Backroads of B.C. – Liz Bryan’s “Circle of Silver” Continued – July, 2026

Kaslo, S.S. Moyie, Kootenay Lake, Kaslo Bay Park, Fletcher Creek Falls Recreation Site, Kokanee Creek Provincial Park

I arrived in Kaslo in the late afternoon, feeling a little tired, and although I’d already had a day full of history, with my museum visits in New Denver and Sandon, I decided to tour the S.S. Moyie, and was so glad that I did! A steam-powered stern wheeler, the S.S. Moyie is the oldest intact passenger vessel of its type in the world. It was launched in 1898 by the Canadian Pacific Railway to carry passengers and freight on Kootenay Lake, and it operated for 59 years before being retired. The aging ship was rescued, preserved, and restored by the people of Kaslo and it has a definite presence at the edge of town, parked on the shore of Kootenay Lake with the Selkirk Mountains as a stunning backdrop.

I was immediately energized by a bracing breeze coming off of the lake as I walked down the boardwalk to the ship and then climbed up to the passenger deck.

And then I was surprised and charmed by the elegance of the interior! Here is the Smoking Cabin, for the men, at the forward end of the ship,

and here is the beautiful dining room, in the centre of the ship.

This is a view into the Ladies Cabin at the stern,

and there were various types of state rooms, including a Bridal Suite, ranged along the sides of the midship, as was a pursur’s office, pantry, and bar service area.

Here are a few more images from the passenger deck, including some CP Rail promotional posters for the line, and a lovely section of stained glass in the dining room from which a lucky diner could view the passing lake and mountain scenery. (This is a reminder that you can click on any image for a larger view.)

I then rose up to the top deck for a view forward from the bow of the ship, and of the wheelhouse and the captain’s quarters.

It was all very fun! I descended to the large freight deck where the steam and engine works are located as well as the galley (with a dumb waiter delivering meals to the pantry above), and lots of room for haulage. The S.S. Moyie delivered everything from mining supplies and equipment, food, vehicles, and livestock including mules, horses, cows, sheep and chickens. The ship also delivered the mail, and was a vital communication and transportation link to all of the mining camps, small settlements, and isolated holdings on Kootenay Lake and in the surrounding area.

I walked around the exterior of the ship to view the paddle wheel at the stern, and came across a depiction of a typical miner’s cabin. Also on site was a small museum with items of interest regarding shipping and navigation on the lake, as well as a short film about how the town of Kaslo, inspired by volunteers and enthusiasts, acquired and preserved the ship.

After viewing the Moyie, I made my way to Kaslo’s municipal campground, but it was very full and the few remaining spots were cheek-by-jowl with the neighbours so I decided that I would camp stealth somewhere in town. I cooked my dinner on a picnic table in the riverside park, and then I enjoyed walking around town to photograph Kaslo’s heritage buildings, many of which were built in the 1890s and early 1900s. Here is Langham Hall, built in 1903, which now houses a museum, theatre, art gallery, and gift shop,

and here is Kaslo’s beautiful city hall. Built in 1898, it is the oldest remaining municipal hall on the B.C. mainland.

Galena ore was first discovered on the Kaslo River in 1891, and a mining camp quickly grew into the settlement of Kaslo. With the construction of the Kaslo-Slocan railway, and the introduction of Kootenay Lake sternwheelers, Kaslo became the main supply centre for the Slocan silver mines and soon achieved city status. But, it suffered many catastrophes over the years, including fires, a hurricane, lake floods, and creek washouts. It rebuilt each time, but when the price of silver dropped and ore deposits became depleted, most mines closed and the railway and sternwheelers stopped operating. By 1957, Kaslo was almost a ghost town with only 700 residents left, but the town’s scenic location, heritage buildings, and the preservation of the S.S. Moyie as a tourist attraction helped the town to survive and eventually thrive. There are still more than 30 characterful heritage buildings in Kaslo, and I greatly enjoyed strolling the main commercial street and side streets to photograph some of them.

As on my first two days of travel, sweeps of rain had come and gone throughout the day and I had to duck under an awning during a sudden downpour in Kaslo just after having traversed their rainbow crosswalk. The sky cleared soon afterwards to reveal a beautiful rainbow over the town, and then a double rainbow down at the lakeshore.

Continuing my explorations, I made my way to the pedestrian bridge over the rushing waters of the Kaslo River.

A 2.7 kilometre loop trail starts from here, and passes over another red bridge, but I’d already had a very full day so I regretfully decided not to hike and instead drove around town, looking for a good spot to camp stealth for the night, and luckily I happened upon the Kaslo Bay Park. Wow! I passed a boat ramp and marina, with colourful boat houses,

and arrived at a grassy park with a sandy beach and with the most amazing views!

I strolled along the shore and through the park, and then I brewed up a cup of tea, set up my camp chair, and pulled out my book, but my medieval murder mystery could not compete with the view and I sat here, very happily, for a long time just looking at the water and mountains. Later, as dusk approached, dark clouds moved back in to obscure the mountains so I returned to town to find a safe place to sleep. I parked on a quiet residential street in the gathering darkness, just as rain started to fall. It fell heavily on the roof of my Toyota for most of the night, but I was happy – cozy, safe and dry. It had been a wonderful Canada Day in the great province of British Columbia!

The following morning I returned to the Kaslo Bay Park to cook up my breakfast and enjoy those fabulous views again, and then I was off, south on Highway 31 as it follows the west shore of Kootenay Lake. I made a quick stop at the Fletcher Creek Falls Recreation Site to hike down a steep hill for views of the waterfall and a small walk-in camping area (only 4 sites), pleasantly located beside Fletcher Creek and the shore of Kootenay Lake. It was a beautiful and peaceful spot!

I continued on to Kokanee Creek Provincial Park which is situated on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake about twenty kilometres east of Nelson. I was lucky, again, to get a good FCFS site and I headed off right away for a quick visit to the Nature Centre and then a short hike alongside the rushing waters of Kokanee Creek up to the Canyon Lookout, and then along the pleasant Woodland Trail loop with its ripe blueberries, Saskatoon berries, and wildflowers.

Later, I walked the beautiful Grassland Trail which leads to a wetland area and small beach near to where where Kokanee Creek meets the lake,

and then continued on trails to Sandspit Beach and Main Beach where families were happily enjoying the lake and shore. Here, I changed into my bathing suit and walked barefoot past the green lagoon, and onto the spit and along the sandy length of Main Beach. What a joy!

I had originally planned to double back up the Highway to Ainsworth Hotsprings for a soak after securing a campsite, but I was happy at Kokanee Creek and so I enjoyed a quiet afternoon and dinner in camp, and then walked the Grassland and Beach trails all over again. It felt good to be on the road, exploring and appreciating new places. Thank you for joining me on the journey. 🙂

Backroads of B.C. – Liz Bryan’s “Circle of Silver” – June 2026

Lac Le Jeune Provincial Park, Blanket Creek Provincial Park, Upper Arrow Lake, New Denver, Sandon, Kaslo

Hello readers. I was supposed to be on a lovely one-month trip to Ireland this June/July, but I very sadly had to cancel the trip because of a leg injury (a 110 km long-distance walk on the Kerry Way was part of my itinerary). So, after moping about that, and then dealing with a bad flu (Covid?) for two weeks, I decided to set up my Toyota Highlander camper and hit the road to cheer myself up. I took Liz Bryan’s wonderful book, “Country Roads of British Columbia, Exploring the Interior” off of the shelf and decided to begin with her “Circle of Silver” chapter. I had done part of her route years before on a camping trip with Sophie and Daniel and we had loved visiting the historic mining town of Kaslo, the Cody caves, and Ainsworth hot springs. It was worth a revisit!

The drive on Highway 1 out of Vancouver, and then up the Coquihalla went well – it felt good to be on the road again! But, by the time I arrived at Lac Le Jeune Provincial Park, one of my brand-new tires was more than half flat, and another was low on air. A kind campground neighbour helped me to change the flat tire (it was impossible for me to undo the lug nuts!) and after that was dealt with I resolved to enjoy the rest of my afternoon and evening at a new-to-me campground. I was lucky to get a great FCFS site – large, private, and quiet, that was ringed with the green of aspens and wild rose – and I had my own little trail, decorated with wildflowers, that led from my site down to the lake shore.

I explored the day use area, with its fishing dock, mooring dock, picnic area, and lake views,

and then I walked for a ways along the lakeside trail to enjoy more water views,

and more pretty wildflowers including blue flax, orange hawkweed, purple asters, and the golden-yellow treasure that is the Columbia lily.

Back in camp, I cooked up a simple dinner, read for a while, and enjoyed the presence of a very cute squirrel, and later a very cute chipmunk, who came by to visit. Then, I walked again by the lakeshore, close to dusk, as fishermen tried their luck once more, and where the call of a loon was yet another blessing and reward for having roused myself to make the journey to lovely Lac Le Jeune.

The following morning, I took the quiet and scenic back road in from Lac Le Jeune to Kamploops and arrived at a Toyota service centre just as they were opening. Three hours later, my four tires all had new valve stems, and I had enjoyed the comfortable lounge with its free coffee and wifi with not too much impatience. Then, I was back on the road, flying along on Highway 1, east to the Shuswap region with its many picturesque lakes.

I turned south on Highway 23, just before Revelstoke, to arrive a short time later at the Blanket Creek Provincial Park where again I was lucky to get a large, quiet, and private campsite. Then, I explored this park which sits on the shore of Upper Arrow Lake. Trails led to Sutherland Falls, a heritage farm site, beach access points, and a warm water lagoon that was purpose-built for swimming.

