August 22, 2011
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camping
We made it. Everyone came back alive. And if you have any notion about my children, you’ll know that alone is a feat! Oldest Large Child and Winsome01 went ahead of Wee Blonde Child, Healthy Weighty Wee Man and me as the campsites are first come first serve and I still had dayhome children. So they got the site got everything set up while waiting for the rest of us to arrive.
the carts are for taking your belongings to and from your car as you can’t drive in. Healthy Weighty Wee Man and Wee Blonde Child thought that it would be a fun rickshaw ride!
Winsome01 laying down the rules for the tent, which Oldest Large Child later broke!
Friday night was mostly uneventful albeit a bit of an unrestful sleep … I’m getting an inflatable sleeping pad for future camping trips! And in hindsight … maybe we should have brought the pup tent … BOTH Healthy Weighty Wee Man AND Wee Blonde Child are restless sleepers and need lots of space when sleeping.
Saturday we hiked up to just below the Emerald Glacier. It was a hike. And to have listened to WBC on the way up … “WORST. DAY. EVER.” it was a slog. Although, now that we have done it once, I know what to expect the next time. The trail we took was called the Iceline Trail in that it skirts the glacier along the apex of the trail. We did not follow the entire trail, stopping just below the apex where we stayed for a while and played in the glacier fed creek, and on surrounding rocks before heading back the way we came up. It wasn’t long once we were back at our camp site before it was dinner and then quickly bed time. The Monsters did make use of empty campsites around us to play and the girls even serenaded the entire campsite while pretending to put on a stage show on an unoccupied picnic table although I’m still sure they had no idea that they could be heard down by the river!
views of Takakaw Falls from across the valley on our ascent to the Iceline Trail and the Emerald Glacier.
The trail we started on which lead to the Iceline Trail head.
at least my monsters know how to entertain themselves with whats on hand even in the middle of no where!
once we arrived at the glacier fed stream, it was not long before the Monsters quickly lost socks and shoes to play in the water! 
then it was time to collect big rocks to throw in the water in an effort to get each other wet!
Then I was able to look around and take in some of the beauty that surrounded us. I can only hope I did it justice with the pictures I took to share with you.
the view of the other side of the valley
the landscape felt almost lunar in it’s solitude and silence.
the gauges in this rock was created from the glacier advancing and receeding.
I looked across the plateau and saw that OLC had climbed up on a rock that obviously had come away from wall, with WBC and HWWM close behind.
Winsome01 went over to assist and ”spot” the climbers although, as it turned out, they didn’t really need it. there are times I think I have hairless, tailless Spider Monkies for children!and of course, once on top, it was time for more pictures!
here are some pictures of the scenery and views onour descent.
a stone bridge
an Inukshuk (pronounced in-’uk-shook)
Takakaw Falls creating a rainbow
a wooden pipe! 
do you think OLC is just a tad bit tired?Sunday morning dawned … yes imagine that! The sun actually came up! As far as Winsome 01 and I were concerned, it came up all too soon! After breakfast, we began the task of packing up. Once our site was clean and clear and everything was in the vehicles, we were Calgary bound ~ sort of. First we went to see the falls up close we saw from across the valley the day before. Healthy Weighty Wee Man wanted to go up behind the water and Winsome01 attempted to humour him, but it was a bit of a climb and as soon as the climb started to get slightly difficult, HWWM decided, maybe it wouldn’t be so much fun after all! The girls clambered about some of the rocks while I took some pictures of Takakaw Falls before Winsome01 and Healthy Weighty Wee Man came back.
while you can’t see the trail from this vantage point, the far right just below the ice line is where we were on Saturday afternoon. Just to give you some perspective of where we went.
Takakaw Falls
No matter where they are on the planet, the Monsters always love to play at the edge of any body of water! Weirdos.
the water was clear! You can’t tell, but I was ankle deep and it was freakin’ freezing! So much it hurtSoon it was time to get in the car and head east toward home. Just down the road from the camp site, are the Spiral Tunnels in which trains use to ascend/descend a steep hill. HWWM thought this was just great as he did get to see some trains on the way in to the camp ground. Sadly, with no cellular reception, we had no idea when the trains were scheduled to pass and when we reached the tunnels after leaving the camp ground there were none passing through the tunnels. Something to plan for next year!
