C level Cirque Hike

Oooo...two posts for the price of one!  I know it's Sunday night and I should be heading for bed, but thought I'd load some pictures from today's hike.

Love it!  It's October 30th, and we're still out hiking in the mountains, on a beautiful, albeit windy, fall day.  I HEART my home.  We settled on an easier hike (many of us are coming off recent marathons and runs, or have crushed toes) and made our usual Sunday arrangements to meet up at Canada Olympic Park to carpool out.  Today, we were heading into Banff National Park to hike the C Level Cirque up by Lake Minnewanka. 

It was an easy hike, on a well marked, laid out trail.  Some incline, but nothing too technical to scramble up and over, and going through the forest to an old mining camp.

 The mine shafts were fenced in for everyone's safety.

 Nature fighting through the snow.

 It was snowing a bit at the top...we got to the lookout point, and went a bit further to the edge of the former glacier/rock slide area.  A bit of a climb up here, but again, nothing we can't handle!

 We went to the edge of this forest.

 Mama Nature does work good!

 Us enjoying our lunch and the views...on very cold rocks!  Just the four of us today (J, MM & MS) but we laughed as much as usual.    Also came across many other hikers along the trail...must be very popular in the summer months.

This was our only nature encounter...a little woodpecker with ADHD!  He would not sit still long enough for me to get a good shot!!!  With the wind blowing, we did listen to creepy tree sounds (fitting for October 30th), and wondered a few times if one was going to come down on our heads, but we all survived quite nicely.

Got home very early for us, and that left me wondering what on earth to do.  So I napped!  It was quite unintentional, as I had planned on doing some laundry, but I unpacked, put stuff away, and cuddled with George.  That may have been my downfall!  Woke up almost 3 hours later!  Oops...

Had a repeat dinner of last night's feast (so good) but with goat cheese instead of feta, and watched (sort of) the Amazing Race.  Which is getting Amazingly the "same old, same old".  I used to love this show, but now I find it so hard to sit and watch.  Maybe because I'm off dong my own amazing things all weekend long!

Back to work tomorrow...boo everyone!  I am dressing up, and hope to scare a few people...especially those who like to sing!  I'll take pictures.

Later,