The rain came and went in sweeps throughout the afternoon and early evening, and I returned to the lakeshore often, hopeful that the clouds and mist would cease clinging so stubbornly to the surrounding mountains’ sides and peaks.

And, sure enough, for a brief time the clouds blew away to reveal a few of the snow-dappled peaks to the southeast,

and then later coalesced again, near dusk, to create this lovely blue symphony of mountains, lake, and sky.

The following morning I woke early, cooked up breakfast and coffee, and made my way south to Shelter Bay to catch the ferry across Upper Arrow Lake to Galena Bay. It was a bright morning and the ferry crossing was very fun, with lake, mountain, and forest views all around.

We landed in Galena Bay, and I headed south on H 23, electing not to stop for a soak at either Halcyon or Nakusp Hot Springs, though I know that they are both wonderful from previous visits! I did make a quick stop at beautiful Ione Falls,

and then I transitioned to Highway 6 east at Nakusp to journey up and across the Valhalla Mountains to the “Silvery Slocan”. In the early 1890s, and into the middle of the 20th century, this was an area of rich silver mines and towns that grew with energy and optimism during boom times, and then shrank when the price of silver dropped, or the mines didn’t pan out, or when catastrophes like fires and floods devastated homes, opportunities, and dreams. What remains on this route, for today’s traveller, are the stunning vistas and many fascinating historical sites that are remnants of our province’s early pioneering and industrial history. Highway 6 climbed up mountain curves to lovely Summit Lake,

and then it continued along on the east side of Slocan Lake to the tiny town of New Denver which was once a busy mining town filled with saloons, hotels, and mercantiles. Today, its remaining historic buildings, built in the late 1890s, are picturesque and well-maintained, and the old Bank of Montreal houses a fine museum that chronicles the booms and busts and operations of the local silver mines and associated enterprises. It was Canada Day, and very quiet in town, and I was drawn towards a small park at the corner of 6th and Eldorado Avenues where a brisk wind showed off our Canadian flag and a short trail led down to the rocky shore of Slocan Lake where that same wind was blowing strong and cold down the narrow lake-filled valley.

New Denver is also of historical importance to B.C. and to Canada as it was one of the sites of an internment camp for Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. Fears of a West Coast attack by the Japanese in 1941 led to the required registration of 23,512 persons of Japanese descent in Canada with the R.C.M.P., and by November of 1942, over 22,000 Japanese Canadians were relocated, and of that number over 20,000 were interned in camps, many in the B.C. interior. The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre, with its exceptional Heiwa Teien Peace Garden, is dedicated to preserving the history of those Japanese Canadians who were interned for the duration of the war.

The Kyowakai Hall, built in 1943 by Nikkei carpenters, was a Buddhist Hall and a meeting place for the Kyowakai (“working together peacefully”) society. Now, it houses exhibits which chronicle the history of the internment here of Japanese Canadians who were dispossessed of their homes, businesses, and fishing boats, and forced to live here until the end of the war in 1949.

It is an excellent museum that moved me, and is an important reminder to all of how civil liberties can be severely eroded during times of war.

From New Denver, I transitioned to Highway 31A which led me upwards along the side of a very steep narrow valley to my next stop at Sandon, a tiny ghost town which was, amazingly, the largest town north of San Francisco for a time. Rich deposits of galena ore – a mixture of silver and lead – were discovered here in 1891 by two prospectors, Eli Carpenter and Jack Seaton, and the rush was on. Miners came from all over to stake their claims and the town grew quickly to include a city hall, opera house, churches, a hospital and school, hotels and many many saloons. Two railway lines were established to move the ore and newly-built wagon roads facilitated travel to the area. But, positioned as it was below steep mountain slopes and at the junction of two fast-flowing creeks, the town suffered much over its sixty year history including fires, floods, avalanches, and downturns when the price of silver was low. Then, Sandon was almost completely obliterated by a massive flood in 1955 when Carpenter Creek “in roaring spring flood” (as described by Liz Bryan) crushed buildings and washed away most of the town. Now, just a few original buildings remain, and there is a motley assortment of things on site, but the Sandon Historical Society has done an amazing and impressive job of preserving, chronicling, and presenting the history of this town and the surrounding area. In the photos below are Carpenter Creek, and the old city hall, built in 1900, which now houses the Prospector’s Pick which is part museum, part gift shop, and part visitors centre.

There are a huge number of old vehicles and machinery on site, including almost twenty vintage Brill trolley buses that reside here in the hopes of possibly one day being restored. They come from multiple Canadian cities, and many are from Vancouver with their route names still visible like “Main Street”, “Fraser”, and, fittingly, “Kingsway to Slocan”. There is also a locomotive, #6947, built in 1908 for the CPR, which worked here in Sandon in the Kooteney Division from 1926-1928. I particularly liked a restored and very groovy teal-green 1957 Chevrolet 2 door station wagon, and the mottled pastel pinks and blues of an old Kenworth dump truck.

I visited the Sandon Museum which is housed in the Slocan Mercantile Block. Originally a general store, it was built in 1900 and was the only building in Sandon ever to be constructed out of brick. Interned Japanese Canadians were housed here from 1942-1949. The museum is filled with historical objects and photos, most of which are thoroughly described. I was very impressed with the amount of work and care that has gone into the exhibits here.

As well as the main floor, and a mezzanine, a lower floor featured more exhibits including tools, machinery, and a construction of a typical miner’s shack.

From its earliest days as a city, Sandon was equipped with hydroelectric power and the Silversmith Power and Light station, built in 1897, is still in operation today and can be toured for free or a donation. It provides electricity to the residents of Sandon and New Denver, and it has the distinction of being Canada’s oldest continually-operating power plant.

I spent perhaps almost three hours in Sandon, and was very happy to have explored and learned about this town and its mining history. Because I was a teacher, I’ll leave you with a final photo from the museum, “The Last Class to Attend Sandon School, Grades 1 to 4, 1954”, and because I can’t resist flowers, a few photos from those found by the creek and on the hillside at Sandon.

Time to get back on the road! Highway 31A continued to climb to a summit at 1000 metres where a rest stop bordered pretty Fish Lake. There, this mama duck had nine dutiful offspring that followed her in formation away from my gentle approach, just in case!

Shortly after the summit, the road followed the curves of the rushing Kaslo River down down down towards the town of Kaslo, Kootenay Lake, and the tall mountain peaks of the Selkirk range.

The historic mining town of Kaslo is well-remembered from a former trip, and I was looking forward to reacquainting myself with its lovely old buildings and scenic location on the shores of Kootenay Lake, with mountain views all around. And, I am now looking forward to sharing that with you in my next post as I continue on my “Circle of Silver Tour.” Thank you for reading!

B.C. Country Roads – No. 11 Heading South to Horsefly, Paul Lake, and the north side of the South Thompson

Late August 2020

After my wonderful stay at Michelle’s farm in Vanderhoof, I headed east on Highway 16 to Prince George and then travelled 30 minutes north to visit my niece Erica and see her new home on 5 acres of land in the beautiful Salmon Valley.

Erica’s husband Brandon was working away so unfortunately I missed seeing him, but Erica and I had a good visit and I loved touring her very cute house and large yard with newly built garden boxes and newly planted fruit trees. As well as working at UNBC, Erica is an artist and a very successful potter who is famous for her swear mugs (“When a regular f***ing mug just won’t do.” You can find her products at wheelhousestudio.ca and on etsy under wheelhousestudio). Here are a few pictures of Erica and her house, inside and out, including her kiln and pottery studio.

After my visit with Erica, I returned to Prince George and continued south on Highway 97 as far as 150 Mile House. There, I turned northeast to visit Horsefly and camp at Horsefly Lake in the Cariboo Uplands. I’ve always wanted to visit both Horsefly and Likely just because of their great names! Both towns were stops on the earliest rough trail created by miners to access the Cariboo gold fields before the official wagon road was constructed using another, less direct but also less challenging route. My plan was to follow that historic trail under Liz Bryan’s guidance in her chapter entitled “Back Road to Barkerville.”

Unlike the early gold seekers, I was not on foot or horseback and faced with “precipitous ascents and descents, fallen logs, overhanging branches, roots, rocks, swamps, turbid pools and miles of deep mud…” For me, the drive to Horsefly was easy-peasy and beautiful! The road traversed gently rolling hills and was bordered by pretty hayfields, sections of forest, and many lakes and ponds.

As I neared Horsefly, I passed several beautiful old farmhouses and barns.

The village itself was tiny, with just a few homes and other buildings (including a school and library) grouped near the general store, and with other homes and small farms scattered further out along several roads.

Right beside the general store was the bridge over the crystal-clear Horsefly River.

I crossed over and drove about a kilometer or so to arrive at the Black Creek stream channel area which was being rehabilitated by the local hatchery to provide good rearing habitat for young salmon. I walked the trail there along ponds, over a wetland boardwalk, and down to the riverside that was lined with tall cottonwoods and alders.

Happy with my peaceful walk, I carried on to Horsefly Lake Provincial Park where I had no trouble securing an excellent lakefront spot.

A light rain was falling as I arrived so I made my dinner under the cover of my Highlander’s rear door. I sat for a good long while enjoying my meal and the tranquil view. It was very quiet, with only the occasional and very welcome sound of loons calling to each other from far across the lake.

