the sky paired with the turquoise in the river was quite the sight.

After a short while, the trail descended to river level where creeks and inlets lined the trail.  

I was so thankful that dull grey turned to a sky that looked like this so reflections in the ice could be seen.  

There were many spots along The Narrows that captured my attention.  

Also, there were numerous things that caught my eye! It was a very cool and frosty morning.  The snow crystals accumulated on the teeth of this jaw.  One stretch of the trail was covered in thousands and thousands of small pieces of ice.  The icicles were hanging off a chunk of ice near the creek.  These look like very recent coyote tracks in a thin layer of frost on the trail.

In previous visits to the Park, I covered a very short section of The Narrows, today I carried on further, all the way to the location of the historical Bearspaw Ranch.  It is private property so this was as close as I could get. 

this is looking back at Bearspaw Ranch from further east along the trail

A short distance east from the Bearspaw Ranch was my turn around point.  My purpose here had been fulfilled and I'd still be able to enjoy the scenery on the way back which would solidify the feeling I was wanting to feel by hiking here.  Seeing a sight like this while out enjoying nature fills me with beams of joy!  

So! That something I saw was this ad!  I had been feeling blah, I don't know why, I have no reason to, but I was.  I wanted to be cured!  While a section of The Great Trail passes very close to my home, I opted to head a bit west and catch a section of the trail that passes through Glenbow Ranch.  I knew my purpose would be served here!   

This is a map showing The Great Trail.

a sign along the section I did today

The Great Trail covers 27,0000 kms and today I hiked 15 of those kms.  AHHH!