Facts and Information - Our Travels

September 2010 Trip

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:59:41 GMT

We started out on our trip early on Friday September 3. We were headed for Kamloops that night, so we decided to start out earlier, as we were going to be meeting a couple of the fire information officers for the fire centers located in Kamloops. Since we arrived in Kamloops early, we decided that we would head to Mr. Mikes Restaurant, and then we still had some extra time, so we headed for William McArthur Island Park, and this is a very neat park. There are so many activities that happen within this facility. There is baseball, track and field, walking etc. We then headed to the fire centers, and we were just expecting to meet these officers, instead they were able to show us around, and show us what happens during the typical fire season. It was very informative.

Later in the evening, we caught a quick meal at the KFC/TacoBell, and then we headed for one of the movies that were playing at the Ciniplex in Kamloops. It was called the Other Guys. It was quite good. We then went back to the motel that we were staying at, the Fountain Motel, which we stayed at when we came to Kamloops for Victoria Day weekend, and we found it just as good.

Early the next morning, we pack up, and leave for Banff. The drive to Banff is a very long drive, so we decided that we should start out really early in the morning. We went to Salmon Arm to gas up, and then as a usual ritual when we go to Sicamous, we have to stop at the Dutchmen Dairy Milk. The milkshakes were delicious as normal.

Once we stopped in Sicamous, we carried on Highway one towards Banff. We went through Revelstoke, and then Golden. We decided to stop in Field, which is on the border of Alberta, and we took some of the photos, that we would normally see with the highway webcam at Field. It was very interesting. This was the last stop that we made until we got to Lake Louise.

Once in the Lake Louise area, we decided that we were going to go up the hill, and look at Moraine Lake. We didn’t get to see the actual lake itself, but we saw the rocks beside the lake which is what a “moraine” is. We also saw that there was a huge amount of traffic, and parking that was taken , which was one of the number one reasons we didn’t stop and park, is there was lots of people in the area at the time, and parking in this area is a very cumbersome task. We were told that Moraine Lake would be a good place to see some animals, but because it was so busy around there, there wouldn’t be any animals.

The first thing that we did when we got to the bottom of the road, was to go to the Lake Louise Information center to get a national park pass, as you need one of these if you’re going to be stopping and observing various things within the park. After we got the pass, we decided that we were going to go and get some lunch, since we hadn’t eaten really anything except for snacks on our travel up to Banff. We stopped at the Lake Louise Family Restaurant, which is located on the second floor in the main mall that they have. The food was fairly good, but be prepared to spend the dollars, as it is not extremely cheap. Once we have had our lunch, we decided that we were going to start and head towards Canmore where we were staying that night.

On our way towards Canmore, we thought that we would attempt to take the Bow Valley Parkway, which is another area where there is supposed to be some animals, but we didn’t see any, I am guessing that we probably too early as it is usually before sunset, or just after dawn. The parkway was beautiful though so we enjoyed driving up it. There are many sites that you’re able to see if you’re willing to hike off of the Bow Valley Parkway such as Johnston Canyon.

We get to Canmore, and we go to our hotel which is the Quality Inn Chateau – Canmore . It was a very nice room, and very enjoyable. I would personally recommend this accommodation for anyone who wants a luxury type stay for reasonable rates. Join the Choice Hotels, and you will save on your visit here.

After getting settled into our hotel room, we determine that we want to go out for some further investigation to find animals, as one of the posts that we saw in our room was on “cougar, bear and elk alert”. So we asked the hotel person, where would be the best area to see animals, and he recommended the “Canmore Nordic Center”. There was a bear warning posted in this area, but there were no animals in this area as there was a wedding that was currently going on, so it was far too many people in this location, so we thought that we would continue on further up the road.

The road past the Canmore Nordic Center, lead to the Spray Lakes Area, as well as the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. When we headed up towards that area, we saw a sign warning people of “prescribed burning” taking place, so we didn’t head up all the way to these areas, but we did go up to the second lake along the road. Over on the side of the road near the second lake there was some rock climbers, attempting their fate on the slope. On the way down from this hill, it was simply stunning. It showed the entire Canmore Valley area, and it was very good. We took some pictures of this area, but some of which were out of focus.

When we reached the bottom, we decided that it would be time for some dinner, so we went to the Rocky Mountain Flatbreads Co. They were quoted as “the best pizza” in town, so we decided that we would go and taste the pizza to see what we thought. It was delicious, and I would recommend it for anyone who is wanting to have a good pizza.

The next morning, we make another go of the Bow Valley Parkway, since it was earlier in the morning, but still no animals, I guess because of the rain that was happening. Then we thought that we would attempt the Lake Minnewanka Loop since we were close enough. So we go up there, and there were no animals until we went to the rolling meadows. In the meadows, there were 4 deer playing. We were able to get some good pictures of them.

After this, we head towards Lake Louise, hoping to get some breakfast, since we hadn’t had any that morning, however, the place where we attempted to go at the Husky Gas Station area, was really full, and wouldn’t be ready for about 10 or 15 minutes, and we were not wanting to wait that long, so we then contemplated of going to the restaurant that we did the day before, however, the costs there were quite high. We finally decided to get some groceries from the market, and then eat some of that for breakfast.

When we were finished having our breakfast, we then ventured to the Icefields Parkway. We were going to attempt the first part of the Forestry Trunk road, however, the weather that day, and the day before was hard rain, we decided that it would be better to attempt the Forestry Trunk the next morning. We went to the Icefields Parkway. The first thing that we saw as we entered this highway, was a “bear warning sign” so we knew there would be a very good chance of seeing a bear along this route. Within about 3 or 4 km of this road, we saw the black bear that they were talking about. It was chomping on buffalo berries, which is one of the seasonable berries that they love. We were also surprised to see the “stunning serene beauty” of the Icefields Parkway. They were simply wonderful glaciated slopes that were simply stunning.

We veered off of the Icefields Parkway at the Saskatchewan River Crossing, to access Highway 11 aka the David Thompson Highway. Again, there was more beauty on this highway. On this highway, you will pass such areas as the Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve, as well as the Abraham Lake area, which are a couple of places to note. We then get to the small area of Nordegg, which holds a lot of historical value. We had lunch at their little tiny restaurant, which reminded me a lot of Barkerville. We finish lunch, and we had to pay in the gift shop, as there was no interact available in the actual restaurant. We ask the girl sitting at the desk if there was anything that she recommended in Rocky Mountain House, as this was our next stop. She mentioned one of her favorite restaurants is Grillers.