Later, the rain eased up long enough for me to walk around the campground loop several times and then over to the day use picnic area. Apparently this is a very warm swimming lake but the temperatures today were quite cool and there was a hint of Fall in the air. The rain started up again, and I retired to my Highlander to read in bed and have an early night.

The next morning, a steady rain was falling so I decided to leave my back roads trip to Likely and then on to Barkerville for another day and instead head south to the warmth of the Thompson River valley where another country road was waiting for me. First though, I wanted to visit Moffat Falls which is located not far from town down several gravel roads. If you stop into the Clarkes General Store and ask, they will give you a pamphlet called the “Horsefly Waterfall Quest” which gives descriptions of, and directions to, five different waterfalls in the area.

This is my first view of Moffat Falls after walking on the short trail from the parking lot.

I crossed the bridge over the stream and followed the path around to this excellent view of the spectacular twin falls, roughly 70 feet high, dropping into a circular pool and misting the air all around.

And here is a zoomed in view. Beautiful!

I was the only one there, and the only car in the parking lot, and I had an uneasy cougar-or-bear-is-nearby feeling so I didn’t linger, but I was very glad to have seen the falls.

The return trip to Highway 97 from Horsefly was just as scenic as the day before and I enjoyed it immensely. I travelled south on 97 as far as 93 Mile House where I turned east onto the Interlakes Highway 24 (also called the Fishing Highway and the Little Fort Highway). This 97 km route across the rolling Cariboo hills follows an ancient trading route of the Secwepemc (Shuswap) people that was later used by the Hudson’s Bay Company in the early 1800s to transport furs from northern BC across to Fort Kamloops.

At the junction with Highway 5, I turned south and followed the road which parallels the wide, green, clear, and incredibly beautiful North Thompson River all the way to Kamloops. Shortly before reaching Kamloops, I turned east onto Pinantan Road/Paul Lake Road, headed for Paul Lake Provincial Park. I had driven Pinantan Road twice before with Sophie and Daniel when they were young – once to stay at Jandana horse ranch (recommended!), and once when we visited the Kamloops area over a Thanksgiving weekend to view the Adams River sockeye salmon run. It is a wonderful road! Surprisingly green so close to Kamloops, with thickly forested north-facing slopes, small road-side lakes, and areas of golden range land, dotted with sage.

Upon arriving at Paul Lake, I chose a good campsite and then I headed out to take the 1.6 km forest trail from the campsite up to Gibraltar Rock, a 294 m rocky bluff which overlooks Paul Lake.

The trail travelled gently uphill through an open forest of Douglas Fir, pine, and aspens, and then there was a steep scramble to the top that was well worth the effort. Here is a view from the top of the bluff , looking west along Paul Lake.

And here is the view looking east.

I took a different trail down that led to the Paul Lake day use area with its large grassy lawn and great swimming beach. From the fishing dock, I had an excellent view of Gibraltar Rock to the west. I was just up there!

After walking back up to my campsite, I gathered my fishing gear and spent part of the afternoon casting from the dock, hoping to catch my supper. I didn’t get any bites, but that was fine as I was perfectly happy just taking it easy — the water was a deep relaxing green, and a light rain came and went, creating soft sounds and mesmerizing circular ripples on the lake.

The next day, I woke early to head out on my last Liz Bryan-inspired country road of the summer. Titled, “North of the South”, this route follows Shuswap Road east from Highway 5 on the north side of the South Thompson, hence the title. On the south side of the river, cars and big trucks zoom by on busy Highway 1, but for me, all was quiet with stunning views on my left of pale siltstone hills, sculpted into castle-like shapes by wind and rain, and bordered on their lower slopes by golden grasses and sage. And, on my right was the peaceful flow of the river. This is a photo from my first roadside stop, just a kilometer or two after turning onto Shuswap Road.

Several kilometers further on, there was a break in the hills on my left, leading into what was probably a box canyon. The colours and shapes of this landscape were beautiful!

Turning 180 degrees from the above spot, here is a view of my vehicle parked on Shuswap Road, with the river hidden from view below, and Highway One in the distance.

As I travelled east, I stopped many times to capture views of the sculpted hills.

Here I climbed up a little ways up for a closer view,

which also gave me a great view of the hills and road stretching enticingly eastward.

The hills, road, and power lines all urged me forward into the distance,

until I stopped again at this second small break in the hills, with fence lines curving around into a side canyon. What a wonderful place that would be to explore!

Again, I couldn’t resist climbing up a short distance for a closer view,

and from up there I had a great view down and back towards the west.

Close up views of the golden grasses and other hillside plants, including pretty blue chicory, were exciting as well!

Along Shuswap Road, the river was almost always in view on my right, sometimes with irrigated fields between me and river, and sometimes the tranquil river was right beside the road.

After a while, the siltstone hills angled away from the road, and I began to pass by houses and small farms. I also passed the small community of Pritchard, a golf course and associated housing development, several wineries, a large cherry orchard, and a huge marijuana plantation, all very interesting!

Here are several more images from my drive along scenic Shushwap Road, on the north side of the South Thompson.

As I neared the end of Shuswap Road, I decided to turn onto Loakin/Bear Creek Road in order to check out Niskonlith Lake Provincial Park. The gravel road switch backed steeply up to this marvelous viewpoint with a view east of the South Thompson flowing out of Little Shuswap Lake. The town of Chase is located at the far end of the flat area on the south shore, with the indigenous settlement of Seqeltqin located across the river from Chase.

I travelled for several kilometers through forest and past a large ranch, and then turned onto the rather rough and bumpy Louis Road to arrive a kilometer or two later at Niskonlith Lake and Provincial Park. (One can continue on the Loakin/Bear Creek Road for a further 14 km to arrive at the Adams River sockeye salmon spawning grounds in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park.) Niskonlith Lake was beautiful, and I liked the rustic and remote feel of the campsite, but there were no families camped here so I decided that I would stick to my original plan and spend another night at Paul Lake.

I returned to the Shuswap Road and began the return journey west. At the junction with Pinantan Road, I made a detour down to the South Thompson see the historic Pritchard Bridge. I had been here previously with Sophie and Daniel on our trip to the Adams River, and I was a little disappointed to see a housing development going up on the north side of the bridge where once there was lovely grove of tall old cottonwoods. The wooden stringer bridge, however, was unchanged and very special to see. I drove carefully over the one lane bridge, parked on the south side (not far from Highway 1), and walked upstream along the shore to take this photo.

Then, I walked onto and over the bridge along the wooden sidewalk.

Here is a view downstream taken from the center of the bridge,

and here is a view upstream of the South Thompson. What a gorgeous river!

Very happy with my day so far, I carried on along wonderfully scenic Pinantan Road as it headed up and away from the river, along fields and forest, heading back to Paul Lake Provincial Park. I made a quick stop at the Pinantan Lake Community Park and reminisced about swimming here with Sophie and Daniel. I was a little tempted to get into my bathing suit, but not tempted enough!

It was getting close to dinner time, so I carried on to Paul Lake, choose a quiet campsite, made a meal, and then ended my day with an easy lakeside stroll before bed.

And that was (almost) the end of my 2020 travels along B.C.’s country roads. (I say “almost” because I did do one more day of exploring in the Merritt area and found two extraordinary places to visit. But, I am keeping those secret for now!) As always, thank you very much for sharing the journey with me.

B.C. Country Roads – No. 10 Visiting Vanderhoof for Family, Farm, and Fun, Part Two

August 2020

On my third day at Michelle’s farm, after all the various morning chores were done, Michelle, Kate, Olive, André and I went for a hike up Sinkut Mountain, a local landmark and high point on the surrounding plateau. The name comes from the Dakelh (Carrier) name Tsink’ut which means ochre peak. An expression in this region is, “If you can see Sinkut Mountain, you know you are home.”

I followed Michelle’s truck along various gravel roads in my Highlander and we let our vehicles do the first part of the climb up the mountain.

I love the line created by the lower edge of the clouds in this photo, and also the angle that the clouds are leaning which gives a sense of arrested movement above the heavy stillness of the land below.

When the road became too steep and rough, we tucked our vehicles into a small pullout and walked the last few kilometers uphill. Here is the gang at the start of our walk up.

And here they are at the top with the lakes, river, forests and farmland of the Nechako Valley spread out below.

There is a communication tower at the top of Sinkut Mountain and we had fun exploring the site and scrambling around all over the top of the mountain, taking in the views from every direction.

At snack time, I enjoyed taking some portraits of Michelle and the kids.

And here’s one of me taken by Michelle.

Pleased with our outing, we headed happily back down the mountain.

On the return trip home we stopped off for a visit with one of Michelle’s good friends, Lisa. We had tea on her deck overlooking Sinkut Lake, with an excellent view of Sinkut Mountain in the distance.

Back at the house there were jobs to do, dinner to prep and enjoy, dishes to clean, and then an evening of cards, games, and piano and violin practice for the kids. Close to bed time, I walked down towards the garden to listen and watch for the sandhill cranes which regularly feed in the lower or adjacent fields and then rise up each evening near sunset to fly elsewhere, calling to each other as they depart. I found Yodel on the way. “So this is where you get so muddy!” I exclaimed. (He had gotten progressively muddier on each day of my stay!)

Michelle’s beehives at the end of the garden looked pretty in the soft light.

And I felt grateful to experience yet another beautiful sunset after a full and happy day.

The next day, Michelle had a second hike planned, this time to the Greer Creek Falls Recreation Area. Rain was forecast for midday but that didn’t put us off. I followed Michelle’s truck again along gravel roads and we had fun communicating back and forth with a set of walkie-talkies, “ten-four good buddy.”

