by slow road, pt 3
We left the dry grasslands of the south Cariboo region by taking the highway heading southwest through mountains and green forests, eventually to Whistler by the back route. It felt more like home already. It had been more than a decade since we’d travelled this way but we remembered its grand beauty and wished to see it again.
Soon in was a stunning sight of a mountain side that was being quarried. Catching too-brief glimpses through the trees, we were amazed by the textures of the rock. We were reminded of the views of quarried mountains in northern Italy, minus the forest. But here there were no posted signs and no human activity and I could not find any information online. It may be a First Nations operation. We also saw stunning areas of reddish colour here and there, reminding me of native pictographs (of which there are some in the area, I’d read).
Then, wow, we caught glimpses, like a mirage, of an unusual pointed rock formation. We had to go back and forth along the road to find a bit of an open spot in the trees to capture this photo. I think it may be called Chimney Rock within Marble Canyon Provincial Park, an area of lovely small lakes which we could not see from the road.
The other parts of this series are here:
part 1, part 2, part 4, part 5, interlude, part 6 and the finale.
July 5, 2013 in Canada and BC, Nature, Rocks, Travel by Marja-Leena
My initial reaction to your first picture was that you’d found a stepped pyramid in BC.
All three are magnificent images but that last one is extraordinary. I think it was waiting for you to visit.
Susan, it does look rather like a stepped pyramid. Glad you like the photos, they really don’t do justice to the actual scenes.
I often find quarries very visually arresting, but that is extraordinary, looking more ancient and mysterious than perhaps it is. Very beautiful images, good to have you back!
Lucy, I’m glad you find this extraordinary too. Thanks for the compliment, and I’m happy to be back.
I am glad that there is an explanation. I have tried once or twice. I enjoy the quiz.
Joe, it was a frustrating week of waiting to have my blog cleared and I’m sorry I couldn’t explain it here until afterwards. Glad to have you visit again and even enjoy the ‘quiz’ (question)! Hope that won’t be too hard for new visitors.
Of course it looks ancient and terraced and strange–that’s just the kind of modern thing that attracts your eye!
Marly, you know me well!
Such a strange thing. How old are those steps? Where could you find the information?
Hattie, it seemed to me to be a recent quarry but I could not find any information. If we’d had more time, it might have been worth trying find the access into the site and look closer.