So we thank her, and then we go out on our way to Rocky Mountain House. We arrive in Rocky Mountain House, and go to our stop, which is Holiday Inn Express. Rocky Mountain House, is a smaller city, which reminds me sort of an area like Smithers, or a bit of a larger scale Squamish. For dinner we went to Grillers, which was highly recommended to us by the girl in Nordegg. The steak was the juiciest and the most succulent steak we have had.

We then decide that we are to explore around Rocky Mountain House, and also to get some supplies for the next day, as we wanted to leave early in order to attempt the next leg of our journey.

The next morning, we go along the same stretch of Hwy 11 aka the David Thompson Highway to Nordegg, which is the entrance point to the Forestry Trunk Road. On route to this location, we came across a couple of deer along the roadway, which we were able to photograph. We then arrive to the Forestry Trunk Road.

The Forestry Trunk Road, is for most of the way was like a roller coaster, like up and down, etc. Some recreational areas of note are Brown Creek, Brazeau River, and Pembina River. Shortly after the Pembina point, it went to Highway 40. Although the road is basically very straight in parts, you need to exercise caution, and go slow enough that you’re able to slow down if an animal does pop out. We had this situation with a couple of bucks that came out of the forest and onto the road. Luckily we were able to stop within about 150 m of them. We also saw a deer on the side of the road as well. Another couple of words of caution, especially on Hwy 40, when it becomes a little bit narrower, and steeper are: active logging and/or mining vehicles, as well as snow being possible most of the year. Please keep this in mind when you’re venturing up in the last stretch before Hinton.

We arrive in Hinton, and find our hotel, which was right along Hwy 16, so it wasn’t very hard to find. We were staying at the Better Canadian Motor Inns for this night. The room was pretty good, and with our accommodation key, we were able to get a discount at the either the “Ranchers” Restaurant” or the “Joey’s Only Restaurant”.

Since we arrived in Hinton so early that day, we decided that we were going to look around for some different roads etc., in order to try and find some animals. We go to the Hwy 40 towards Alaska. There is a provincial park in this area called “William Switzer”. We first looked around at Jonas Lake, which is a recreational area that is suitable for kayaking, canoeing, and many other water sports, and also picnicking. We then decide that we are going to find the Athabasca Nordic Center, which is located just a little ways down from where Jonas Lake was. We get up to the Athabasca Nordic Center, and notice a “bear in the area” sign. We also noticed a relatively fresh animal print, which seems like it would have come from something like a moose. Once we finish at the Nordic Center area, which wasn’t very long due to construction in the area, we look for the road that says “Pepper Lake”. We go down this road, and caution was required since there was construction in this area too, but with a deep ditch on one side. We then have to go on another road, and then go over this 500 m long one lane bridge, to the other side of the Athabasca River to the other side and look around. This is on the Hinton side.

When we get back to Hinton, we decide that it would be time to get some dinner, so we decide that we will try the Ranchers Restaurant that was recommended to us by the hotel. We decided upon the Sports Grill instead of the restaurant, so we had our dinner there, and the food was fairly good here as well.

After dinner, we go back on the road to see some more roads. This time, we decide that we would go to the part of Hwy 40 that said “Old Entrance”. This led us to Brule. There is a lake around here. We go along Swans Crossing, which is one of the CN rail areas, but it started to get very rocky, and the sunset is close to happening, so we know that it would not be a good idea to go any further, as this is an area where deer are very likely, and other animals as well. We get back to Hinton, and prepare for the next day which will include Jasper.

The next morning we head for Jasper. The first route that we go along is the Miette Hot Springs Road. The first point that we go to is the “Punch Bowl Falls” area. This is a very deep gorge, and is very beautiful. We then head further up to the Miette Hot Springs Road, and we saw the Fiddle River, which too is a very deep, but yet beautiful gorge. Finally we get closer to the Miette Hot Springs, we come across wildlife; big horn sheep. They were right on the road. Parks Canada Officials were driving the opposite way as we were trying to coax the big horn sheep off the road. We get to the end of the Miette Hot Springs area, and it is one of the commercialized types of hot springs as that of Ainsworth Hot Springs. We decided not to stop, as we still had a long ways to go that day.

We noticed along the Jasper Parkway that there was very little wildlife in the area. We did see some deer along the road, but there was way more, the last time that we went through the area.

The next road that we go up is the Maligne Lake Road. All along this road, there were warnings about Bears, and also about Caribou. This road is a very windy, and very steep road. Caution should be used to ensure that that these animals remain safe. Please note that the caribou, are now threatened in different areas, so please try and preserve their lives, by going slower. It is a very pretty area though, but it was very wet due to a lot of rain. There are a lot of famous trails such as the Opal Hills, Sky Line trails etc. that can be found in this area, but caution should be exercised when using these trails such as necessary bear precautions, being self-sufficient, as well as well equipped to deal with snow and other conditions through the year.

Jasper Park Lodge is also found along the Maligne Lake Road. This 4-5 star hotel is a very nice looking area. They also have a golf-course at this resort as well. Please note that this area is active Elk Area. If you plan on going into this area within the rutting season, be prepared with the following: DO not get in between a female (without antlers), and a male (with antlers), as the male will charge your vehicle or you if you’re in between to protect the female. Also, try and give as much room as possible if you notice them around. Please report to the nearest facility to report the sighting of the elk when you’re able to, to warn others of the elk around.

Along the same road as the lodge, there is also a recreational area that leads you to the Edith and Annette Lakes. Please note that these are hiking trails of varying difficulty, and you might want to be well prepared for wildlife encounters, snow etc. depending on the route that you decide to take.

We then go back onto Highway 16, and enter the town of Jasper. This is also a good area to see elk in the meadows around the town. We didn’t see any, but there is a good possibility. The town, is also the hub to many other recreational areas such as Patricia Lake, Pyramid Lakes, Mount Edith Cavell Road etc. We decided that this would be a good opportunity to eat some lunch, so we decided to go to Smitty’s Restaurant, which is located in the heart of Jasper.

Once we have finished lunch, we go on our way towards McBride. We head towards Mount Robson. It was fairly cloudy and rainy in this area, but we did stop in the Visitor area for a little while. Here, you’re able to access many different popular trails such as Berg Lake Trails, Fitzsimmons’ Trail etc. Please note that these trails are wilderness in nature, and you must be self-sufficient, be prepared to see any wildlife i.e. (moose, deer, bear, wolves etc.) and be prepared for any type of weather conditions (snow, rain, hail, thunder and lightning, sun etc.).

Once we were finished at Mt. Robson, we continued our way to McBride. We get here about 2 p.m. so we decide that we are going to go and find our accommodations in McBride. We were staying at North Country Lodge, and that was fairly easy to find since McBride is a fairly small area. There are only about 4 restaurants in the whole town.

