A short while ago, we made a brief trip into the mountains, our first for quite a while. Brief though it was, what a Yoho high we got!
Feel the Yoho highLate October, campgrounds closing, ski hills yet to open, and just before the real cold arrived, we weren’t expecting too many other visitors, and so it proved. On our hike around Emerald Lake, we encountered barely a handful of other hikers, and those we did were clearly pretty happy to be out there. They were experiencing a Yoho high – could be addictive…
The temperatures were brisk, just above freezing, and an encouragement to keep moving. Cloud cover increased as the day progressed, but there were little rays of sunshine that did enough to provide a jolt of warmth. This little ray of sunshine appreciated that.
Moose countryAt the trailhead, a notice had been posted warning of a moose out on the pathway. I was excited at the prospect of seeing a moose – from a decent distance – but we weren’t lucky with that. The largest mammal sightings, or hearings, involved chattering squirrels.
At the far end of the lake, I did spot some fish circling in the shallows. To my mind they seemed a decent size, about fifteen centimetres in length, a dun brown colour, as far as I could see in the bright reflecting light. Dolly Varden char perhaps, known to inhabit the frigid waters of Emerald Lake? All attempts at photographing a fish failed.
The fish were a few feet from these submerged logs, honest.Freezing rain and light snow from earlier in the week had turned the trail into quite a challenge. This was mostly true of the sections leading through the heavily forested and shaded areas. Semi-frozen slush mud and icy patches kept us on our toes, and that’s always better than landing on your backside. It’s hard to pay attention to your footing when you’re surrounded by silver, grey, blue and green distractions above and below.
Above and belowIt was good to be in the middle of mirrored mountains, seeing them rise above, and then looking into the lake and seeing them seemingly far below. You’re put in your place when caught like that, not that I felt trapped, far from it. Room to breathe, space to stretch, physically and mentally. What an enjoyable mountain high we had! Cloudscapes, landscapes and waterscapes, all adding up to an excellent city escape.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I am a would be outdoorsman - that is if I had more time, skills and knowledge. When I can, I love being outdoors, just camping, hiking, snowboarding, xc skiing, snowshoeing, paddling a canoe or trying something new. What I lack in ability, I make up for in enthusiasm and having a go. I'd never really survive for long out there in the wild, but I enjoy pretending I could if I had to...
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14 thoughts on “Yoho high”
A city escape in a waterscape, with a mountain view and cloudscape perfect for dreaming and for plodding along. Wow. Just perfect. And the prospect of Dolly Varden would put a guy like me over the top. Enjoyed it all, PC!
Thanks, Walt! It was a perfect place for plodding along, and I can only assume they were Dolly Vardens – I love their name, so I’m going with that.
Hope you were able to plod and cast this past weekend!
What a lovely romp through the mountains this was, pc. Fresh air and plenty of space. Enjoyed your photos too, the reflections, mountains, vastness. Especially liked the photo with the submerged logs. Have a pleasant weekend, my friend.
Thanks, Jet! It was lovely to be out in the mountains for a couple of days, and delighted as always to share it with you.
I hope your week is off to a good start – must be a challenge, having to change address so often, and be managing the recovery of your mountain home. If you need a pair of semi-skilled hands in the project…
What a beautiful image. Thank you for sharing. I would love to see a moose again. They are such a majestic creature, but I guess I feel that way about all wild animals.
Thank you! So, no moose, but we know they were there somewhere, and maybe we’ll spot one in the future. Elusive, at least for us, given how large they are!
I hope your week is off to a good start!
Stunning photos and I absolutely enjoyed your return to the mountains! That would have been exciting to see the moose and thanks for being such a “little ray of sunshine.” Have a great weekend!
Thank you, and I’m glad you enjoyed this one. It is a lovely location, and always helps me rediscover I can be a little ray of sunshine (if only briefly!)
I hope your week is off to a great start!
Sounds like an excellent little outing. I always enjoy seeing fish hanging around in a lake, although I always end up wishing I had my rod and a few extra minutes to do so me casting.
Thanks, Douglas! Yeah, any outing in Yoho is time well spent. We did see a couple of people carrying rods and heading towards the top of the lake – maybe to try their luck with a Dolly Varden?
Hope your week is going well so far.
Thanks, Miriam! That afternoon, the light was just right for getting some dramatic reflections. That said, it’s a naturally dramatic kind of place in all weather.
Hope your week is going well!
OldPlaidCamper 
A city escape in a waterscape, with a mountain view and cloudscape perfect for dreaming and for plodding along. Wow. Just perfect. And the prospect of Dolly Varden would put a guy like me over the top. Enjoyed it all, PC!
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Thanks, Walt! It was a perfect place for plodding along, and I can only assume they were Dolly Vardens – I love their name, so I’m going with that.
Hope you were able to plod and cast this past weekend!
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What a lovely romp through the mountains this was, pc. Fresh air and plenty of space. Enjoyed your photos too, the reflections, mountains, vastness. Especially liked the photo with the submerged logs. Have a pleasant weekend, my friend.
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Thanks, Jet! It was lovely to be out in the mountains for a couple of days, and delighted as always to share it with you.
I hope your week is off to a good start – must be a challenge, having to change address so often, and be managing the recovery of your mountain home. If you need a pair of semi-skilled hands in the project…
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What a beautiful image. Thank you for sharing. I would love to see a moose again. They are such a majestic creature, but I guess I feel that way about all wild animals.
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Thank you! So, no moose, but we know they were there somewhere, and maybe we’ll spot one in the future. Elusive, at least for us, given how large they are!
I hope your week is off to a good start!
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Stunning photos and I absolutely enjoyed your return to the mountains! That would have been exciting to see the moose and thanks for being such a “little ray of sunshine.” Have a great weekend!
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Thank you, and I’m glad you enjoyed this one. It is a lovely location, and always helps me rediscover I can be a little ray of sunshine (if only briefly!)
I hope your week is off to a great start!
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It looks cold and very beautiful!
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Sounds like an excellent little outing. I always enjoy seeing fish hanging around in a lake, although I always end up wishing I had my rod and a few extra minutes to do so me casting.
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Thanks, Douglas! Yeah, any outing in Yoho is time well spent. We did see a couple of people carrying rods and heading towards the top of the lake – maybe to try their luck with a Dolly Varden?
Hope your week is going well so far.
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Looks cold but oh so beautiful. What a lovely jaunt, your photos always enthrall me.
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Thanks, Miriam! That afternoon, the light was just right for getting some dramatic reflections. That said, it’s a naturally dramatic kind of place in all weather.
Hope your week is going well!
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I’m having a good week thanks PC. A hot Wednesday has just dawned here. Hope yours is going well too. Cheers
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