The rain started to fall just as we arrived at the trailhead, but luckily it was not very heavy and so we set off happily down the trail.

After about 30 minutes of easy walking through a pretty forest and then along Greer Creek we arrived at the impressive and roaring falls.

A little downstream of the pool, we crossed a foot bridge built over Greer Creek to view the falls from the other side.

Here, André explored and leapt around, Kate and I worked at identifying various late-summer berries with the help of a reference book that she had brought, and Michelle gave Penelope an impromptu photography lesson.

Here are a few more photos from our time at Greer Creek Falls.

We enjoyed our walk back up the trail, Michelle and I talking all the way, and here is my final photo of our outing. Definitely a cool-looking family!

Back at the farm, it was time for more garden work in the afternoon as Michelle was having a Saturday Sale the next day for anyone wanting to drive out to the farm to purchase produce or eggs. I picked bowlfuls of shelling peas in the garden and cherry tomatoes from the greenhouse while André dug potatoes, Olive picked carrots, and Michelle washed and organized the produce in her open garden shed. After a while, I took a short break and fetched my camera. The sky had cleared and I walked to the far end of the garden to take this photo towards the west, the direction of each evening’s sunset.

In the center of the photo are several huge boulders, glacial erratics, accented by two tall leaning birch trees. This special place on the farm is called “The Rocks” and Michelle told me that the uniqueness of this feature helped her and Justus decide to buy this farm.

And here are my last photos from my last afternoon at the farm. A big thank you and hugs and kisses to Michelle, Justus, Louis, Kate, Penelope, Olive and André for being such welcoming hosts and for taking the time to show me around Vanderhoof and the beautiful Nechacko Valley. I’ll be back!

Note: I am very sad to not have one picture to share of either Justus, who was working each day, or Louis who was at a day program in Vanderhoof each day. Apologies! To learn more about Bioscape Farm (and to catch a photo or two of Justus and Louis), you can view Michelle’s excellent photos on instagram @bioscapefarm. You can also visit the bioscapefarm.ca website and visit its page on Facebook.

As always, thank you very much to everyone for reading and joining me on my travels.

B.C. Country Roads – No. 10 Visiting Vanderhoof for Family, Farm, and Fun, Part One

August 2020

I left Williams Lake early and headed north on Highway 97 to Prince George, then west on Highway 16 to the small town of Vanderhoof. My sister Michelle lives about 20 minutes out of town with her husband Justus, five children, Louis, Kate, Penelope, Olive and André, and many animals on her 309-acre, off-grid, solar-powered farm.

As soon as I arrived at the farm I was greeted by my wonderful nieces and nephews. André proudly showed me the house he built for himself, a short distance from the main house and close to the pond.

Then my three beautiful nieces, Olive, Kate and Penelope, took me on a tour of the farm. First, the pond which becomes a well-used skating rink during the very long and cold winters here.

Then, the new “shed”, a tall 3-story and 16-sided tower Justus is building to provide extra space and storage for this growing family.

Afterwards, we walked up to the barn area to see the chickens, turkeys, geese and pigs.

Here is a side view of the 16-sided main house, the outhouse (they now have an inside bathroom as well), and the woodpile as we returned from the barn.

And here is a picture of the front of the house. I wish I had a photo from further down the drive that also shows the expansive lawned area and pretty flower and herb gardens, including Justus’ dedicated lily and peony gardens.

I had a tour of the impressive new root cellar, then the girls and I stopped to admire the many coloured blooms in the lily garden.

Next, we walked down the drive to Michelle’s vegetable garden. It is huge, about 85 x 200 feet (!), and requires a lot of work by the whole family to keep it tended.

And here is Michelle at the door of her greenhouse which was full to bursting with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, and even cantelope and a few small and very delicious watermelons. The greenhouse is Michelle’s quiet place where she can putter and catch a few moments of respite from her very busy life of work, family, farm, and volunteerism and friendships in the community.

After a wonderful family dinner (all meals are cooked on a woodstove for the family of 7 (!), or on the large barbeque outside), Michelle and I headed down to the lower fields to pen the sheep for the night.

Then Michelle, Justus and the kids all relaxed together with a movie before bed and I retired to my Highlander, very happy with my first day on Michelle’s farm with family.

The next day Michelle, Penelope, and I went on a walk around Vanderhoof and on trails in the surrounding forest. We began our walk at the excellent Riverside Park beside the Nechako River and Michelle proudly showed me the interpretive boards that she created for the municipality through her graphic design business.

We strolled the path that led downstream along the banks of the Nechako and around to the White Sturgeon Conservation Center. Michelle created this board as well, and has also helped with white sturgeon conservation efforts by developing extensive curriculum materials for the local schools. She has provided in-service to teachers who use the curriculum, has visited classrooms as a guest educator, and has led riverside field trips for all ages. The last time I visited Michelle I was able to see hundreds of baby sturgeon, only about 10 cm long, in their rearing tanks at the hatchery.

Next, Michelle, Penelope and I visited the Vanderhoof Community Garden which Michelle helped to establish. She created the information board here as well, and also an on-site resource book of gardening tips and tricks that was part of an inter-generational community project called “Growing Together.”

After our garden visit, we walked to a trailhead at the edge of town and into a forest of aspen, birch, spruce and pine. Many kilometers of trails have been created around Vanderhoof for use by walkers, cyclists, mountain bikers, and cross-country skiers in the winter. We were on the Heritage Nature Trail, and again Michelle had made the interpretive boards along the route that provided information about the local plants, animals, and human history of the area.

The trail circled around back into town and we then visited the local Vanderhoof Museum and Visitor Center which features a variety of beautifully restored historic buildings from the early 1900s and a brightly painted CN Rail caboose. The CN railway thunders regularly right through the center of town on its route between Prince George and Prince Rupert and it is a vital link for transport of the region’s forestry products. The O.K. Cafe was unfortunately closed due to Covid, but hopefully this summer it can reopen to visitors and locals alike. Apparently they make great lunches and pies!

We ended our walk soon after reaching this pretty spot where Stoney Creek meets the Nechako River, providing excellent habitat for a rich diversity of aquatic species, migrating birds, and other wildlife.

What a lovely afternoon we had! When we returned to the farm, it was “all hands on deck” in the garden to start picking vegetables to sell at the Vanderhoof Farmers Market on the morrow. But first, the geese had somehow escaped from the fenced barnyard and were happily enjoying the front deck of the house. Olive started to herd them back to the barnyard, but they decided they would rather go to the pond!

The next morning, Kate was up well before 6 a.m. to do her farm chores and to start baking her delicious muffins and cookies which she regularly makes to sell at the Farmers Market. She bakes them in the wood stove’s oven one batch after another!

The farmers market was so fun! “Bright, sunny, festive and colourful” describe the day and event. Michelle seems to knows almost everyone in town and was constantly socializing and connecting with people about various projects, while quieter Kate served customers and answered questions.

I helped and chatted a bit, most mostly I sat back and relaxed and ate some yummy treats. I also enjoyed making a few purchases and taking photos at this wonderful Farmers Market.

Here are two of my favourite photos from the day, a smiling Michelle and a bouquet of flowers that I bought from 7 year old Elizabeth. A market regular at her Mom’s stall, it was the first time Elizabeth had created something of her own to sell at the market. She was very proud, and the bouquet was lovely!

In the evening, after another enjoyable and lively family dinner, I decided to take myself out for a drive before bed. Before I left, I said hello to my good friend Yodel who was resting here beside the herb garden. He is a very muddy but fine and loyal fellow and I enjoyed his company during my days on the farm and felt safe with him patrolling about during my nights sleeping in the Highlander.

I enjoyed the drive along the quiet country roads and I stopped to take in this view of the Nechako from the north shore of the river just past the bridge into Vanderhoof.

And then this photo of the river a little later in the evening on my return trip to the farm.

Here is the approach up the road to the farm at dusk, with Michelle’s lower fields stretching off to the left.

And here is a sunset view taken from the end of Michelle’s garden.

What a lovely end to a lovely day. Goodnight.

B.C. Country Roads – No 9 Following the Gold Rush River Trail – Lillooet, Churn Creek, and the Dog Creek Road

July 2020

In July, as well as spending time at home in Vancouver, I slept many nights in my Highlander. First, on a trip to Salt Spring Island where I finally camped “stealth” in Ganges on a side street in town. I had a favourite peaceful and beautiful spot on the island where I spent time each day, between hikes and swims, prepping a meal, reading, writing, and just relaxing. I got wifi while sitting just beyond a restaurant patio in town, and used the wonderful civic pool to shower and get filtered drinking water. It was so fun! From there, I visited a friend in Victoria and slept in the parking lot of her apartment building, an old mansion in the beautiful Rockland area, with tall oaks and pretty gardens all around. We strolled to the Cook Street village, ate our meals on her sunny deck, and went for a walk in Beacon Hill Park. After Victoria, I headed up island to visit family and stopped mid-way for two nights of camping at Cowichan River Provincial Park. As always, it was exciting to visit a new place. The campground was very family oriented and there were excellent riverside hikes that take you to lovely deep green pools, great for swimming. Finally, I spent several nights visiting family in the Comox Valley. We had to stay socially distanced of course (I slept in my Highlander again, parked in my mom’s driveway), but it was still so great to spend time with family and friends.