We asked some locals of where to see some animals in this area. We were told that just before sunset, that we would be able to see tons of deer just outside of McBride. So we thanked for the help, and then we decided that we would go out to try our luck before dinner. We went down the road to the airport, and were able to see some deer here, so we took some pictures of them. Then we headed towards near the bridge to try our luck at some animals. We didn’t see any animals, but we saw lots of animal tracks, namely; bear, deer, moose, raccoon, and possibly wolf or coyote prints.

We then went to the Sun Valley Restaurant for dinner, and had a good meal. Then we confirmed with the worker from this restaurant that deer were easy to find. After dinner, we went out for a little while, and no sooner had we been out for a few minutes, there were several of deer including buck. We got some really good pictures, but all I can say is “massive amounts of deer”.

The next morning we headed out to Prince George from McBride. There were two major provincial parks that we passed through on the way to Prince George. They were the Sugar Bowl Grizzly Den, as well as the West Twin Park. These two parks were very big. Once we get to Prince George we decide that we were going to get some breakfast. We stop at the White Spot and that is as good as always.

A little bit of time after we finished breakfast, we then headed out to the West Lake Road, aka the Blackwater River Road, and headed towards Quesnel. This is the famous road that the Alexander McKenzie Camp is along. Buffalo berries lined most of the roads, so during the fall, you might come across some bear that might be eating some of these berries. When we get to the intersection of Blackwater Road and Batuni Road, we saw a forest fire camp. They were starting to disassemble the camp. Please use extreme caution when using the West Batuni Road, as this is where the Pelican Lake fire happened, and the roads are okay, but the fires have loosened quite a bit of the roots, so during periods of heavy wind, rain or snow, you might want to consider going down another road. We get to Quesnel relatively early.

We stayed once again at the Travellers Lodge in Quesnel, which is located right across from the hospital, and it is a very comfortable place to stay. The owners are the same as we had last year, and are very friendly.

Once we get settled into our accommodation, and have stayed there for a little while, we decided that it would be a good time to start our exploration for animals. We headed towards the Hydraulic Road which goes past Dragon Lake, and then takes a loop back to Kersley. We got to the point of the Greville ferry, and then had to turn around since it was getting a lot closer to sunset, and we didn’t want to be on these roads after dark, as there are a lot of deer around. We got some really good pictures of deer in this area as well, so it was really good.

Once we get back to Downtown Quesnel, we go to Mr. Mikes Steakhouse for our dinner. It was delicious as always, and then we went back to our hotel room, as the next day is going to be a very long travel day as well.

Early the next day, we head for William’s Lake. We decide that we will venture down the Soda Creek Road. We thought that this would lead all the way down, but it didn’t. We then learned from reading the Backroads Mapbook, that we would have had to go a long several of roads to come across the connections to the William’s Lake area. We then went back onto Hwy 97, and almost ran into a major hay bale not too long down the road. We were able to swerve and avoid it.

We decided that it would be a good idea to stop for some lunch, so we went to Dennys in William’s Lake, and it was very good, and it was good to see their new menu.

Once we were finished lunch, we went to Hwy 20, to start our journey out to Nimpo Lake. We were surprised to see the amount of devastation that we saw on Young Road where there was several of destroyed cattle fences. Also on the upper part of the highway where there were spots where there was still steam coming up from the ground. We also noticed the leaves changing color along this stretch, and that was the pretty part of it.

We arrive at Nimpo Lake, at Stewart’s Lodge. As always, this lodge was just as we expected it to be. We had some very scrumptious meals prepared by the head cook Richard. Duncan the owner, is dedicated as ever to his work. This year he had his son help with the dock assisting. He was very good with this as well, and it was much appreciated too. We will enjoy many years to come hopefully with this lodge.

After leaving the lodge, we headed home via Hwy 97 towards Clinton. We headed by Downing Provincial Park, and Kelly Lake, We headed up the ever known Pavillion Mountain Road, and then we arrived into Lillooet. We then went over the Duffey Lake Road, and then to Whistler and the Callaghan Valley area, and then towards Vancouver.

This marks the end of this trip! Hope everyone had good reading, and keep posted for future trips.

Canada Day Trip

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:43:37 GMT

We went over on the very early ferry to the Island via Tsawwassen. We went to Duke Point, and we took the early ferry at 5:15 a.m. We arrived at Nanaimo a little after 7:30 a.m. and we then went down to fill up with gas before we went to the Lake Cowichan area.

We went to Mesachie Lake, where the turn off for the road we took which was the Harris Creek road. We took a look a giant Sitka Spruce tree, named the Harris Creek Sitka Spruce Tree.

Please take a look at the forum that is labelled "back roads" this will give you the gist of the cautions and precautions that should be used on this road as ther are a lot of various things that you need to keep in mind when using this road.

We were able to see three Roosevelt Elk along this stretch, as well as two huge black bear. This was a rare sighting as many of these animals are quite elusive. Please also take a few moments to look at the Regions of BC forum as well, as this will go over some wilderness tips of what you should do in areas of wilderness and the parks.

The next morning we were supposed to go the VIA train from Victoria to Courtenay, unfortunately the train was broken down, so we were not able to see that route, but hopefully we will be able to do. We however, were able to see a few more deer along the way.

Please keep posted for further trips that we take!

Victoria Day Journey

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:43:50 GMT

On the Victoria Day weekend (sunday May 23), we set out for our excursion about 4:30 p.m. I had to work until this point, so we couldn't leave until I was finished.

We went through the Fraser Valley past the turn off to Agassiz, and the Dino Park, as well as the Trans Canada waterslides. We then got to the Coquihalla Highway, and just as we were going up near the foot of the highway, we saw a black bear walking along the side of the highway. We continued on further up the highway, and ran into some snow on the sides of the road. The temperatures were not very warm, as there was a cold front that had gone through before we got to the Coquihalla area, which cooled things down significantly. At the Coquihalla Summit it was between 1 and 4 degrees celcius.

We stopped at the Britton Lakes Rest Area, formerly around where the toll booth was. At this rest stop we came across some birds known as "brown headed cowbirds." We continued further on, towards Kamloops on the look out for some more wildlife, but we were not able to see anymore that night.

We arrive in Kamloops about 9 p.m., and we get settled into our motel room at the Fountain Motel. After we get settled, we went for dinner, and got a few supplies that we needed for the next morning, and then we head back to the motel room to get to bed.

