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发表于 2009-8-22 18:52
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Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park, the Hottest of all the Canadian Rockies Hot Springs.
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Modern-day explorers, adventurers and treasure-seekers lament the lack of opportunity to experience "firsts" - all but the most dangerous mountain routes have already been climbed and named, stretches of whitewater most shouldn't be on in the first place have been conquered by the truly adventurous spirit, great caches of precious artifacts and riches have been pillaged. Those with a yearning to conquer bemoan that anything worth doing, has already been done. It's probably safe to say they haven't experienced Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park. Here, the steaming hot springs - with the hottest water of all the Canadian Rockies hot springs - reaches a maximum temperature of 53.9°C (129°F). Mind you, the water is cooled for bathers to a comfortable 39 degrees Celcius. (103°F).
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On a first visit to Miette, or a return trip if you haven't been there for a while, chances are good that you'll walk away feeling like you'd just made a very important discovery.( T0 S4 o: Z4 H( p8 O* }) A% E) h
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If you have never been there before, you might be forgiven if you mistake the drive to Miette Hot Springs through the spectacular Fiddle Valley as the reward, with its road winding past areas of interest such as Punchbowl Falls and the truly jaw-dropping scene at the Ashlar Ridge Viewpoint. But like anything truly good, half the fun is getting there. 5 d, T, A, \7 a% e# l' Z5 p0 v
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Similarly entertaining is the family of mountain sheep that you'll meet while finding a parking spot at the pool site - a regular fixture at Miette, they've regularly greeting visitors for years. (Stories abound about people leaving the pool building thinking they had been in the hot water a little too long as they did a double-take, having caught sight of a sheep on the hood of their car. The sheep also like to crawl under the cars to lick the salt from the undercarriage.)
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The staff at the Miette Hot Springs pool facility are so friendly you might feel like you're visiting relatives. And like a grandmother who scolds you for walking in the house with your shoes on, the cashiers are not afraid to call out at people walking into changing areas to remove their shoes. With the mixture of a high amount of foot traffic and a wet, warm environment with a heated floor, a breeding ground for bacteria could be underfoot if not carefully managed. To combat this, cleaning staff are as regular a fixture as people changing into bathing suits, as they continually work at providing and maintaining a sanitary change room.
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2 S+ ~! s" {3 Q" Z) y9 {5 PAfter your quick shower to prepare you for the pool, you walk through a door to the pool side. When you take in the view, you'll be struck with the realization that the journey to get here, as wonderful as it was, was simply the means to an end.$ v( @ X, @4 c9 c
; m7 q1 @9 \( UThe only issues remaining are deciding where to start, as there are three pools to choose from, and where to sit with amazing views available on all four sides of the pools. If you start with the pool closest to the change rooms, you'll wade into the shallow warm pool. After relaxing for a few moments, curiosity will likely get the better of you and you may just have to check it out for yourself. The little pool tucked away behind a half-wall evokes the most curiosity, and you'll soon find out that it's called the plunge pool for a reason.
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If you're brave and hearty enough to get in anywhere past your ankles, you'll probably end up asking yourself: "If I could make a sound, would my shrieks reverberate off of the mountains or be absorbed by them?" And then as you remember that the hot pool awaits, you'll likely exit faster than from any pool ever before.
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% S- z% u! _) V& Z, B VThe last one to experience is a deeper pool. At 41 degrees it is about 2 degrees hotter than the formerly-mentioned hot pool. In the hot springs, the deeper the source water goes, the hotter it gets. At this, the hottest springs in the Canadian Rockies, the precious liquid is heated directly by the Earth's core and returns to the surface hot and loaded with dissolved natural minerals at a rate of 1,540 litres (350 gallons) per minute. The water actually has to be cooled before it's ready for soaking. It is difficult to stay in this pool for a long soak, and actually isn't recommended, because of the temperature. When the time comes to get out you'll have a difficult time resisting the urge to do the circle of all three again, and might indeed do so.
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If you have the time or energy after your dips, there is plenty in the area to experience. In addition to on-site café and gift shops with patios on the pool deck and in the garden, there are also opportunities to enjoy activities ranging from the more cerebral to the more physical type.5 H0 ]7 W& y9 b- J! C0 |8 [7 {
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Miette's rich history is interpreted in displays along a trail that leads to the original bathhouse erected on the site, and the source of the hot springs. The historic photographs make for an entertaining and informative peek at the era from 1919 (when the first crude pool and changehouse were built) to the 1930s when the original building was erected. There is also outstanding hiking in sub-alpine terrain of the area, with excellent chances at spotting wildlife that call the area home.8 c( Z u3 `4 v+ S& m: L% h
/ T, G! D" D% W2 s+ A+ e+ `When you're ready to rest after the day's activities, you can head into Jasper to check out a variety of hotels and bed and breakfast locations. If you only have enough energy to get down from the mountain, you can check into the cozy Pocahontas bungalows at the base of the mountain.
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Resist the urge to share stories of your discovery with friends and family...at least for a day or two. Bask in the glow that comes from knowing that though you were not the first one to discover the site of the hot springs, its re-discovery in your own life is enough to leave you deservedly, thoroughly pleased with yourself. |
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发表于 2009-8-7 16:07
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