The Natural Bridge

No, that is not snow on the ground here... only snow on the mountains behind.

We first visited the Natural Bridge about 40 years ago... and it is every bit as impressive today.  This site is only a minute off the Trans Canada Highway about a mile or two west of Field, BC...

and Emerald Lake is another "must see" that is on the same road a few miles further.

Back then one could actually walk right out onto the rocks with the water rushing thru underneath you. It was more than a little scary... but not any more.

Now they have built an engineered bridge just for viewing the Natural Bridge. Much better. There were two tour buses of people there when we arrived... hence it was a little crowded.

But what an excellent view point to take photos from!  Shirley is at the end of the bridge just clicking away with no fear of falling in.

This is the water above the bridge...

The water below the bridge.

The Kicking Horse River was named in 1858, when James Hector, a member of the Palliser Expedition was kicked by his pack horse while exploring the river.   Hector survived and named the river and the associated Kicking Horse Pass as a result of the incident.

There are times in the spring when the water over flows the rock... and when we were here before it was certainly a lot less than now.

You may have heard the old proverb for persistence,

"The continual running of the water wears away."

The concept is also in scripture... "As water wears away stone..." -Job 14:19

Over time this Natural Bridge may be washed away and be become a deep gorge.

It is certainly possible.

Those who subscribe to the theory of this earth evolving over millions of years believe that Niagara Falls may not always be... but none of us will ever live to see that theory proved one way or the other.