The next morning, was a very early morning at approximately 6:00 a.m. We make our way out to the Westsyde Road which is on the Westside of Kamloops on the North Thompson River. The Westsyde road is paved until you just south of the McClure Ferry Terminal.  From just south of the ferry terminal to Barriere is along a good gravel road. When you get approximately 5-10 km past the ferry terminal, there are an abundant amount of livestock, some of which were on the road laying down, and then some that were wanting to run along side the car. Caution should always be used in this circumstance, to make sure that the livestock remains safe. About another 2-3 km after this, there is a slope that has loose gravel, and the potential for small rockslides during either heavy rain or snow, so caution should be used in this area as well. We then  get to Barriere, and head onto Hwy 5, aka theYellowhead Highway.

We arrive in Clearwater, and decide to stop for some breakfast before we go into one of the province's largest, most remote provincial parks known as Wells Gray Provincial Park. This park is a hub for a lot of recreational opportunities, including, but not limited to hiking, boating (canoeing, kayaking), wildlife viewing, wilderness camping, vehicle camping, heli-skiing and so on. We go to the Spahats Creek, which is one of the first recreational areas past the main entrance to the park boundary.

At Spahats Recreational Area, it is approximately a 5 minute hike to the waterfalls. It is has very interesting topography, with sheer drops through a breathtaking canyon. If you're afraid of heights, please do not look down to the very bottom, as it is a very long ways down. Caution should be used, even with it being a short hike. Never hike alone, or hike when listening to music. Be sure to make lots of noise, and be aware of your surroundings! When we were there, there was a noticeable sign of recent bear activity around there, probably one of the most common signs (bear scat).

Once we finished going through this park, for a little while longer, slightly past the Trophy Mountain Ranch, we then turned around, and began heading to the next location on our journey.

We headed back out to the Yellowhead Highway, and went south to Louis Creek. You can see the devastation that the McClure/Barriere fire which occurred in 2003 caused.  We then turned onto the Agate Bay Road, and headed to Adams Lake. All of this road is paved, and takes you through forest, and through ranch and farm land. We were able to see a few deer playing in the field.

As soon as we got to the foot of Agate Bay Road, we were at Adam's Lake. There were two ways that you could turn. One would have turned into a dead end when we were there, as it headed towards the Squaam Native Band, and the road was currently closed. The other way, which we went took you up a well defined gravel road to the village of Chase. Caution should be used at portions on the Adam's Lake road, as there are a few very narrow corners, which turns into essentially one lane.

When we arrived in Chase, we then went on the Chase/Falkland Road. This road is mainly paved, but there are sections that are not paved for about 6-10 km. Just before we got to the dirt portion in the road, we saw a coyote, which looked a lot like a wolf, because it was not like the typical coastal coyote look. When we were on the dirt portion of the road, we saw three deer in the bush, and got some good pictures of them.

When we arrived in Falkland, we learned that there was a stampede/rodeo that was happening in this location, and there was a lot of crowds gathering on the side of the streets and there was an annual pancake breakfast.

We then carried on to Vernon, where we turned onto the Westside road which leads to Fintry Provincial Park, and also to the well known Lake Oakanagan Resort as well as to Westbank. This road is paved all the way, and there are areas where you have to watch out for bighorn sheep. We had the fortune to be able to see 2 bighorn sheep.

Once we got to Westbank, we went onto the highway interchange, that took us to the point where we could choose to go to either Penticton/Peachland or Summerland or to Merritt and Kamloops and Hope.  We chose the option to head towards Summerland and Peachland. When we arrived in Summerland, we went for lunch at their local pub, and then headed on our second to last leg of the journey.

Once we were finished lunch, we headed on the old Summerland/Princeton highway that takes you to Bankier, as well as several lakes including Thirsk Lake (a dam restoration project), Osprey Lake, Chain Lake, and also the Three Lakes General Store that can lead you to the Teepee Lakes. There are also many other lakes in the area including Whitehead, Galena to name a few, you just have to know how to get to them via the logging roads.

Once we finished in this area, we headed down to Princeton, and then onto the Crowsnest Highway aka Hwy 3. This highway takes you right past a few well known provincial parks, Manning Park, Cascade Recreational Area, and Skagit Valley to name a few. Caution should be used on this highway, and there are some areas that are very windy, and can cause problems if not careful.

Keep posted for more journeys that we will be doing!

Chilliwack Lake Trip

Wed, 05 May 2010 18:38:39 GMT

Chilliwack Lake Trip

We went on this trip on Good Friday, which was Friday April 2, 2010. We left on this trip about 8 a.m. in the morning, and decided to head to the Fraser Valley region namely to the Chilliwack area. This area can be very beautiful, but it was quite cool, as well as snow showers off and on around the Chilliwack Lake area.

As soon as we got to the area of the Trans-Canada Highway, that we could turn off onto, which was the Vedder Crossing, we got to go on a fair stretch of road, passing the entrance to the road of the ever popular Cultus Lake Provincial Park, and we continued on until we got to the fork in the road, which one way would lead into Downtown Vedder, and then the other direction led us to the Chilliwack Lake/River area.

We went down the long road, in order to view some of the lake. Along the way, there are many recreational sites that are easily accessible when the weather is better, but at this moment in time, it was very cold, and very windy. This road took us past the monumental Mt. Sleese plane crash site, as well as one of the DND branches. There are numerous forest service roads that are in the area too, but due to the weather, we were only able to tackle a couple of them.

We first went up the Neskawatch Forest Service road. This road is the one that leads to the Rexford Recreational area, that allows for some rock climbing, and also picnicking as well as some steep hiking, but due to the low freezing level at the time, we were not able to get the full way up, and also the road gets quite rough to the point of being more of an ATV or motorcycle tracking site instead. The road past the first 3 or 4 km, would probably be recommended for ATV and motorcycles, or very high clearance 2wd or 4wd vehicles due to the ruggedness of the area.

We then decided that we were going to venture out to the Chilliwack Lake area. We were down some of the forest service road, but had to turn back due to the fact that we had very low clearance in the vehicle that we were driving, and it is an extremely rocky and rough road. Approximately 2 km down the road, they recommend that you don’t stop in the area due to chances of rockfall. In this area, it is a very harrowing area, with the fact that there is a sheer drop off to the bottom, and there are no railings to hold you in. This area is NOT recommended at the times during extreme weather such as snow storms, heavy fog etc., due to the fact of this extreme drop off in this area, and the very rugged areas within this area.

After we finished this road, to the amount that we were able to handle, we decided to venture into Chilliwack. We visited the Island 22 park. This is one of the many Fraser Valley Regional District Parks in the area. This particular park is friendly for those who are wanting to have a picnic, or wanting to boat or fish, and the main use for this park is for those who are wanting to ride horses in an equestrian environment.

Look for more on our next trip!

Squamish/Whistler Trip

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:42:49 GMT

Squamish/Whistler Trip

We got up very early at like about 4:30 a.m. to travel to the Squamish and Whistler area on Saturday March 27, 2010 for our first back road trip, again for the mission of finding wildlife. We were fortunate to see and hear lots of birds, and we also saw a couple of deer, but we didn’t see too much else at this point in time.

