Favorite Places in Yoho Part 2 - Emerald Lake

On Friday, I decided to "get out of town" and drive one hour down the road to Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. I just felt like a little drive and change of scenery. I also knew that Emerald Lake is a little lower elevation and it is South facing, so there might actually be some flowers up, some dry trail and as always, some awesome scenery. There are so many trails to explore in the area, but the higher trails are still snowbound. This time of year it is all about experimenting and seeing how far you can go before hitting snowline. I hadn't been there since October, when we had an amazing run/walk in deep, fresh snow.

Check out these photos from Octobers snowy run, it truly is jaw dropping beyond words.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mrironleg/BurgessPass

http://picasaweb.google.com/freemanmike/EmeraldLakeOctober82007

So, I had a lazy start to my day and on the drive to Emerald Lake I pulled over at a fantastic viewpoint of Castle Mountain, just to take a photo. Keeping in mind, this is a place I drive by frequently and never stop at, but I thought, hey it's a beautiful day, I'm not in a hurry and I want a photo of Castle Mountain for my blog. It's one of my favorite mountains! Well. I get out of the car, my new-ish Ford Focus wagon and in my haste, leave the keys in the ignition. Afterall, my last car the VW Golf had a very Leslie-friendly feature. You leave the keys in the ignition and it will never lock. Ever. Well, with the Focus does not have that feature. I get out, take the photo and simultaneously hear the sound of "autolock", yes, the sound of all 4 doors locking. Aaaargh!! The sound of me being stuck in the middle of nowhere on the side of the highway with no cellphone. My buddy Dave was my saviour, I flagged down the first tourist I saw and borrowed the cell phone and Super Dave saved the day!! He swung buy my house, picked up the keys and made the 20 minute drive out to the highway to save my butt. Thanks Dave! While I was stuck there, I took some great photos!

Dumb-Dumb

The Castle - Castle Mountain

The Sawback Range and the Bow River Valley

Even after being rescued, I had only lost an hour of my day with the Leslie-blunder, so I continued on for a leisurely drive to Emerald Lake. I made a quick stop at the Natural Bridge, took my car keys with me and took a quick photo. The water was raging!

Emerald Lake is a very special place and is sort of the Gateway to Yoho National Park and all of its treasures. I just go because it is one of my favorite places! The last time I was here, we saw a full size moose in the lake and then had it crash through the bushes right in front of us. That is pretty special!

Almost immediately, Emerald Lake impresses. It is the most incredible color and is surrounded by glaciers, peaks, rocks and a gorgeous hotel/lodge. On this day, the Glacier Lilies were in full bloom and littered spots of mossy grass and in between patches of receeding snow. It was a grey day, but the temperatures were warm, the lake was calm and I was feeling very fortunate to be running happy and healthy! I climbed upwards towards Yoho Pass, before hitting the snowline where I decided to call it a day, descend and continue my run around the lake.

Climbing higher and higher!! Glaciers, waterfalls and rocks....and even flowers!

I have never seen a little spruce tree have a bud with a color like this! Anyone know anything about it? It was really bright pink! Emerald Lake is in the background as I climb, climb, climb.

I spent some time lolly-gagging by the lake, I didn't feel the need to rush home on this particular day. I took it easy on the run because tomorrow, I am very excited to be running a race with my husband and my friend Holly for the first time ever!! I reckon I shouldn't trash my legs before race day, but it was so beautiful I wanted to just run and run and run and run.....

No worries because tomorrow I am running in another completely different but very gorgeous place!!

Revved up Like a Deuce, Another Runner in the Night

You know how sometimes you get home from work and your tired and you just don't feel like going for a run? I had one of those today.

I was dragging my butt, I was thinking to myself.....it's grey out....it's cold out....it's a hard workout....and of course, I don't want to!!!

I had to do hills tonight. 3 long sets of hills of twenty minutes. And I didn't want to!

By the end of it, on my 3rd set, I felt like Superwoman. I kept climbing up as the sun was setting, the view kept getting better and better as I was flying...up...up...UP!! I was having so much fun I ended up running further, just so I could catch the last sunshine rays of the day.

When I got to the top the sun was blinding and just about to dip behind the mountains. Blinded by the Light came on the IPod, I was singing at full volume and giggling simultaeously and I laughed allowed because I was having way too much fun!!!

Climbing....

Climbing....CLIMBING.....

Up...Up...UP!!!

That's where I live!

Last Sun

Blinded By the Light!

Revved up like a Deuce

Another Runner in the Night.....!!

Blinded By the Light

Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat

In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat

With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older, I tripped the merry-go-round

With the stereo pleasin' and sneezin' and wheezin, the calliope crashed to the ground

The calliope crashed to the ground

Oh she was...Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Some silicone sister with a manager mister told me I got what it takes

She said "I'll turn you on sonny to something strong, play the song with the funky break"

And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather charts to see if it was safe outside

And little Early-birdy came by in his curly-wurly and asked me if I needed a ride

Oh she was...Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Blinded by the light -

She got down but she never got tired She's gonna make it through the night She's gonna make it through the night

But mama, that's where the fun is But mama, that's where the fun is.

Mama always told me not to look into the eye's of the sun, but mama, that's where the fun is!

Some brimstone baritone Andy Sack from rolling stone preacher from the east

Says "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in it's funny bone,that's where they expect it least"

And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner,watching the young girls dance

And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone,reminding him of romance The calliope crashed to the ground

Cos she was...Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night