August 2020

By August, I was ready to resume my travels along B.C.’s country roads and so I decided to head north to visit my sister Michelle and her family in Vanderhoof. For the first leg of this trip, I used the chapter entitled “River Trail to Gold” from Liz Bryan’s “Exploring the Interior – Country Roads of British Columbia.” My route would take me north via Lillooet, with an overnight stop at Kelly Lake, and then up Dog Creek Road which parallels the mighty Fraser for much of the way to Williams Lake. What a road! Scenic, lonely, historic – this road was possibly the highlight of my summer (in a summer full of highlights), and it was definitely the highlight for a very special wildlife sighting (even after having seen a wolf and seven bears in one day!). Here we go!

The drive from Vancouver to Whistler, through Pemberton, and on to Lillooet was a pleasure, early in the day with little traffic. I made a stop mid-way along Duffey Lake to stretch my legs and admire this beautiful scene of forested mountain slopes mirrored in the lake, with a foreground fringed with bright pink fireweed.

I stopped at another pullout farther down the lake and from there I had a great view, zoomed in, of Joffre Peak and Mt. Matier towards the west.

Where Duffey Lake narrowed at its eastern end, the water and plants vied with each other to exhibit the prettiest shades of green, and there was a large collection of logs that was fun to walk on.

A while later, as I descended into Lillooet, I was struck by how rapidly the landscape changed from thickly forested and dark green slopes to the stark, gray, and precipitous mountains of exposed rock and steep sandy benches that surround the narrow river valley and town. A roadside sign proclaimed that Lillooet was “Guaranteed Rugged” and it was easy to agree wholeheartedly!

I made a quick stop to visit the wooden suspension bridge, built in 1913 to replace an earlier truss bridge constructed in 1889. Prior to the truss bridge, a reaction-cable ferry operated between 1860 to 1888 and was used by gold seekers who had travelled to Lillooet from the coast, up the “River Trail” on their way to the gold fields of the Cariboo. Today, it is a scenic pedestrian bridge which offers thrilling views of the churning, silt-laden waters of the Fraser River.

I had read about an osprey nest built on the top beam of this bridge and when I arrived an osprey was there! She exited her nest as I approached and hovered for a few glorious moments above the river next to the bridge, held aloft by the warm and steady wind that funnels up the valley. Beautiful! I started to change to my zoom lens but then she flew swiftly way. Disappointed to not get a shot, I was nevertheless very happy to have had the experience of seeing her, and I can see her still in my memory’s eye.

From the pedestrian bridge, I looked upstream towards the railway bridge.

And here is a view downstream towards the town of Lillooet. Indigenous peoples have fished for and dried salmon here on the banks of the river for millennia.

After my walk over the pedestrian bridge, I drove back through town to join Highway 99 and cross over the Fraser again to continue north. I made a quick roadside stop a short while later to take in this view of the Fraser and the steep and precarious canyon. From near here, the gold-rush River Trail veered northeast and away from the perils and challenges of the river.

I drove north to Pavilion (known as 22 Mile House during the gold rush, with Lillooet being Mile 0), expecting to take the steep and rough road up and over the shoulder of 2000 meter Pavilion Mountain which was the grueling route taken by the gold seekers. The Ts’kw’aylaxe band, however, at Pavilion had a “no visitors” sign restricting access through their village because of Covid-19. So I had to take a long detour by staying on Highway 99 east through Marble Canyon to Highway 97, then north to Clinton, then back west again on the Pavilion-Clinton road to Kelly Lake. I was actually somewhat relieved to not travel over Pavilion Mountain as I had already travelled that road once before with Brent and the kids on a previous camping trip and it was a rather freaky road! Steep and narrow, it switchbacks swiftly up the mountain and is even more daunting on the descent, dropping some 700 m in under 6 km. During the days of the gold rush, the miners would drag heavy logs behind their loaded wagons to help slow their descent!

After my detour, I arrived at Downing Provincial Park with its campground beside pretty Kelly Lake and had no trouble to get a great site with a view of the lake. I felt a little bit sad to not be here with Brent, Sophie and Daniel as we had once had a wonderful time camping here when the kids were young, despite two days of intermittent heavy rain! In our family, this is known as the camping place with the big brown muddy dog.

After a relaxed dinner, I ended my evening with a quiet walk along the lakefront until a soft rain began to fall and I retired to my Highlander to read before bed.

The next morning, I made a quick stop just beyond the campground to photograph the attractive buildings of the historic Kelly Lake Ranch. During the gold rush, this was the site of 38 Mile House which was advertised in Victoria’s Colonist newspaper in March of 1863 as being a “Good Stopping House”.

At the junction beside the ranch, I turned north onto the gravel road headed towards Jesmond and travelled up the narrow forested valley of Porcupine Creek, past several small lakes and historic buildings, with the white limestone peaks of the Marble Range on my right to the east and the Edge Hills to the west.

Later, on this section of the route, the road travelled for some time alongside and under an impressive array of towers and high voltage power lines stretching north to south.

After passing through tiny Jesmond, another stopping point on the River Trail, I arrived at this signpost and for the first of many times on this day I regretted having booked a night of accommodation in Williams Lake. I have always wanted to visit the Big Bar reaction ferry which crosses the churning Fraser to the west, and to camp at Big Bar Lake a little to the northeast of here. A lesson learned – it is better to stay open to possibilities! On the other hand, now I have a good excuse to return on another day.

With a regretful sigh of roads not travelled, yet with appreciation for the road I was on, I continued north on Dog Creek Road and stopped a short while later to photograph these lovely horses grazing in front of a hay storage shed belonging to the historic buildings of the OK Ranch, established in 1859 by Joseph Haller and one of B.C.’s earliest ranches. It also operated as another “stopping house” during the years of the gold rush.

Beyond the OK Ranch, the road travelled along a pretty section of hay meadows and wetland, and I came upon yet more fine-looking horses, including a beautiful and curious colt.

Dog Creek Road then narrowed dramatically through a limestone canyon,

and later emerged to this gorgeous view of freshly mown hay fields and a string of houses on the approach to the indigenous village of Canoe Creek (Sexqeltquin).

Beyond Canoe Creek, the road rose to this completely natural feature of the landscape, a glacial esker that looks like a man-made earthen dam built between two hillsides.

Then, from the top of the hill beyond the esker, the view opened up to a sweeping expanse of sagebrush, with the eroded hills of the Fraser River trench calling from the distance.

The road swept gently back and forth down the curved green slope to land on a bench, high above the river and parallel to it. The river remained out of sight deep in its trench to my left but the road ahead was so achingly beautiful my heart soared.

The air was warm, the sky was bright, the landscape was thrilling, and it was so wonderfully quiet and lonely. I kept stopping to take photos, and at one point started to walk towards the trench, hopeful for a view down to the river.

But it was farther than it looked and, mindful of the possibility of rattlesnakes, I decided to be patient and walked back to my car to carry on up the road.

After several more kilometers of gorgeous driving, there it was! A glimpse of the Fraser from Dog Creek Road.

This stop featured the pleasing geometric lines of an old corral, and the many-faceted, sculpted shapes of the deeply eroded hills on the far side of the river.

The river came into and out of view as I travelled northward, and then I caught a glimpse of the one lane suspension bridge that crosses the Fraser near Churn Creek. It is possible to cross here and travel via the road to Gang Ranch and onwards to the Chilcotin Plateau!

From the top of the road that descends to the bridge I could see the fan-shaped gravel deposits of Churn Creek where it enters the Fraser. To the right is a large sand bar that is popular as a pull out spot for river rafting companies. I braved the steep and somewhat scary road down to the bridge. The sandy slopes seem so impermanent and you have the sense that a rock fall or slide could occur at any time and sweep you into the river.

I parked and walked on foot over bridge. The river almost hums with energy.

Then I drove over the bridge and turned south onto the Empire Valley Road towards the Churn Creek Protected Area.

The bridge over Churn Creek, with spectacular sculpted hoodoos.

A view of Churn Creek as it heads towards the Fraser. The Empire Valley Road curves enticingly southwards.

From the Churn Creek bridge, a view downstream towards the Fraser.

From Churn Creek bridge, a view upstream.

I walked a little ways up this road which followed Churn Creek upstream.

Adjacent to Churn Creek, this “wall” provides a good view of the layers of glacial lake deposits, laid down some 80,000 and 15,000 years ago, that make up much of this landscape.

A short distance past the bridge over Churn Creek there is an interpretive kiosk and a 450 meter circular trail with additional interpretive boards that highlight some of geology, plants, and wildlife of the area as well as the ancient and more recent history of this place. Secwepem’c (Shuswap) peoples have used the resources here for over 10,000 years, most notably salmon which they would net and dry for winter use. The area is still used by the Secwepem’c for that purpose today. They also harvested saskatoon berries which they would dry or turn into jam, and prickly pear which was an important food source steam-cooked in pits or roasted over hot coals. Big sagebrush was collected and used for ceremonial and medicinal purposes and the bark was woven into mats and clothing. In the 19th century, land use in this area by Europeans began to include cattle grazing, road construction, and placer mining.

A view of the outlet of Churn Creek from the interpretive trail. Simon Fraser camped here on June 5, 1808 on his journey down the Fraser, and again on July 23 on his return trip north.

And here is the view looking back towards the interpretive Kiosk across an expanse of big sage and native shrubs and grasses with wonderful names like bluebunch wheatgrass, sand drop seed grass, and needle and thread grass.

After my walk around the interpretive trail, I decided to drive further south on the Empire Valley Road.