The first point of travel was to Garibaldi Provincial Park area. Please note that at the present time, that you must enter Garibaldi Park area via to the Diamond Trailhead through the Quest University Road. The Lower Mamquam Road has a washout on it, and travel is unadvisable in this, area, and as well, you will notice a road closed sign put up by the Squamish District. If you do however try to go through, you will go through at your own risk. We went up to the Diamondhead Trail Head and were greeted with the presence of snow falling as we headed higher and higher into the mountains towards this area. Please note that they do keep this road plowed during the winter to allow those who want to backcountry ski to get up to this area safely. As a note of what I saw on the travel boards at the foot of the trail head was information regarding avalanches, bear safety etc. Please heed to all of these warning accordingly. Please also note that this is a self sufficient park, meaning that you need to have necessary safety gear etc. Also, please try and practice no trace hiking and camping, so that others can enjoy the same sites that you may enjoy. On our way down from the trailhead, we were fortunate to see some stunning sites of the coastal mountains, and of the Sunshine Coast etc., so we took some pictures.

Our next place to visit was the Squamish River road area. This is where we were fortunate to see the two deer along the waterfront getting some water to drink. The roads in this area are good until you venture onto the other side of the bridge and up near the industrial park area, and then it gets very rough. It is best to stay on the road before the bridge unless you have a fairly good vehicle, as there are a lot of potholes.

We then decide to try our luck with the Cat Lake recreational area, that we were not able to access last winter due to too much snow in the area. We were able to get to the parking lot this time for the Cat Lake recreational area, and we were able to do a hike from the parking lot down to the lake front. It was a short, but steep hike. Please be advised that in this area, they have a “bears in the area” sign up, so remember to use loud voices and to converse with others. If you should be by yourself when hiking make sure that you hum loudly, or sing a little tune to prevent surprising wildlife. Also, if you bring any dogs or other pets into the area, please make sure that they are on leash, and during the night, make sure that they are in your tent to prevent possible encounters with bears and other wildlife. Better yet, if you can leave them at home.

As we were heading to the Callaghan Valley area, we went to the Cal-Cheek/Daisy Lake Confluence area, and the road around here is VERY bumpy. You can access this road with a 2wd, with clearance, or a higher clearance vehicle. It would be too rough for some of the very low clearance vehicles. This is also the road to the Whistler Bungee area.

We decide that we are going to carry on further towards Whistler and our next plan of attack is the Callaghan Valley area. This is where the Olympics took place, and there was still some security barriers up, so as a result we were not able to get to the area of the events to take a look at that site, but we were able to look at the recreational area, that the cross-country skiers use. The access road to this point is very bumpy, and can be quite rough for low clearance vehicles. We then went a short way down the road that led to the Callaghan Lake Provincial Park, but this is a very bumpy road, and we were also greeted by a gate, so we figure that it was still closed for the winter, and will hopefully reopen shortly. We then also went down the Callaghan Creek Road, and that is a very good 2wd road, but it can be quite bumpy in places. Please keep in mind that there are a lot of “blind corners” i.e. around hills and other areas so please use some extra caution in these areas.

We then went to Whistler and to the back neighborhoods of the Whistler area to Alta Lake, and we took another small hike around the Alta Lake Road. We hiked down the old driveway of the Youth Hostel to the area where the actual Hostel is today. If you do go down the way we did, or even down the stairs, please use extra caution as there are active railway tracks. Also, please keep bear alert in this area too, as there are many areas where they may be lurking.

On the way down from Whistler, we went to look at the Chance Creek Road. This road like the Squamish River area, does lead up to an industrial area, but it is still a fairly good road to explore. Please note that near the top around the industrial area, that there is a potential for a rockslide. Please use caution in this area.

The last road that we did was the Brew Creek Forest Service Road. There are two roads. One leads up to the Whistler Campground, and then the other one leads up to Brew Mountain and Lake area. Please note that this road has some very steep grades to it, as well as areas with some downed branches etc. There are also several of trees that have hash marks in them, and caution should be used on days with heavier winds. Also, if you venture high enough early on in the year, you will run into some pretty deep snow, as we did, when we did go up there.

That sums up this trip!

Thanksgiving Trip

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:11:02 GMT

We went to Mile High Resort, that is located in the heart of the Cariboo around Logan Lake. It is approximately 20 km from Highway 5 aka the Coquihalla Highway via Exit 336.

We arrived late in the evening on Friday October 9th, and then we stayed until Monday October 12.

It took sometime to get settled into the cabin, as it is one of those cabins where you have to bring all the equipment with you. The particular cabin that we were staying in was a large airy cabin. There were 3 of us that were there on Friday night, and then the rest of our party arrived on Saturday morning.

It was so cold up there starting the first night that we were up there. It was good that we brought our wool and fleecy wear with us, as we needed it. The first morning that we were up there, it was clear, but VERY cold. At night, it would be close to -16.

Despite the really cold temperatures, we were still able to enjoy fishing, exploring through the back roads, and hike around. To show you how cold it was, the entire lake shore was frozen. We went to Dominic Lake, which was located on a back road,and then we also went to Paska Lake too which had significant freezing on it.

We also were able to see lots of rabbits, whiskey jacks and deers when we were up here.

For more information regarding the Mile High Resort, please refer to their resort page.

Stay tuned for more trip information!

Northern BC Trip 2009

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:55:33 GMT

Trip of 2009 to Northern British Columbia

We start our journey early on Saturday morning of July 25, 2009. We head up to the Sea to Sky Corridor along Highway 99. We go on the newly constructed highway, with some minor delays along the way. There were the odd 50 Km per hour signs that we come across on the highway.

We then get up to the area around Whistler and Squamish, and there is beautiful scenery around the lakes and also the mountain landscape was also very appealing. We were actually able to see the trailhead for the Brandywine Falls instead of a fully covered with snow landscape. We continue our way through Whistler, and past Green Lake, and then we head onto the Duffey Lake connector.

There are sections where we have to go really slow due to construction and also to cyclists from a biking club. We then get down the hill near to Lillooet to see many planes going overhead to douse the flames and smoke to the Mount McLean forest fire. This was very interesting. There were also several of spot fires that we noticed as well alongside the main fire that was going.

We head up from Lillooet to go to the Pavillion Mountain road. It was HOT to say it In a nice word. We were literally baking while we were on our way up there. When we were heading up the Pavillion mountain road, I am noticing that there are a lot of very ominous clouds. Apparently Vancouver and the Fraser Valley area go some heavy torrential rains, and also some heavy thunderstorms.

