August 14, 2018

Walcott Quarry Yoho National Park August 9, 2018

So this was a hike my brother wanted to do for years and I came along for the ride.  This was my first guided hike that I had probably ever done.  There was some interesting points the Park Guide had to give and I learned lots of information, it was just a little tedious hiking so slowly and taking so many breaks, but it still was a great day.  We started at 7 am and started at the Takakkaw Falls which is one of the most impressive waterfalls I've seen in a long time.  Our guide today was excellent and she gave us lots of good information.  I knew little to none about the Burgess Shale area and the Walcott Quarry but now I know quite a bit.  Walcott was the man who discovered these fossils and spend lots of time up in this area finding thousands of specimens of these fossilised creatures.  The only way to access the quarry is to come up with a guide, as there is two camera's up there all the time monitoring any activity at the quarry.  Anyways the downside to today's views was the smoke really intensified overnight.  We would have had some amazing views of Emerald Glacier and Emerald Lake but the haze made the views not so great. 

Takakkaw Falls

Yoho Lake

Sun reflecting on Yoho lake

Sign on the way up

Hiking up in the haze

At the discovery site, this is where Walcott first discovered a fossil, notice Emerald Glacier in the background through the haze

One of the first fossil's I saw

Looking through the pile of shale for fossils at the discovery site

Sign on the way up to the Quarry

Can you see the mountain goats in the middle of this picture

Sign at the Quarry

The Quarry site

A Trilobite

Some of the specimens they had locked away in a cupboard for us to look at

More Specimens to look at

Closer view of Takakkaw Falls at the end
Track of Hike

Photo Sphere at Quarry

Video at Quarry

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