A favourite place

Do you have a favourite spot? One that you return to time and time again? Though Rearguard Falls is hours away from my home, I am drawn to it’s power and beauty. Each time we travel to Jasper or British Columbia, I plan to stop there for even a few minutes. It takes about 10 minutes by foot to reach the falls from the highway, but a solid trail and a few footbridges later, you hear it before you see it.

There are several vantage points for shooting photos. I often think that the greatest wide angle lens isn’t enough to capture the magnitude of this water rushing over the rocks. You can literally get right up close and personal with this magnificent natural wonder-the water an icy blue that flows down through the forest and is part of the salmon run of the Fraser river.

After about 30 minutes of me watching, shooting, admiring, changing position, I inevitably get the “look” of “Let’s go!” from the other half and I reluctantly walk back up the trail, away from the place that connects with a me on a spiritual level. Where the ocean makes me feel equally insignificant and special, so too does this majestic phenomenon. With the renewal of spirit that this water brings, I am reminded of this quote;