We then get to Kelly Lake that is within Downing Provincial Park. It still remains very warm, and all the while we are using the air conditioning in the car. We go through yet again several of kilometers of construction up Highway 97. While we are going up Highway 97, we also notice several of different Alkali Lakes and then we also notice quite a few cattle and horses along the way too.

We finally get to Quesnel which is the first leg of our trip. We stay in the Travelodge which is located right across from the hospital. This is a very clean, and a great place to have a continental breakfast before you have to go on the run again. As soon as we checked in here, we decided that we were going to go to the Mr. Mikes restaurant in Quesnel. The restaurant is very clean, and very inviting to the people who visit there.

We then were on the lookout for any animals. We first went up to the Race Track to see where it was, and we came across this dog, which we think was a coyote, but it could have been a wolf too. We then decide to go to Highway 26, to see if we were able to see any moose, and we were not able to se e anything, but we did go along a few of the forest service roads that they have in the area. We decided however to turn around at one with the fact that it was too steep and getting too rough and we were unsure about the status of our car if we continued.

We woke up the next morning, and our second leg of the journey commenced from Quesnel to Telkwa BC.

The next morning, we awake up in Quesnel, and have their continental breakfast, and then we continue on our second leg of the trip. This leg takes us from Quesnel to Telkwa BC.

We go from Downtown Quesnel up towards the upper part of Quesnel, towards the Cariboo Highway, and we look for the Quesnel- Hixon Road. This is a very pretty ride through the backcountry. It goes through stretches of farm land, forest, and then we cross the Cottonwood River, and get to the other side. The first part of this road starts as a paved road, and then will go to an all season weather gravel logging road.

We arrive in Prince George to fuel up, and then we go west along Highway 16, the Yellowhead Highway, towards Burns Lake. We go through the “Lakes” district which is known for all of the plentiful lakes in the area such as Finger Lake, Tatuk Lake, Burns Lake and so on. We go through Vanderhoof which is the hub area of some popular resorts such as Finger Lake Resort, Tatuk Lake Resort etc. It is also the entrance way to the well known Kenney Dam.

In addition, we continue our journey to Burns Lake. We stop briefly at the tourism center that is located in Burns Lake for some information about the ever popular Ootsa Lake Trip. We start on this circle tour which leads you down Highway 35, to the Francois Lake Ferry. This is a free ferry, and will take you across to Southbank, which is approximately a 10-20 minute crossing. When you get to this side, you pass through several of small towns such as Tayskie Lake, Grassy Plains etc. Be sure that you fuel up before you go on this route, as there are few fuel stations.

There are several points of interest on this interesting circle tour. They include the Chesalata Falls and River, North Tweedsmuir Park, Skins Spillway, Nadina Mountain Recreation, Francois Lake Recreation site, Little Andrews Provincial Park, Morice and Owen Lakes, and there is a patch where you can also see some devastation from a Swiss Fire Episode back in 1983, as well as a couple of saw/log sites at the end of the route. There is a good chance to see animals on this trip, although because of the heat, we didn’t see any.

At the end of this circle tour, we go past the saw mills, and then it leads us to a sign that says Telkwa and Smithers one direction, and then the Houston and Prince George in the other way. We go to the direction of Telkwa and Smithers. We finally arrive in Telkwa. This is a very picturesque historic town. The place that we are staying, is known as Two Rivers Lodge.

We arrive at Two Rivers Lodge, and one of the hospitable owners, Jane Matthews greets us, and then signs us into the lodge. She then takes us down to where we would be staying, and makes us feel very welcome. The place we’re staying is right along the ever flowing of the Bulkley River. The Bulkley River was really gorgeous. There is a sand/gravel bar right across from where we were staying. It would be an excellent opportunity to see wildlife such as bears and other animals feeding for salmon during the run in late August and the early fall part.

We were asking the owner which restaurant would be good. We decide upon the Steakhouse on Main. Apparently there was a Mr. Mikes that was in at that location earlier, as it looks a lot like that type of restaurant. There was a salad bar, or you could get other things that were on the menu as well.

Very early the next morning, we are on the search for animals. We decide that we are going to try the provincial park at Tyhee Lake. We saw a few loons, but that was about it. The lake however, was so pristine and serene during the earlier hours of the morning.

We then go back to the lodge to get a few more hours of sleep, and then we decide to go to the Babine Lake/ Granisle Loop. The roads are VERY good until we get to the Granisle Connector. Some points of interest along the route are Driftwood Canyon, Little Joe Trail Babine Mountain Park, Chapman Lake, Smithers Landing, Pendleton Bay at Smithers Landing, Babine River Corridor Park (need to go along native land, so ask for permission if necessary).

The Granisle Connector, is one of those roads that are quite a bit more rough, and require some extra time to navigate. This road is also quite narrow, and takes a long time. You need to go approximately 2 miles an hour over all of these potholes that riddle the road. You should have a fair bit of experience navigating the road, and if you’re not experienced, please do not attempt this road. It is approximately 24 km of a rough narrow road.

We get to Granisle, and we notice the marina, and it looks really nice. We then stop by the tourism center, and we meet with the lady, Paula for a while. We then ask where there is to eat around there. There are only 2 places around there to eat. One was under renovation, and then the other one as Babine Lodge. This was about 35 km outside of Granisle. It is a very pretty area. The Red Bluff provincial park is along the Granisle/Topley Highway, and it was pretty. Although we didn’t do the walk to see the red bluffs, I hear that it is well worth the walk!

The service was slow, but the lunch was delicious so it was well worth the wait. They also had a couple of resident cats, and they were really friendly except they wanted a lot of attention, but what is new with cats. We then finish our lunch, and then we head back out to the Granisle/Topley Highway, and continue our way down Hwy 118. We then look for places around Houston to go fishing. We finish and go back to Telkwa looking for somewhere to eat for dinner.

We then wake up early the next morning, and we have breakfast, and then we head towards Williams Lake. We travel down Highway 16 again, and we notice like before that there were a lot of hay bales. One of the things that are up there are agriculture, farming, logging etc. Right before we get to Prince George, we go on a forest service road known as the Blackwater River Road.

Some points of interest down this road includes West Lake Provincial Park, Kluskois Park, and a few other lakes in the area. The major area of interest is the Alexander Mackenzie Trail. This is right around the mid area before the Blackwater River. It is a very famous path that leads from Bella Coola over to the Northwest BC area across to the territories. We then get to the Quesnel area, which also houses Bouchie Lake Provincial Park. We get to Quesnel. We went to the Dennys restaurant for some food before continuing the rest of the way to the Williams Lake area.

