With the late snow melt and high water levels this year, the Clearwater trip was a last minute decision. Finally the river came down to manageable 450 cms (= 3.5). Plan B was the Wenatchee, still above 5000 cfs (the average for this time of the year is well below 2000 cfs). But in the end we decided to avoid possible border line-ups and the usual Hwy 2 traffic jams and headed north.
We haven’t paddled the Clearwater at this level for quite a while. Huge fun wave trains on the run above the Kettle, but most of the play spots on the lower run were washed out. Lots of VKC paddlers showed up despite the late call, and everybody had a good time (except those suffering from the mosquito attacks).
A nice addition to this year's Clearwater trip was meeting former neighbors from Germany. They moved to Canada several years ago and are now owners of a bakery/cafe (Flour Meadows Bakery). Back in Germany they lived one road over from my parents place and went to the same school as I. We even have common friends. A small world!
Sunday night we headed back towards Lillooett and camped in Edge Hills Provincial Park. It’s a recently established park off the map and undeveloped except for the rustic campsite which we had all to ourselves. The park is perched on the east rim of the Fraser Canyon. Looking down in the canyon revived fond memories of our explorations around Big Bar, Watson Bar, Jesmond and of the Chilko-Fraser river trip 4 years ago – hard to believe so few people visit this stunning area.
Our plan worked out with excellent flying weather in Pemberton on Monday. I flew twice as far as I had here before (+40km), made the crossing from Owl Peak to the next ridge and on to Copper Mound - almost to Hurley Pass Road! Pretty cool to thermal up next to the snowy slopes of the ridge, peek over to Tenquille Lake, and look down onto the top of Copper Mound where we stood a year ago after hiking up from the lake.
