Kettle Valley Rail Trail

The Kettle Valley Rail Trail is an abandoned railway bed that winds through central British Columbia between Midway and Hope. The 600km route offers the cyclist or hiker unique trail experiences: tunnels, trestles moving through mountain forests and a small desert. With the many camping facilities along the trail allows for extended trips or weekends.

Myra Canyon near Kelowna, B.C. has a series of 18 trestles on this portion of the picturesque trail. It may pose a challenge for those with fear of heights.


KettlevalleyRailway.ca

Photo Credit: wikipedia

Have you ever noticed that when arrangements are made to go somewhere, especially those plans made earlier in the year or the year before -- seem to go awry just before one is about to depart. Perhaps I should just go on the spur of the moment and hope for the best; something I did when younger -- and it worked out just fine.

The photo is from a post about hiking the Rockwall Pass in Kootenay National Park in British Columbia.



Photo Credit: nordique CC=flickr.

Prudhomme Lake

Although closed at this time of the year, Prudhomme Lake in Prudhomme Lake Provincial Park in British Columbia, offers respite from the cities in the summer. Located 16km east of Prince Rupert, this park covers 7 hectares with ample campground sites to enjoy fishing of five species of Pacific Salmon. Salmon spawning occurs in August and September.


Photo Credit: DreamEchos CC=nc-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE

There had been an ealier post on the vastness of the cosmos and its different life forms, as as the karma or one's consequences of their actions which was deleted in error by accident. This may have been instant karma or just a rash decision of pressing the wrong button instead of "Update".

Over the years I had read about various types of meditation where one could learn over time answers to questions. It took several attempts of trial and error to mix bits of methods together to facilitate appropriate responses.

One time I was curious about how choices were dealt with, and I queried over how a person was chosen to assist another in a given situation. My meditated answer resulted in a brief internal vision of standing and looking up a very tall lectern where a large book rested, open two-thirds in. Behind the lectern stood a tall man dressed in a long dark coloured robe, the forefinger of his right hand slowly making its way down a list of entries. He turned the page and continued down several more entries until he reached the one he sought. Behind the man were tiers of shelving.

I took note of my position in comparison to the man and discovered I stood less than knee height on him.

Afterwards I contemplated over this experience, thinking it to be a visit to the Akashic Records. At the time I had not seen the entry nor knew what the entries in the large volume were for except it seemed as if the man was trying to find a match to my query.



Photo Credit: 1902 Ice Grotto in Akulkan Glacier by Jasonwoodhead CC=flickr.

Cerise Creek

Cerise Creek is located at Joffre Lakes Provincial Park near Pemberton, British Columbia in the Coast Mountains.

This view is taken from the outhouse.

The Keith Flavelle Hut, built in his memory in 1986 by family and friends after his tragic accident.


Please see Trailpeak.com for more information about access in winter and summer months.

Wikipedia - Joffre Lakes Provincial Park

Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is getting financial funding from British Columbia to upgrade the facilities and trails for campers and hikers.


Photo Credits: mckaysavage CC=flickr [CLICK TO ENLARGE]

Mount Sir Donald

This is a view of Mount Sir Donald taken from the Abbott Ridge Trail in Glacier National Park, B.C. This hike will be posted soon for those enthusiasts of craggy heights.

Mount Sir Donald is 10,816 feet / 3297 metres tall. Sir Donald A. Smith, the Canadian Pacific Railway director, drove the last spike on the CPR at Craigellachie in 1885. Sir Donald Smith was also Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company and Chancellor of the Canadian High Commission in London.  For other information on Mount Sir Donald visit Summitpost.org.



 Photo Credit: bglogging CC=nc-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Bald Eagle

Bald eagles have a wing span of 80 inches with a body length of about 31 inches. This bird prefers open or wooded areas close to water. They tend to mate for life, raising 1 to 3 chicks in an eyrie 150 feet off the ground in a tree. Some nests weigh up to 1,000 pounds.

In the culture of the First Nations, including the Haida on the west coast in British Columbia, the eagle is revered as a bird of power and strength. The eagle also represents strength, courage, honesty, truth, majesty, wisdom and freedom. The traditional legends believe the eagle is a messenger of God, carrying prayers from men of the earth. It is a great privilege to receive an eagle feather, representing gratitude, love and respect.