We decided to stay at the Coast Fraser Inn, which is located just off of the Hwy 20 connector. We are staying here before we do our next leg the next day. We go to Chinese food that night for dinner, and it was one of the best Chinese food restaurants in that area. If you’re not a major fan of curry, please ask about the rice and the noodles if you do the smorgasboard.

The next day, we go Hwy 20, and head towards Stewarts Lodge and Camps. We are not needed there until near dinner, so we go to the Tweedsmuir Park area, and we try and get some photos of the Bella Coola Valley and the rainbow range, but we weren’t really able to do either on this day. When we were down near the Heckman’s pass, I mentioned to Jim that I smelled smoke, but wasn’t sure where it was, so was unable to report it to the Ministry. That is probably why there were no animals around that we were able to see.

I wrote a review last year of this stay at Stewart's Lodge, and just wanted to continue on with this review, saying that we had a second year in which it was an excellent stay with both customer service,and with being a very clean and comfortable cabin.

The staff are superb, and pride themselves in the best possible customer service, and they like to associate with the clients, with sharing different stories, ideas and theories. They are very knowledgeable with what they do.

When we arrived at the Lodge on Wednesday July 29, we were greeted by Kevin Mayer, who cheerfully remembered us from the year before, and was very polite, and told us where the place would be that we were staying.

This year was the warmest that Nimpo Lake has seen for a while, and it is very comfortable. We were able to go without having to wear cold weather clothing such as winter jackets. We were greeted to a warm and sunny sky for the most part, until the last couple of days when we got thunderstorms, but we still had a very good time.

The cook, Allan, this year has made wonderful food, and his prized possession of making food was with the deserts. They were very delicious, and they consisted of peach and blueberry cobbler, lemon meringue, chocolate cake. They were all very delicious and he did a good job, and I hope that he is able to come back again next year for the food, as this was divine.

When we went for dinner that night, we were asked whether we would want to go on one of the fly outs, and were we ever glad that we did. We went to Moose Lake, and the views that we saw from the plane were just superb. Our pilot was Ian, and he was not only very knowledgable, but he flew the plane very professionally, and described to us what we were seeing, and what we were to expect.

We were told that we would be picked up about 5:30, and to be ready at the dock so that they wouldn't have to wait for us to get ready. The moose lake cabin that we were allowed to rest in was very nice. Just for those who plan on wanting to go to the washroom, you need to go to the outhouse near the back of the cabin. As well make sure that you have adequate water, or that you're willing to boil some water as there is NO water in the cabin. The fireweed bushes are very high, so make sure that you either talk loud, whistle, or clap your hands etc., to avoid surprising wildlife if they are around.

As for the fishing and the lake up at Moose Lake, it is a very large lake, and we only go to about 1/3 of the lake, but mind you we were only able to do one half the time with the fact that it was so hot that day, and we didn't have enough water, so we weren't able to find anymore fish, but we were able to get about 3 fish within about 30 minutes. We were able to find a 11 inch trout, a 14 inch trout, and a 6 inch fish. The six inch one we had no choice with, with the fact that it was too injured to put back into the water. This lake is also the home to the ever popular Moosehead Lodge.

Duncan yet again, was very pleased to share his stories, and to hear how our experiences were with our stay, as well as the daily functions of the resort, as well as the safety and well being of the visitors. I also praise the staff for their quick actions with the various tasks that they have had to do with the flights on our last day with the fact that this year was bad with forest fires on Highway 20. Duncan and staff kept up to date with the fires, and with the other sort of events that took place.

We had a very good second experience here at Stewarts Lodge and Camps, and we want to express to those who may have doubts after this year of forest fires in the area, please do not. This is a wonderful place, and takes you away from society, and allows you to enjoy nature. I hope that all of the people out there will enjoy this place as much as we do.

We hope to be able to go back to this lodge, and we hope that we will have the same experience again next year! Good work on a second stay Duncan, and crew, and we hope to be able to have the same next year and for following years to come!

After this, we then head back to town. Luckily we left when we did because the very next day, there were 2 fires in Alexi s Creek area, and one in the Hanceville area and it would have made it difficult to get out, so we were thankful that we were able to get out when we did. We saw several of different animals. One was on a side road around the hill and was sitting like a dog, and it was a black bear. Then a little ways more along, we saw another black bear that was sitting along Highway 20. Then it sauntered into the bush, and then did the stance of standing on its hind legs. And near the end of the Highway 20, we saw a deer and her fawn in the ditch area. Very strange behavior of these animals, but I believe it was from the fires and the scare of fires.

We went back down highway 97, only to find that there was a major detour in place due to a serious fatal accident. So we ended up having to turn around back to Dog Creek Road. This is the road that you would take in order to go towards Churn Creek Provincial Park, and also to Alkali Lake etc. Well you would have to turn off on another route. We went down the Chimney Lake route until we go to Enterprise and then we continued down to Highway 97, and we arrived to Clinton.

We had lunch at the Cariboo Lodge, and it was the same type of lunch that we had approximately a couple of years ago. It was very good. We then fueled up, and headed towards Kelly Lake, and then up the Pavillion Mountain Road. We go along some of the Pavillion Mountain road, and come across a marmot and another deer. It was very weird as we normally do not see animals along this stretch.

We then go by the Mount McLean fire in Lillooet and it is still very out of control. We notice the smoke as soon as we get closer. We however, don’t go over to the other side of the road. We stay on this side of the Fraser River. We decide to go down Highway 12, which is on the other side and goes down to Lytton. We also see the two or three other fires that are between Lillooet and Lytton. One of the big noted ones are the Stein Valley Fire known as Intapalam.

We get to Lytton, and it is a very sleepy town with the fact that it was Saturday, and I guess with all of the Forest Fire activity in this area that it has been very quiet as many people do not want to be out in this area. We then go by Hope, and that ends this trip.

Keep posted for further news on other trips that we take!!!

Nahatlatch Provincial Park

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:13:04 GMT

July 1, 2009

This attempt that we did to Nahatlatch Park, we actually succeeded. It was a really pretty ride again. We woke up and left around 7 a.m. It took the normal amount of time again ou there, but we were able to have some good wildlife viewing this time.

When we arrived at North Bend, we had to wait a few moments until the road cleared with the fact that there as a train that was crossing. We then went up the road from North Bend to Nahatlatch Forest Service Road.

On the first few km of the road we were able to get in view of three wild animals. We were going down the hill, and saw a fawn and a couple of deer but they were hopping across the road to safety. Then another km or so, we went down, and we saw a black bear cub. The bear posed for a few moments for us to take some decent pictures of him, and then we decided that we should get going with the fact that I think that mama bear was watch, and I didn't want to be around when mama bear came through.

