Mount Burgess and Emerald Lake

The snow turned to drizzle today so we decided to cross the continental divide into Yoho National Park. at Kicking Horse Pass, known for its spiral tunnels,  which allow trains to negotiate the pass and on to Emerald Lake with its inviting lodge.  A few hardy souls were out on the lake in canoes but the risk of falling into the glacial waters made the idea unappealing. 

Behind the lake is Mt Burgess one of a series of peaks in the area containing rich fossil beds. One of these beds, the Burgess Shale on nearby Mt Stephen is  well known for the great age, diversity and detailed state of preservation of its fossils. We took this guided hike one year. It was a challenging hike and and an interesting lecture, but the site was disappointing because the fossils have all been removed and taken off to museums in Montreal….

On the way back, we stopped off at the Natural Bridge on the nearby Kicking Horse River and I had a chance to practice my flowing water photography. The glacial runoff containing silica is what gives the water such an extraordinary color and perhaps it also enhances its ability to cut through stone as the bridge is no longer a bridge as you can see in the extra.