OOOOOH Floe

Devastation to beauty!  

a transformation from the 2003 forecast fire in Kootenay National Park

Driving south towards Radium on Highway 93, The Rockwall to your right teases and beacons those that have have never ventured in.  I did venture in there for the night in 2012 and yet, I still felt the pull to return.  Today was return time and it pleased me to know that out of the seven of us, only three of us had ever been.  The trail head is at the Floe Lake / Hawk Creek Parking Lot and the views start immediately and last until the second you land back at the parking lot.  A mere few minutes into the day is where you cross the first bridge to get on the other side of the Vermilion River.    

Hours spent hiking through a forest is not my favourite but this forest is different.  

It is wide open, with gorgeous scenes after pretty views after amazing vistas.

This is our trail leading to Floe Lake which sits at the base of The Rockwall.

I hoped our timing would be right for the fireweed explosion and my hopes came true.

a fire affords fireweed

The slopes were spectacular.

It was a day of ooooohs and aaaaaahs offered up due to the scenery, the work and the warmth.  With the open areas, there was opportunity to feel the heat from the sun, it felt as hot as the look of the hot pink fireweed.  The climb was slow and steady with lots of oooogling around.     

a deserved rest on the rock sofa

It took us about four hours to make it to Floe Lake so once there we were in no rush to leave.  We spent an hour & fifteen minutes taking in the beauty, snapping shots, dining and for me "feeling the moment" and "remembering to breathe"!  It was chilly here thank goodness, we enjoy the slight breeze as it kept the bugs away.  

my destination shot at Floe Lake with The Rockwall as the backdrop

splendid scenery

The warden was home today.  We first spied her sweeping off the deck.   

A little later she came out to speak with someone who stepped up onto her verandah.  

Well after two o'clock, we packed up and aimed for the trail back.  

We took a short descent first though to have one last glimpse. 

Now it was all down hill from here on in, elevation wise that is, the scenery never did go down hill. 

looking up 

at the tall tree

caused a dizzying feeling

We made great time descending.  It was a challenge at times checking out the scenery and hiking at the same time.  In places the trail was narrow, with slopes to our right where the ground was soft and liable to giving way.  The vegetation along the way was in abundance and not necessarily a good thing.  Yet, the views held true all day long!

The day started with heat, beautiful scenery, a few fluffy clouds, it ended the very same way and in between there was no swaying from these conditions.  I could not have asked for today to be different in any way.    Thank you for this, thank you for that, thank you for everything!

from devastation to beauty

with hopes this beauty is here for ever