Then we went a little bit further down, and came across another deer, and we photographed it. When we decided to get a little bit closer it decided that we were getting too close, and decided to run, so we had a very hard time catching a good photo of him, but we were still able to keep some good pictures.

We then went down the proper part of the Nahatlatch Forest Service Road, and we were able to get to about 23.5 km down the Nahatlatch Forest Service Road. Apparently passed this mark, it gets into 4x4 material. The road is pretty groomed, but is very rough in parts, and is not recommended for vehicles that have very poor tires, or very low clearance.

We went on the road through moose habitat,and through pristine wilderness. This is where the Rivers Edge Cottages for rent are located, as well as the main part of Nahatlatch Provincial Park. There are three beautiful lakes known as Frances, Hannah and Nahatlatch Lakes. In between the first and second lake, there is a portion of whitewater that is approximately a grade II or III rapids. If you're boating, you would be best to get out for the 25-50 m and portage if you're not used to handling any sort of rapids. The REO rafting is also around this location as well.

Overall, we had a great experience, and hope that we are able to do it again.

Boston Bar Trip

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:26:56 GMT

This is some of the Nathalatch Forest Service Road.

Boston Bar Trip

April 10, 2009

We woke up at 3:30 in the morning to go on this trip to Boston Bar. We were determined to see some wildlife. We left Vancouver about 4:30 a.m. and we arrived in the Fraser Valley just as the sun was starting to come out for the day. We go over the Rosedale Bridge and went up to Boston Bar the backways going by Harrison Hot Springs. I was on the lookout for bears, and other animals down in the gulleys, and in the shore areas. We didn't see any bears.

We continue our way up to Boston Bar. We get there, and we see a buck as we were nearing Boston Bar. Then as soon as we arrived to Boston Bar we took the turn off to North Bend on the other side of the Fraser River.

We go up to North Bend, and then onto the higher part of the Nahatlatch Forest Service Road also known as the road to REO Rafting. We were greeted to about 4 deer family and take pictures of them, although most of them are very blurry. We then continue up the upper part of the Nahatlatch Road, and I noticed that it was getting narrower and narrower, and it looked more like an ATV trail, so we then went down, and went down the lower and proper forest service road.

We see some more deer family, and we continue down the Nahatlatch Forest Service road, but we were unable to get that far, about the 15 km marker,and we noticed a recent rockslide, so we attempted the rocks, but they were too much, and we didn't want to risk another slide happening, so we thought that the best would be to turn around. We then went and parked near the garbage area for a while to see if we could see any animals. I could see a cat of some sort running down the hill on the far side of the landfill.

After this, we then go to breakfast in Boston Bar, and then we decide to go to a regional park called Kawakawa Lake in Hope, and we took some pictures, and then we decided that we were going to look at Othello Tunnels at Coquihalla River Park. It was approximately 2km hike from trailhead to the end of the tunnels. Remember if you go into this park to bring a flashlight or some other source of light, as there is quite a bit of darkness! All be sure to look for wild animals as there are alot of areas and opportunity to see animals in this wild area.

Stay tuned for more news!!!

Whistler Day Trip

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:06:08 GMT

March 28, 2009

On this day, we decided that we would go and look at the Callaghan Valley where the ski jumps are located. We started out fairly early in the morning, and went up to the Sea to Sky corridor highway. We drive past Brittania Beach, and then we continue by Porteau Cove, and Brandywine Falls (completely snowed in still), and then our first stop is to look go down the Cat Lake Forest Service Road that is located in the Brohm Lake Park area. The road started to get too muddy, so we turned around, and there was still a lot of snow that was around. We continued on up the Sea to Sky Highway, and Brohm Lake, Daisy Lake, and Alpha Lake were completely frozen over. We then continue up to the Callaghan Valley. This is approximately 20 km SW of Whistler. There are actually 3 different Olympic Venues up in this area. The ones that are up in that particular area is the Biathalon, Ski Jump, and Cross-Country Skiing area. It was spectacular to see the job that they done with the ski jump. There were actually people who were practicing when we were up there. There was still quite a bit of snow in this region. It was snowing lightly, and very strong wind gusts at times which allowed for cold air. The Callaghan Valley is located approximately 12 km up from the Sea to Sky Corridor. This road was paved when we were coming down the Sea to Sky Corridor during the summer last year.

We then decided that we would go to Whistler and look around the Village which had really developed since we were up there before. We also wanted to go and see the sliding center. We were impressed with the different bobsleds and luges that we saw. Furthermore, we went to the track, and this track was quite steep. After we went to the Visitors area, we decided that we would go and explore this road up further, but we were unaware that general public was not able to go further up the road. We were turned around near the top, saying that we were not permitted to be up here, so we told the staff person that we were sorry, and we turned around. When we were on that hill we noticed this wild cat that was tawny colored with a sleek body, and from what I know, it looks like it was a young cougar of about 1-2 years. This was very exciting, as we have not seen any sort of wildcat before in the wilderness. Jim was out on our way down the hill to try and see if he could see the cat or the paw prints to take a picture of, but we were unable to. I know that we will be able to get a picture at some point, but I just don't know when we will see a wildcat again, but you never know.

We then went to Nester's Market for some lunch items, and then we had a cheaper lunch, then we would have if we went to a restaurant in the Whistler area, which would probably cost 2-3 x more than what we paid for the lunch in the market.

After we had lunch, we decided to look at the SPCA located on the same street. We saw a couple of cats in the Cat room, and they were both very pretty, and purred whenever I came near them. Then we went into the sickbay area for a cat that was not too well. Unfortunately when we opened the door, the cat took a bee-line and hightailed it to the front door, but the staff member said that it usually did that, and we didn't have to worry about this.

After we finished here, we decided that we would go the backroad way to Alpha Lake to Whistler. We first went to this park that was at a first point near Alpha Lake, but the hill was too steep, and had way too much ice on it. We then drove past a Rainbow Valley trail, that would take too long, so we kept going until we came across Rainbow Park, which was a little bit further up. This was still very icy and snowy, but we managed to cross the Railroad track,and went near a small bridge. I took some nice pictures, and then went back to the car.

We then continued up the road until we got to the back part of Whistler,and then we headed down to Squamish and spent a little bit of time there, and then we went down towards the Sea to Sky Highway, and then we went back down to the Vancouver area.

We then went to Horseshoe Bay and spent a little bit of time looking around the harbour that the Ferry was located. There were some seagulls that posed for me, and I took some other pictures like of the totem poles and other stuff. We then went up Marine Drive, and then we took the passageway to Lighthouse Park, but we did not go hiking to see Point Atkinson, but we continued by the secluded boat harbour cove area, and then we went up to West Vancouver this way.

That was the end of this trip!