After just a kilometer or two though, the road really started to climb and I realized that my energy was starting to wane so I stopped at this wonderful lookout point to consider my options. I was eager to drive further into the protected area to check out some rustic campsites, still about 8 km away. (Again, I regretted having booked a stay in Williams Lake.) But, the afternoon was advancing and I decided that perhaps I had already had enough excitement for one day! I stayed here for a few quiet moments enjoying the view to the northeast,

and to the south,

and nearby.

Then, I headed back the way I had come, stopping once more when I got to the top of the hill just north of Churn Creek.

From there, the green glimpse of cottonwoods and willows below enticed me to brave the steep hill down to the river.

On the flat, I walked along the sandy road, lined with vibrant green grass, cottonwoods and willow,

and then I exited onto and along the high sand bar to the edge of the wide gravel fan deposited by Churn Creek as it enters the Fraser.

Again, the energy in the air and water at this place was humming. Any geomorphologist would be in heaven here with erosion and deposition evident everywhere and constantly in process all around. The rocks were a mixed jumble and tumble of shapes and sizes and included some very interesting concretions, vividly coloured.

I wanted to stay there at Churn Creek for the rest of the day and into the evening to watch the light change and shift and play over the river, creek, hills and stones. I wanted to camp in the sand by the willows and watch wildlife emerge with the dusk. I wanted to spend more time in this thrilling yet peaceful landscape, beside the powerful surge of the river and with the whispers of ghosts in the dry warm air. Alas, it was time to say goodbye and move on.

I made a quick stop for another photo of the bridge, this time from the west side of the river,

before crossing and continuing north on Dog Creek Road, with several stops again to look back…

and forwards, again and again.

Some distance later, Dog Creek Road veered away from the river trench, up onto the forested plateau, then down again steeply into the Dog Creek Valley where the indigenous village Xgat’lem is located. Shortly after passing the village, the road curved up and around a small hill and as I rounded the curve, in the middle of the road, I saw a mother bobcat and her two pudgy toddler-aged kittens! I stopped abruptly and we all stared at each other in surprise for a few moments before mum and one kitten went over the concrete barrier and out of sight downhill but the other kitten headed uphill on the opposite side. I inched my car forward and stopped to see the plump-rumped kitten hurriedly scrambling upwards. I wanted to watch longer, but I was worried that if I stayed the kitten would continue running away and might have trouble finding mum later so I slowly drove off. A bobcat and her kittens! I never thought that I would ever see a bobcat in the wild and there she was, in full view with her family. Truly an unexpected and special sighting. Lucky me!

Dog Creek Road veered towards the river again and the vistas continued to inspire me.

Then, the road again left the river trench behind and climbed up onto a wide flat prairie! What a surprise!

It was so beautiful and unexpected I thought I would explode with happiness!

Then, once more the road headed back down and towards the river,

before finally leaving the river behind and heading east into the valley of Alkali Creek, passing Alkali Lake and the well-kept modern and historic buildings of the Alkali Lake Ranch, established in 1861 and yet another gold-rush River Trail roadhouse site.

Just past the ranch, the road passed the indigenous village of Esk’et and finally transitioned from gravel to pavement as it headed towards Williams Lake, still about 50 km away. Scattered homes homes started to appear and the countryside was lovely but I was already missing the solitude and splendor of the Fraser River trench and its sage-strewn bench lands. This day was definitely a highlight of my summer, and the route is most definitely worth a return visit. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey!

Country Roads of B.C. – No. 8 Heading Home on Highway 3

Late June 2020

After my time at the Haynes Lease Ecological Reserve, I drove a short ways south on Black Sage Road, stopping to take in the views of oxbow lakes in the river valley below, and rows of grape vines curving gracefully over the hillside to the east.

Then I returned to Highway 97 and turned south towards Osoyoos in order to connect with Highway 3 west. My intention was to visit the South Okanagan Grasslands Protected Area but I missed the turnoff to Kruger Mountain Road and decided instead to take the road up to Mt. Kobau which was also on my list of places to visit. Mount Kobau Road leaves Highway 3 shortly after reaching the top of the steep hill out of Osoyoos.

Looking back to where Mount Kobau Road connects with Highway 3.

Recommended for 4×4 vehicles, the road was loaded with potholes but otherwise very good. It switch-backed over and over, up the southeastern slope of the mountain, with excellent views down into the South Okanagan Valley.

Some areas of Mount Kobau have suffered through forest fires in recent years,

including this section of forest which was ghostly grey.

I climbed up, higher and higher, stopping often to capture the views.

And then, as the road narrowed and steepened with perhaps only another kilometer or two left to arrive at the top, I just stopped.

At the end of the road there is a trail to a lookout at the top of the mountain, the site of an old fire watch tower, and another trail that leads to a small lake. It had been my intention to walk those trails but I was beginning to feel a little tired and a little fearful way up here alone. My rule is to “follow my gut” and err on the side of caution so I found a good turn-around spot and then started back down the mountain. Darn! The whole way down I was tempted to turn around again and go back up. Now, at some point in the future, I have to drive all the way up there again to do those trails!

Continuing west, I stopped in Keremeos, had a snack and a brief rest in a lovely riverfront municipal park, and then spent a bit of time walking alongside the Similkameen River.

Next, I carried on to Manning Park, hoping to get a campsite at the Lightning Lakes campground. There was much confusion at the check-in hut as their computer system was down but they gave me a large double site, available to just one party because of Covid. What a lot of room for little ‘ol me, but in the end it wasn’t to be!

The hike around the Lightning Lakes has always been one of my favourites – it is so incredibly beautiful.

Tired, relaxed, and happy from my hike around the first lake, I walked back to my campsite only to find that a rather large family had set up their encampment of several tents and vehicles beside me! They had previously reserved the site, despite what I had been told at the registration hut, and so of course I left them to it. There were no more sites available by this time late in the day (grrrr), so I carried on west the short distance to Manning Park’s Coldstream campground. Here, a few sites were available, but all of them were close to the highway so I decided to just drive all the way home that evening. I took time in one of the empty sites to make a quick meal and brew up a large coffee for the drive ahead. What a long day heading home on Highway 3, but it was a very good day as well, travelling and walking through beautiful countryside in beautiful British Columbia.

B.C. Country Roads No. 7 – Finding Quiet Okanagan Spaces

Late June 2020

After my wonderful hike around Kentucky Lake, I left Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park to connect with Highway 97C, heading east towards the Okanagan. I had to transition to faster speeds, but luckily the traffic was light and the road is fun to drive. I turned south onto Highway 97 at Peachland, excited to travel a section of road (from here to Oliver) that I had never visited before. I had been in phone communication with my brother Daniel who was spending several days in the Okanagan with his wife Michelle and their two youngest, Simon and Madison, and we had agreed to meet up. They were travelling and staying in their groovy old Okanagan motorhome (nicknamed “Okie”) and had been finding places to cycle and swim and enjoy the sun. We met up at Skaha Lake Park and enjoyed a very nice visit and lunch together.

After our visit, I continued south down 97 to Okanagan Falls Provincial Park which was fully booked but luckily I got a site because of a last-minute cancellation. With its closely-spaced sites and many noisy families surrounding me, I wasn’t thrilled with the campground, but later in the evening I would witness a natural wonder that would make me very thankful to have stayed here (more on that later!).

After securing my site, I drove back up Highway 97 to connect with Highway 3A west, and then turned left onto Twin Lakes Road and then left again onto White Lake Road. Inspired by Liz Bryan’s chapter entitled “Sage Brush Solitudes”, I was headed to White Lake, intending to do a 10 km hike from there to Mahoney Lake. Bryan writes, “It is extraordinary that the huge area of grassland/sagebrush in which White Lake sits like milk in a teacup is still intact, a wonderful undulating sweep of country devoid of development except for the observatory on its northeastern edge.”

One of my first views of White Lake and the surrounding countryside from a distance. The road will curve around the lake to a small parking area on its far side.

A distant view of the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, the largest in Canada, from White Lake Road. Built in 1960 to map the sources of our galaxy using radio waves, the observatory needed a large expanse of “radio quiet” which led to the protection of this beautiful area from development.

After parking beside several other cars, I wasn’t quite sure which of the trailheads I could see was the correct one for the hike to Mahoney Lake. Also, I wasn’t feeling either very brave or energetic this afternoon so I decided to just wander down to the lake along this old road.

Access to the shore or further along the lake was blocked by a fence so I meandered slowly back up the track, enjoying the contrasts of colour and form between dark purple alfalfa and these lovely stems of sage-coloured plants.

Not yet ready to leave this quiet place, I found another track that led uphill towards a rocky outcropping.

These yellow cinquefoils, carpeting the hillside in and amongst the sage, captured my attention for a few lovely moments.

The track let up to a small wetland, dark green with rushes and enlivened by the sharp calls of red-winged blackbirds.

The track became a path that lead through a pretty swath of golden grain towards another small dark-green patch of wetland rushes.

And there was yet another patch of wetland area ahead of me a little further on and higher up.

From here, I appreciated the view looking back towards the west, with White Lake hidden from sight in the bowl below.

I made my way slowly back downhill, reluctant to leave this beautiful and peaceful landscape.

Back at my car, I continued down White Lake Road, looping my way back towards my campsite via Fairview White Lake Road and then Green Lake Road. I passed pretty Mahoney Lake (one day I’ll do that hike!)….

and then further down the road I passed the aptly name Green Lake.

