幽鹤国家公园二日行

洛基山脉中的YOHO（幽鹤）国家公园面积仅1313平方公里，是四个毗邻的国家公园最小的一个。她就像一个天生丽质小美女，在banff和japser两个老大哥面前羞答答的风情万种。YOHO来自Cree语，就是惊叹和奇妙（awe and wonder)。

公园主要景点丰富紧凑如下：
全年开放景点有Field镇，翡翠湖（Emerald Lake)和天然桥，踢马河（Kicking Horse River)，Wapta Falls, Lake ohara
春至秋开放景点有Spiral Tunnels, 踢马通道历史遗址，Takakkaw Falls和Yoho Valley，伯吉斯页岩化石群（Burgess Shale Fossil Beds）

周五下午3点离开爱城驱车5小时到达踢马河畔金黄镇（Golden）过夜。此镇因加拿大太平洋铁路伐木而兴起，如今成为旅游区户外爱好者的天堂。

次日早起在镇上用餐后直奔Takakkaw Falls，Takakkaw意思为壮观（magnificent），最高点为302米，自由落差260米，我们一行五人看完Takakkaw瀑布就向上走去，一路上河流瀑布湖水溪流池塘美不胜收，同行都大呼：下次一定要来野营走到头。

Takakkaw Falls旁边吃个中午餐后开往翡翠湖（Emerald Lake），此时阳光灿烂立刻被翡翠湖的美丽光色惊呆！必须绕湖走一圈！一周5.2公里，美极非语言能形容：

幽鹤凝玉瑰，

人来惊翡翠。

远山含雪醉，

近松抱影垂。

碧寒奇光色，

谁把仙境缀？

天然桥（Natual Bridge) -上帝的创造

兴致勃勃游玩回到金黄镇与另一股去Lake Ohara驴友会合，恰逢某驴友过生日大家尽情嗨按下不表：）。接下来次日将有4级踢马白水漂流（Class 4 Kicking Horse Whitewater Rafting)，传说rafting级别有六个等级，我等一行16人有不少人不会游泳甚至第一次下水！在经验丰富的船老大及同伴们的齐心协力下，顺利PK！我心中略微有些不过瘾，不过看见同伴们嗨的不行，我心里也就释然。

Class 1: Very small rough areas, might require slight maneuvering. (Skill level: Very basic)
Class 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, might require some maneuvering. (Skill level: Basic paddling skill)
Class 3: Small waves, maybe a small drop, but no considerable danger. May require significant maneuvering. (Skill level: Some experience in rafting)
Class 4: Whitewater, medium waves, maybe rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed.(Skill level: Exceptional rafting experience)
Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, large volume, possibility of large rocks and hazards, possibility of a large drop, requires precise maneuvering. (Skill level: Full mastery of rafting)
Class 6: Class 6 rapids are considered to be so dangerous that they are effectively unnavigable on a reliably safe basis. Rafters can expect to encounter substantial whitewater, huge waves, huge rocks and hazards, and/or substantial drops that will impart severe impacts beyond the structural capacities and impact ratings of almost all rafting equipment. Traversing a Class 6 rapid has a dramatically increased likelihood of ending in serious injury or death compared to lesser classes. (Skill level: Full mastery of rafting, and even then it may not be safe)