The Haida have lineages under either "eagles" or "ravens" and use these birds as crests on their totem poles. The animals beneath them belong to the lineage of the family.

Unfortunately, these birds remain on the endangered species list despite a remarkable comeback.

Reference: http://dcp.psc.gov/ccbulletin/articles/AIANCOLogo.htm ;

http://www.snowwowl.com/swolfeaglefeathers.html ;

http://www.haidadesigns.com/culture.htm ;
A Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Michael Vanner, Paragon Publishing (2006), p.77

Photo Credit:  Chris and Lara Pawluk CC=nc-nd-flickr (Bald Eagle in the Rockies)

These beaultiful gardens are near Chilliwack, B.C. Photo Credit: Stephen Rees CC=nc-nd-flickr.

This photo was taken at the Minter Gardens near Chilliwack, B.C.

A nice reminder that spring and summer will soon follow bringing sunshine and warmer temperatures. There's nothing quite like a waterfall in a garden or natural setting to put people at ease. Myself, I'm looking forward to summer and the coming year to get out more and enjoy those thigs that go hand-in-hand with sunshine and balmy days.

Photo Credit: CC=Stephen Rees nc-nd-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, British Columbia taken early morning.

Photo Credit: tea but no e CC=flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings

This is the Flathead Range in the Crowsnest Pass on Highway 22 in British Columbia.

The last several weeks have been fraught with internet connection problems and hopefully once Mercury Retrograde is over things will be easier.

This is the time of year I look forward to, to reflect on the season and the meaning behind the holiday. It's a special time of sharing and giving of oneself for the benefit of others.

Again, I'm having Christmas dinner with friends and am really looking forward to stuffing myself. I hope your holiday is wonderful and fulfilling.

Photo Credit: tipkodi-CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Hiking Trails - Glacier House

[1]-nearing Glacier National Park gate with the Sir Donald Range in the background

This post is for Robb Kloss of Ruahine Ramblings in New Zealand who is celebrating his birthday. Please pop over to wish him a good one.


Glacier House is the focal point for ten hiking trails in Glacier National Park, British Columbia. These ten backcountry trails that lead out of the Illecillewaet Campground date from the early days of railway tourism and still follow the routes laid out by the original Swiss Guides of Glacier House.




[2-Rogers Pass rest stop with Illecillewaet Glacier in background - click to enlarge]

Illecillewaet Campground is located 2.6 km west of the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre located in an avalanche shelter on the Trans-Canada Highway (hwy 1).




[3 - Rogers Pass Discovery Centre built in an avalanche shelter - click to enlarge
This avalanche shelter was built as a protection against the multiple avalanches that occur in Rogers Pass. Every year there is a memorial for those who lost their lives in the March 4, 1910 avalanche. This year marks the 100th year anniversary.]

The campground is open from late June to September 1 and offers 60 campsites, flush toilet washroom buildings, log kitchen shelters, food lockers, firewood and drinking water supplies.





[4 - Illecillewaet Campground]





[4A-Gopher (Richardson Ground Squirrel) - click to enlarge]



Go to the second parking lot past the campground, walk up the rail trail toward the Wheeler Hut for about 100m, crossing the Illecillewaet River.




[5- Trail crosses the Illecillewaet River]


There is an interpretative trail at the Glacier House ruins. Glacier House had been demolished in 1929.



[6-Foundations of Glacier House]

Below the Great Glacier (later called the Illecillewaet) and on the main line, the C.P.R. constructed Glacier House - a traditional C.P.R. hotel. Originally, the hotel was built to eliminate the need to haul heavy dining cars over the pass. Trains were conveniently scheduled so that passengers could lunch at the hotel.



[7-Glacier House former wall]

Glacier House quickly became a popular tourist attraction and facilities were eventually expanded to include 90 rooms and related services.




[8-Glacier House old furnace remains]

The C.P.R. brought mountain climbing guides from Switzerland and the hotel became a focal point for mountaineering in the Selkirks and North America.