Soon I was back at my campground and did not relish spending the evening there with people all around. I made and ate a quick dinner, called my brother, and arranged to meet him, Michelle, and the kids at Vaseaux Lake to walk the interpretive boardwalk there. The boardwalk was short, and access to the lake limited, but it was nice to be there with family in the quiet of early evening.

Back at my campsite, I decided to stretch my legs before bed with a short walk south on the path that paralleled the Okanagan River on one side and woodland on the other. Dusk was falling, and millions of tiny moths were emerging over, above, and beside the river. Excited at the prospect of seeing bats, I was amazed when I began to see tens and then perhaps even hundreds of flying forms swooping so fast above the river, zipping and changing directions with incredible agility, precision, and speed. A few bats were in the mix, but most of the dark shapes were clearly of birds, mid-sized and with sharply pointed wings. I was standing near a few groupings of other campers and walkers who were also watching, mesmerized by the spectacle. “What are they?” I asked one couple, and was told they are nighthawks. Members of the nightjar family, and not hawks at all, they are shy, well-camouflaged nocturnal birds that are rarely seen during the day. Their acrobatic display, in such numbers, over the Okanagan River in the darkening dusk is a very special sight that will remain with me for a long time.

The next morning, I packed up early and headed south down 97 to connect with Road 22, south of Oliver and just north of Osoyoos Lake. Road 22 crosses the Okanagan River over a fine old wooden bridge and from here you have a choice of four directions to walk or cycle on the riverside dykes: east or west of the river, and either upstream or downstream.

A view from the bridge looking downstream, south towards Osoyoos.

A view from the bridge looking upstream, north towards Oliver.

I chose the upstream path, east of the river, and plan to return to walk each of the other choices on future trips.

While participating in the Global Big Day bird count in early May, I had learned from the stats on ebird.org that Road 22 is a top hotspot for birding in the province which is not surprising given the variety of ecosystems in this area. Within view were streamside thickets, ponds, marshes, river, hayfields, large deciduous trees, and dry areas of sage, grasses, and antelope brush.

Armed with my binoculars and camera I headed off on this quiet morning, cool with an overcast sky and light breeze. I saw so many birds, and I’m sure there were many more that I missed! Here is what I recorded in my journal after my walk: 2 ravens, 6 Eastern king birds, 4 quail (one of my favorite reasons to visit the Okanagan – I love them!), 2 grouse (first one, and later another), bank swallows swooping over the river (so fast!), an osprey in her nest, red-winged blackbirds, Brewers blackbirds, song sparrows, multiple American goldfinches (very bright yellow), multiple yellow warblers (so pretty), a mourning dove, and … a lazuli bunting!

Now, my bird photos are not good at all so I will only show two, but please do look up “lazuli bunting” images online to see what a beautiful bird it is!

An osprey on her nest, possibly with chicks.

Some sections of the trail were bordered by huge pillowy mounds of baby’s breath, an invasive plant with the ability to spread over 10,000 seeds per plant!

Other plants, including narrowleaf plantain, sheep sorrel and yellow mullein were of interest along the path.

Very happy with my walk along the river, I drove just a short distance further on Road 22 to photograph the atmospheric heritage buildings of the Haynes Ranch. Built in 1882, the tumbledown buildings are comprised of the main ranch house, a smaller bunkhouse (the original homestead), and a large barn.

I crossed the road for closer views of the massive barn, surrounded by a field of yellow, and I took a peek inside the cavernous interior.

After I had circled back around to the south side, I saw a marmot sunning himself on a window ledge.

From the ranch buildings, I drove a short distance north on Black Sage Road, and then turned right onto Meadowlark Lane to visit the Haynes Lease Ecological Reserve. I parked in the small parking area at the end of the lane, with views of the trellised vines of the Burrowing Owl Winery to my left and the entrance to the ecological reserve on my right.

The 101 hectare reserve is bordered to the east and south by reserve lands of the Osoyoos Band and was created on a section of old ranch property to protect habitat for the endangered burrowing owl. I have visited the Haynes Ecological Reserve several times before with my family on short trips to Osoyoos, and we all love it here. A trail meanders through the open area of rabbit brush, bunchgrass, sage, wildflowers, and prickly pear, and there is just something very special about being here.

Dotted here and there with mature Ponderosa pines, the reserve has exciting views of the Okanagan valley below and of rocky cliffs on its eastern edge, with great tumbledown boulders at their base.

We call this big boulder “split rock” and Daniel and Sophie always climb it.

Every single time my family and I have walked here at Haynes Lease, there has not been another soul in sight – just the wonderful views, rocks, plants, birds, and sky. And, on this particular visit, I had the unexpected good fortune to see several beautiful mariposa lilies blooming right beside the trail. What a joy!

Then, to top it all off, near the end of my walk I saw a western bluebird! I had hoped to see one, my first, and there it was perched on a section of fencing wire at the edge of the reserve. (Please google an image! I cannot decide which is prettier, the mountain bluebird or the western bluebird. But, perhaps that is a comparison that should not even be made). Too slow with my camera, I missed the opportunity of a photo, but I was very happy nonetheless. What another wonderful reward for seeking out and visiting some of the Okanagan’s beautiful quiet spaces.

B.C. Country Roads – No. 6 Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park

After my wonderful drive from Princeton, north along the Tulameen River to Coalmont and then up the Otter Valley, I arrived in the late afternoon at Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park. Thankfully, this park has multiple First Come First Served sites and I was able to get a good site just a minute away from the white clay beach and turquoise waters of Kentucky Lake. I have always wanted to visit this provincial park, and am so glad I finally did!

F325422A-E18B-4029-9055-E29CB137FF63

3EA9198A-A0AB-4456-97E9-BC1445B7254B — The white clay beach was a little slippy but nice underfoot, and gives the water this glorious tropical colour. The temperature was very refreshing and lovely for wading.

I took my camp chair down to the beach and sat for a while, reading and then writing in my journal. Happy kids came and went, and anglers fished from small kayaks or rubber boats on the far right side of the lake. After my time at the beach, I had fun watching and photographing the ground squirrels that live beside my campsite.

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After dinner, I walked from my campsite past the two small ponds which lie between Kentucky and Alleyne lakes.

70A3AF84-C6CA-479D-B641-9EEE47F891E3 — West Pond.

6EAE0EC2-2ABB-4A5F-AB73-72610F2B9FEB — West Pond again, with the trail looking back towards my campsite area on Kentucky Lake.

Lake Alleyne, only a five minute walk from Kentucky Lake, was beautiful too with its serene blues and greens, and it offered lakefront campsites as well as many spacious forested sites in a nearby loop.

D6A34C1B-8A9E-426F-B6A0-8AAE387132E8 — Alleyne Lake, from near the boat ramp.

An early evening rain had me reading in my camper for a while, and then I exited again at dusk to see that the clouds were clearing and the first stars and a bright crescent moon were visible. I made a final short walk of the day on the road alongside the lake, marvelling at the evocative calls of a loon in the distance, and then I spied a large mule deer tiptoeing through several lakefront campsites. Such a lovely way to end the day.

The next morning, I tidied up the camper after breakfast and then parked at the day use area, ready to hike the 4 km trail around Kentucky Lake. The trail was wonderful! Mostly shady, the forested path stayed close to the lake all the way around, continuously offering glimpses and then wider views of the lovely turquoise water.

98DBA1CC-24C3-4FBA-BE23-CF7EB2F1FB52 — A view from the start of the trail, near the boat ramp, and looking back towards the lakefront campsites.

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A few times I scampered the short distance downslope to stand at the edge of the lake and I saw long trailing schools of young trout in the clear green water. (At the boat ramp, I had seen two very big trout – a good place for casting!)

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Halfway up the lake, I started hearing the iconic “Hinterland Who’s Who” calls of a loon, and those calls were answered at a distance by a second loon. It was so exciting to hear! Then, even more exciting, a short while later I saw the pair of loons, now side by side, with two young ones trailing behind! Oh how I wish my photos were better!

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As I neared the end of Kentucky Lake, the water became more shallow, greener in colour, and edged in rushes.

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I inadvertently disturbed a young Canada Goose family, and they left the shore and headed away from me towards the other side of the lake.

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I rounded the top of the lake, surprised that there was no incoming or outgoing stream to cross, and later learned that both Kentucky and Alleyne are kettle lakes and are fed by springs.

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And then I was on the other shore, causing the cautious goose family to change direction and head back towards their original side of the lake.

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I continued on the return portion of the trail, and again saw the loon family as I neared the central part of the lake.

5F7AD5C0-9082-4AEF-AD11-19E821DD02E1 — One chick was braver than the other and headed towards (what I assume is) “Dad” several times while the other chick stayed so close in to Mum that I began to wonder if I had really seen two chicks before.

5041DBBA-CFEE-461E-99FA-AC1ABADB912D — This is the clearest photo I have of this gorgeous bird.

Of course, the beautiful and shifting colours of the lake held much of my attention, but there were also some trail-side beauties that were worth a closer look, including wild rose, thread-leaved phacelia, purple penstemon, and red paintbrush.

All too soon I was finished my anti-clockwise loop, ending at the small clay beach near where I had camped. This is my last image of lovely Kentucky Lake.

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It is definitely a place to revisit, and so I returned later in the summer with Brent and Daniel for a two-night camp. We had so much fun swimming on the hot August days in the clean, cool water, and at night the sky was amazing with the milky way clear and bright and many shooting stars. Thank you Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park!

