[Grizzly]

<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';">We were on the porch of a re-built cabin on 45 acres of woods and alfalfa on the first bench land, on the Purcell Mountain side of the Columbia River.  We were attempting to make music or play scrabble, doing okay despite the mosquitos and the protesting howls of the coyotes and the dogs who were frustrated in being unable to chase after their cousins.  It was getting too late to stay out, the sky was finally draining of all colour and light at 10.</span></span></p>
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<p><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/92226/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="Porch Music.JPG" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17523" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17523/width/908/height/500" style="; width: 908px; height: 500px"></a></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';">For the umpteenth weekend in a row we were either camping, making music or both, this time on the land of acquaintances of ours along with some old friends who had extended the invitation.  The spot was in Brisco, a hamlet on the banks of the Columbia set between the Purcells and the Rockies, some 3 ½ hours away from Calgary and numerous valleys and passes crossed just to be here.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';">It was a nice weekend all around.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';">We set out just in time, Calgary was absolutely trashed by a deluge (one man drowned!) of a thunderstorm on Friday, but we just got a bit of a sprinkle on the highway to the mountains.  We drove through Kootenay National Park, stopping at our favourite picnic spot by the Kootenay River for a quick supper before climbing one more pass and descending to Radium Hot Springs and the Columbia valley.</span></span></p>
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<p><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/92228/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="Kootenay River 2.JPG" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17524" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17524/width/1000/height/369" style="; width: 1000px; height: 369px"></a></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';">The Benchlands are beautiful, and I was captivated by the views across the Columbia wetlands of Mt. Frayling.  Frailing is another word for clawhammer which is the style of banjo I massacre. </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/92230/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="P1110615.JPG" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17525" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17525/width/375/height/500" style="; width: 375px; height: 500px"></a></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/92232/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="Mt Frayling (Brisco).JPG" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17526" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17526/width/1000/height/104" style="; width: 1000px; height: 104px"></a></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';">The wetlands were amazing.  I’m not a birder, but on a drive through and several short hikes we saw more birds than I knew existed, including the famous LGB (Little Grey Bird) that defied identification.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/92234/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="P1110571.JPG" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17527" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17527/width/675/height/500" style="; width: 675px; height: 500px"></a></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';"><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/92236/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="Columbia Wetlands 2.JPG" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17528" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17528/width/1000/height/329" style="; width: 1000px; height: 329px"></a></span></span></p>
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<p><a class="H-lightbox-open" href="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/92238/width/1000/height/800/flags/" target="_blank"><img alt="Columbia Wetlands 3.JPG" class="lightbox-enabled" data-id="17529" data-type="61" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/content/type/61/id/17529/width/1000/height/424" style="; width: 1000px; height: 424px"></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'times new roman';">Next weekend, maybe, maybe…  backpacking with an oby if my shoulder and ticker can take it.</span></span></p>
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[willrun4chocolate]

<p>Beautiful.</p>
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<p>Your photo's are always so pretty.  They would make good jigsaw puzzles.</p>
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[RaisingArizonainNH]

<p>Gorgeous!</p>

 

[Grizzly]

<p>How could I forget to mention the wildlife?  We saw 2 bears at different times, one in Kootenay Park, a juvenile, and the other at Lac Des Arcs on the way out of the mountains - she was an adult and was trying to cross the Trans-Canada.  Not smart.  Both were black bears.</p>
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<p>Deer (of course), but mostly fauns still with the spots on their coats.</p>
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<p>Mountain goats (!) not Big Horn Sheep which you're almost guaranteed to see.</p>
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<p>And of course, the birds.</p>
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[Floridaboiler]

<p>Great Pictures!</p>
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<p>I want to get my my family out to Yosemite which I am guessing will provide similar type pictures and views and experiences.</p>
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[Grizzly]

<p>FB, that would be more the Tetons which is the closest you'd get to the Canajun Rockies south of Glacier Park, although Yosemite and Yellowstone are breathtaking.</p>

 

[jcumming]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Grizzly</strong> <a href="/forum/thread/74805/roll-on-columbia#post_2009578"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>FB, that would be more the Tetons which is the closest you'd get to the Canajun Rockies south of Glacier Park, although Yosemite and Yellowstone are breathtaking.</p>
</div>
</div>
<p><br><br>
Google Image Grand Tetons. It's sort of weird because 90% of the pictures are of the same 2 mountains.</p>
<p>I find Yosemite Vallet totally breathtaking, but it is just one valley whereas from Glacier Park in Montana to Jasper in Alberta is hundreds of miles of awe-inspiring.</p>
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