After kicking ass, we got a decent 4WD delivered to Canmore, so a long trip to the Dry Ranges was in order. A completely new area of the Canadian Rockies for us!
A two and a half hour drive through spectacular scenery took us past the Ghost and brought us on to the Ya-Ha-Tinda Ranch road. After parking, we had a 5km trek along a track and across the frozen Eagle Lake, but with only 100m of elevation gain we made it in good time to two beautiful falls basking in the sun – Dream On and Sweet Dream. We climbed Dream On – Terry belaying while I filmed Pete on the top pitch – but we decided we’d leave Sweet Dreams for another day because we had such a long journey back to Canmore.
Just after leaving the Ya-Ha-Tinda Ranch road and turning back on to the SR 940, we found the Mountain Aire Lodge open with the smell of good home cooking wafting through he vents. I guess most of their winter customers are loggers, because there certainly isn’t much traffic up that way this time of year. We decided to stop for refreshments and a quick phone call to Vicky, and we were immediately jumped on by the most friendly cat we have ever met. Even Pete fell in love. This is an excellent place for a stop-over, and I’m thinking second breakfasts on the way in and hot-chocolate on the way out will be a certainty for next time.
Thanks for that great (?) title Laetitia!
Hmm, even Anna will see that I do like cats now – it’s just the way they kill innocent wild life that gets me…
love the photo! (and the one of the ice fall too)
glad to hear Pete might be getting converted to the feline fanclub.
I missed out today then (on the other hand there is always Andromeda at home)