B.C. Country Roads – No. 5 Princeton to Coalmont, Tulameen, and the Otter Valley

Late June 2020

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This excursion was inspired by the “Ghost Towns, Ghost Trails” chapter of Liz Bryan’s book “Exploring the Interior – Country Roads of British Columbia.” It features a walk along the Tulameen River to see the Vermillion Cliffs, a visit to the beautiful Swan Lake Sanctuary just five minutes northeast of Princeton, and a drive north along the Tulameen River valley to Coalmont, Granite Creek historic site, Tulameen, and the Otter Valley. I ended this day trip with a night of camping at the wonderfully scenic Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park.

I left Vancouver early and tolerated the ride east on the busy Highway 1 to Hope. I was happy to join Highway 3 and always love the drive from Hope, through Manning Park, to Princeton as I can reconnect with two of my very favourite rivers, the Skagit and the Similkameen. On this trip, I became acquainted with a new river, the Tulameen, which joins the Similkameen just a little ways past the historic one-lane bridge in downtown Princeton.

Upon arrival in Princeton, I parked at the end of Ridgewood Drive and made my way down the steep slope on the Tulameen Trail which forms part of the Trans Canada Trail. On this section, and for a further 65 kilometers, the TCT follows the rail bed of the abandoned Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway (VV&E) which competed with the Kettle Valley Railway at the turn of the century as a route to the coast.

Very soon, I was crossing the old VV&E railway bridge built over the beautiful Tulameen River.

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The first part of the path was paved and, as usual, I enjoyed taking photos of wild flowers along the way.

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The trail paralleled the river and after fifteen minutes of easy walking I reached the Vermillion Cliffs, a crumbling rock outcrop also known as the Red Ochre Cliffs. The colours were vibrant and varied – layers of red, orange, cream, yellow, and black. For the indigenous peoples here, vermilion was called tulameen and Princeton was known by them as Yak Tulameen, “the place where red earth was traded.”

Here is a view of the outcrop from the banks of the river.

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And here are some close-ups of some of the colourful rock layers and crushed red ochre.

Along the base of the cliffs there were fan-shaped accumulations of rock chips formed by deposition. A close up of the chips reveals the beautiful array of rock colours.

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On the return trip, I was caught in a thunder shower and got soaking wet, but that was okay as the downpour was short-lived and it cooled the air nicely. Here is the Tulameen River bridge again, this time with the path wet but drying quickly (just like me), and beyond it is a 1063 foot long railway tunnel, built by the VV&E in 1910, which travels under Highway 3 and the narrow ridge which separates the Similkameen and Tulameen valleys.

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It was a wonderful walk! Afterwards, I drove around the historic western-style town of Princeton, which was named “Vermillion Forks” by the first Europeans to the area, and then renamed “Princeton” in 1860 to commemorate a visit to Canada that year by the Prince of Wales. Then, feeling a little tired, I drove several kilometers east of Princeton to the town’s municipal campsite on the banks of the Similkameen where I had a relaxing evening camped by the riverside.

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The next day, I packed up early and went for a morning visit to the very special, 57 hectare Swan Lake Sanctuary, just a five minute drive northeast of Princeton on the Princeton Summerland road. What a beautiful place!

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Swan Lake is a small “kettle” lake (formed in a bowl-shaped hollow left by a melting glacier), and it is surrounded by gently undulating hills covered in native grasses and meadow flowers, and dotted with ponderosa pines and other conifers.

09F3BF1B-54CB-41AC-B39B-E036B8B798C2 The sanctuary is noted for bird life and 128 different species have been spotted here. My bird photography skills and equipment are both sorely lacking but here are two images of birds that are new to me.

DE40EBEA-389E-472A-AF0B-C115328E6453 — This is an Eastern King bird, a species I first met recently at Juniper Beach Provincial Park so it’s not strictly new to me. But at Swan Lake, I also saw the Western King Bird (with a lovely pale yellow belly) which I was able to identify but unable to photograph.

B469DC89-3DE5-4881-AC12-FD11B9F72D55 — This is a Yellow-headed Blackbird. Larger than a Red-winged Blackbird, he has (in my opinion) a most unattractive call!

I spent some time resting at one of the two bird blinds built on the hillside above the lake, and watched the blackbirds as well as a pair of coots with their one chick, a mallard couple with ten ducklings, and the new-to-me and very striking ruddy ducks with their bright blue bills.

Along the meadow trails, I saw many different types of butterflies, as well as tiny blue dragonflies, but they were all too fast for me to photograph. Lovely wild flowers, however, stand politely still (unless there’s a breeze), and I learned one new name thanks to an information board – the pale yellow flower is called salsify.

Here are several more photos from my lovely walk in the Swan Lake sanctuary.

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And now the best photo of all!

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After my visit to the Swan Lake Sanctuary, I took the Tulameen Road north out of Princeton towards Coalmont. This road rose quickly to high above the river and there were many sections where stopping was not allowed because of rock fall hazards on the cliff-side of the roadway. There was one pull out where I was able to safely stop to photograph the Tulameen River below.

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80B55C87-546B-45BF-9512-FBCBFA261A2E — In this zoomed-in shot of the hoodoo-like cliffs, you can see the Trans Canada Trail snaking along beside the river on the abandoned rail bed of the VV&E railway.

Soon, I arrived in Coalmont, a place out of time it seemed. Three lovely old buildings, empty and fading, but still beautiful, captured my immediate attention. Built in the first decade of the 1900s, Coalmont once hoped to be “the City of Destiny, the coal-mining metropolis of southern B.C.” with a predicted population of 10,000 inhabitants. The surface coal, however, was quickly exhausted and the deeper seams in the area were thin and not very profitable. By the 1940s all mines in the area had closed, but not before disaster struck at the Number 4 mine in nearby Blakeburn. There, a huge explosion in 1930 buried 45 miners underground.

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I had arrived in Coalmont around noon, and there was a deep stillness to the place, with no-one to be seen, no dogs barking, no cars driving. There was just the pleasing sound of the hot, dry breeze stirring the cottonwoods, and the silent accompaniment of tiny bits of cottonwood fluff floating by in the air.

There were quite a few dilapidated dwellings, with yards full of old vehicles and trailers, hoarder-style, as well as some tidier homes. I know that old cars cannot decompose and become earth, but these specimens were making a good attempt!

After my walk through Coalmont, I drove to the Tulameen River at the edge of town and crossed over the Coalmont Bridge.

40905E20-F074-4ED7-8AA8-7F884FFF0040 Two kilometers south of the bridge is the abandonded town site of Granite Creek – sometimes called Granite City – which was briefly the third largest town in B.C. after a large gold nugget was found in the creek by a cowboy, Johnny Chance, in 1885. Once the site of more than 200 buildings, including 13 saloons, the place is now almost completely vacant. Set on a grassy flat next to the creek, there are just a few surviving remnants of cabins and bits of foundations, and depressions left by old cellars and the diggings of treasure hunters. Grasses and wild rose are taking over, but there is a very good walking tour with sign boards that detail the history of this place so that it is not completely forgotten.

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I walked down to the creek and of course looked for any large nuggets of gold that might be found, hopefully just sitting there, glimmering in the rush of water.

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Alas, there were none. Amazingly, the miners had also found a white mineral intermixed with the gold in their pans that was very difficult to separate out and was just dumped back into the river. The mineral was platinum, but it was unknown to the miners at the time. Apparently, the Tulameen River system and Russia’s Amur River are the only places in the world where free platinum is found. In her “Country Roads of British Columbia”, Liz Bryan tells the story of one miner, a Swede named Johanssen, who had buried a bucket of the white stuff beside his cabin door – 10 kilograms worth! His cabin burned down in one of the fires which destroyed Granite Creek after the town was abandoned. Legend has it that the bucket is still there, somewhere, but (again, alas) digging is not permitted at this historic site.

Still, there were a few more treasures for me to be had just by continuing my journey north. I left Granite Creek and Coalmont somewhat reluctantly and drove up to Tulameen, a slightly larger and much tidier town that seemed to favour the present rather than the past. I stopped for a quick lunch at the neat and tidy park at the south end of Otter Lake, right on the edge of the town.

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After a few more kilometres, the road turned into gravel and continued north, following the west side of Otter Lake, and then the narrow Otter River Valley. Deep green grazing land was strung between forested slopes and was punctuated by small marshy lakes and isolated ranch houses, barns, and corrals. I was mindful of the fact that the road I was travelling with such ease in my vehicle was the same route taken by the HBC Trail of 1859, and later the old stagecoach road between Princeton and Nicola, when the gruelling journey between those two settlements took a day and a half.

As I neared the end of the Otter Valley I stopped to take a photo of an old barn across the way, and then a photo looking south back down this lush green valley.

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Soon after this point, the Otter Valley disappeared behind me and the road turned and climbed quickly through a short rugged section of forest, and before I knew it I was up on the high plateau of fenced grasslands. A “Nicola Ranch” sign at one cattle guard crossing surprised me (“Nicola is a ways north of here,” I thought), and then a “Douglas Lake Ranch” sign surprised me even more. What a huge ranch that is!

I greatly enjoyed this last section of the road, with the rolling grassy hills, huge blue sky, small glimmering lakes, and the happy glimpse of a mountain blue bird. But, I was also ready for the road to join up with Highway 5A, so that a kilometre or two later I could take the short access road east to Kentucky-Alleyne Provincial Park and have some choice in the selection of a good campsite. Which luckily I did. 🙂

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What a wonderful road trip on a varied and historic route from Princeton to Coalmont, the Otter Valley, and beyond. Thank you B.C. country roads!