[9 -Winter scene at Glacier House. Note snow piles surrounding train tracks and station c.1885-1890s - for photo clink on link to Glenbow Archives]

After a massive avalanche on March 10, 1910 that killed 58, the CPR admitted defeat to the weather conditions of Rogers Pass and began in 1913 to build a tunnel underneath Mount Carroll (Macdonald) which was called the Connaught Tunnel. In 1917 the Connaught Tunnel opened for rail traffic with a distance of 1.6km to bypass the dangerous Rogers Pass.

Glacier House continued to operate until 1925 losing its business to the Banff Springs Hotel and the Chateau Lake Louise, as well as the retreat of the Illecillewaet Glacier which had been 150 feet from the hotel.




Source: Source: ParksCanada - Rogers Pass

Photo Credits: [1]-RegNatarajan CC=flickr, [2]-CanadaGood CC=nc-nd-flickr, [3]-Canoe Too CC=nc-nd-flickr, [4][6][7][8]-elinar CC=nc-flickr, [4A]-Jason Liew CC=nc-sa-flickr, [5]-kleinmantara CC=nc-sa-flickr.

My Town Monday - Samuel B. Steele - Kicking Horse Pass

[1 - Kicking Horse Pass - click to enlarge]













In 1885, the work on the Canadian Pacific Railroad was being made to reach the first crossing of the Columbia River, about 70 miles west of Laggan (Lake Louise)



[2 - Lake Louise train station today]


[3 - Laggan train station - 1889] link to photohere

to a place now known as Donald (named after Lord Strathcona. Donald is in the Rocky Mountain Trench near Marl Creek Provincial Park, B.C.).


[4 - Road in Kicking Horse Pass in 1920s - click to enlarge]


Samuel Steele was to ensure that the Mounted Police were in detachments along the CPR line during its construction. The railroad had constructed a Tote road to assist those working for the CPR to transport their supplies carried by horse and mule teams. Storage areas had been made at convenient distances which were overseen by a CPR employee. From these stores the contractors obtained what they needed for their contracts.


[5 - Tote Road (Eagle Pass Wagon Road 1885)]

The Tote road was cut out of solid rock near the Columbia River several hundred feet above. An exception to this was the Kicking Horse Flats near the Beaverfoot Pass.


[6 - Kicking Horse River Flats - click to enlarge]

The Kicking Horse Pass was named by Dr. James Hector, who had accompanied Captain Palliser during the exploration of western Canada in the 1850s. Hector explored the pass accompanied by a party of First Nations. At one of his camps he was kicked by a horse he had been trying to put a pack saddle on, breaking several of his ribs and knocking him unconscious. The natives thought he was dead, dug a grave and placed him in it. When they saw signs of life they removed him from the grave.

The Tote road near Golden was dangerous at any given point, especially at the highest being more than a thousand feet above the raging torrent of Kicking Horse River. Any horse that tended to shy or is too excitable in nature was considered not suitable for such a trip. Steele found that horses were unafraid of the precipice, but those horses that shied regularly would keep themselves well away from the rocky wall. On one trip Steele took one of the horses sent to the NWMP to Laggan from Calgary. At the most dangerous part of the Tote road Steele “met an Italian navvy with his bundle of blankets, and he, as was then the custom, instead of going to the right, planted himself against the wall of rock furthest from the precipice. At the sight of the extraordinary object, my horse, crazed with fright, whirled about, and I just saved myself and the horse by hurling myself on to the road.”

Steele, known for his strength, managed to keep hold of reins and bridle of the horse, whose hindquarters were over the precipice and its body resting on the edge. Steele's companion on a steady horse assisted in getting the horse back on the road. Steele sent the horse back to Calgary with a letter to the O.C. to send only horses accustomed to working in the mountains and not horses raised on the plains.

For other participants for My Town Monday go here.


TO BE CONTINUED

For previous posts on this series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9.



Sources: Forty Years in Canada (1914) by Col. S.B. Steele, pp. 188-190

Photo Credits: [1]-Matthew Klassen CC=nc-nd-flickr, [2]-Rachelw123 CC=nc-nd-flickr, [3]-Glenbow Archives, [4]=Sherlock77 (James) CC=nc-nd-flickr, [5]-Wikipedia, [6]-babyonborg CC=nc-nd-flickr.

Reflections (8)

The Skeena River belongs to the Skeena Watershed in northwestern central British Columbia and has long been known as the “River of Mists”. From 1864 to 1912 it was used as a major waterway for steamboats.

The Skeena is well known for sport-fishing, particularly salmon of very large size such as a world record Chinook salmon of 92 and one-half pounds, a record Coho salmon weighing 25 and one-half pounds and a 36-pound steelhead. The types of pacific salmon that can be found in this river are: Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, Sockeye and Steelhead.



Photo Credit: DreamEchos CC=nc-flickr. Click to enlarge.

Reflections (7)

This photo was taken in EC Manning Park which is between Hope and Princeton on Highway 3 in the southern region of British Columbia. This park is in the middle of the Cascade Mountains and a three hour drive from Vancouver or the Okanagan. The park is 70,844 hectares of rugged forested mountains, deep valleys, alpine meadows, lakes and rivers. There is ample opportunity for hiking on trails of 15-minute duration up to six days.

Google Map
Source: B.C. Parks

Photo Credit: marketingfacts CC=nc-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE.

Time to Escape into the Wilderness

This is Mt. Ratcliffe located about 50 km SE of Bella Coola in British Columbia.

I have just endured another residence move back into an apartment complex. Sharing a house has too many headaches. One of the other roommates had a tendency to leave the stove burners on when distracted (sometimes leaving the house with them still on). This is the same woman who used sulphuric acid in the kitchen drain which I previously posted about.

The new location has a creek running along the property perimeter with several families of mallards paddling happily in the water. Expect some photos taken by me soon.

Photo Credit: Dru! CC=nc-flickr. Click to enlarge.

Weekend Reflections (3) - Fortress Lake

This is Fortress Lake with Mt. Sadlier in the background. Fortress Lake is located in Hamber Provincial Park in British Columbia. A previous post I did on this lake covers one of three methods of reaching this lake: hiking; the others are to fly in or to ski.


James at Newtown Area Photo has started a meme called Weekend Reflections. Post a reflection during the week-end, then log on at his site.


Photo Credit: Mr Hermit CC=nc-nd-flickr. Click to enlarge.

Three Valley Gap - Weekend Reflections

Three Valley Gap is near Revelstoke, British Columbia in western Canada, and is part of a Historic Ghost Town.

This photo was taken from the Transcanada highway.

RuneE of Visual Norway participates in Weekend Reflections, which is where I got the idea from. James at Newtown Area Photo has started a meme called Weekend Reflections. Post a reflection during the week-end, then log on at his site.


Photo Credit: gordmckenna CC=nc-nd-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE.

Stanley Park

[1-Vancouver as seen from the seawall at Stanley Park]


Stanley Park is located in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia containing an estimated half a million trees. It is slightly larger than New York City’s Central Park.


During childhood family trips, every couple of years, we would head through the Rockies via the fruit belt in the interior of B.C. to the coast where my parents would visit relatives and old friends. For my older brothers and I, there was the anticipated freedom of exploring Stanley Park and returning to the campsite for dinner. This was back in the day when it was relatively safe to allow children off on their own. Though I think there were times when my brothers considered leaving me lost in the bush to rid themselves of a pesky little sister.

There are several trails through the forested area leading to a variety of beaches and interesting sights such as the Western Red Cedars.



[2-Stanley Park forest path]


Until 1994 there was a zoo. There remains a children's zoo of barnyard animals and now a renowned aquarium. A favourite spot of mine is the collection of totem poles.





[3-One of several totem poles]
















An 8.8km (5.5 mi) seawall circles the park which joggers, cyclists, skate board enthusiasts and walkers enjoy.



[4-Seawall at Stanley Park with benches]



For more information about Stanley Park visit Wikipedia and SeeStanleyPark.com.

Photo Credits: [1]-formulatphoto CC=nc-nd-flickr, [2]-Xavier Encinas CC=nc-flickr, [3]-Mike McHolm CC=flickr, [4]-gordmckenna CC=nc-nd-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE ANY OF THE PHOTOS

Bench of the Week (23)

Sunset is a lovely time to sit and view nature as the day winds down at English Bay in Vancouver, B.C.

Please visit RuneE of Visual Norway for other participants. RuneE began this informal meme of bench of the week.

Photo Credit: matwiemann CC=flickr. Click to enlarge.