Wetcoast Week without the ‘Wet’

Awesome week with lots of sunshine and record breaking temperatures. We got into the air in Pemberton where the temps climbed into the high twenties. Although conditions were rough with strong NE and NW winds I managed to do a +20 km out and return flight to Owl peak and then across to Miller Ridge. I arrived high enough for a great view of the snow covered peaks and ice fields behind the front ridge. During the week I enjoyed various evening activities: skiing up Mt Strachan (with après-ski de-gooping of the bases), hiking to an outlook over Indian Arm and a bike ride through the green forest on Sumas Mt.

Last but not least we got our sea kayaks wet again and explored Widgeon Slough. It was pretty cool paddling along the channels of cold and clear Widgeon Creek through marshlands with steep mountains in the backdrop.

So there was paragliding, skiing, mountain biking, hiking and paddling in one gorgeous week! Hard to beat life on the wetcoast...

Wetcoast Week: Ski, Paddle, Bike, Kite

Excellent use was made of the nice weather this week. After-work activities started on Monday with a quick ski-up to the first Pump on Mt Seymour. A ditch to ground level along the ski run (to help with construction of a new lift) showed that the snow cover is still a healthy 2-3 meters. Snow was still soft on the way down at sun-set – a rather pleasant ski out for May, and not the knee-twisting deep slushiness we encountered a week ago.

Wednesday we rinsed the dust of our whitewater boats with a quick run on the lower Seymour. First time in my kayak since October (not counting a couple of pool sessions). This must have been the longest dry time since I started paddling in 1996!

Thursday we aired our wings with a vigorous kiting/groundhandling session at Queen E park.

Friday we took the bikes for a spin along the Fraser River, everything green and fresh but despite the sun air temps were surprisingly low.

Fraser Canyon Revisited, October 6 - 8

We escaped the wetcoast for a fill of sun on Thanksgiving weekend and explored the area around Big Bar ferry on the Fraser. From Lillooet we took West Pavilion FSR north, crossed the river at Big Bar ferry and did some mountain biking and hiking further north. First we scrambled down to Big Eddy, our last campsite on the Fraser trip, and recovered Pete’s glasses, then hiked on a bench along Moran Canyon to Kelly Creek with abandoned mine works. After crossing the Fraser we drove up a rough and excitingly steep gravel road to Jesmond Fire Lookout at 1970 meter. This is the northern end of Marble Range Provincial Park. Great views of the Fraser Canyon to the west and the flat lake country to the east. But freezing cold up there and hail showers. Last but not least we made our way into the Cathedrals, a wall of Bryce-Canyon-like pinnacles we had discovered on our river trip two weeks ago. The Cathedrals are on the east side of the Fraser between China Gulch and Deadmen Creek. Excellent easy riding through dry Douglas fir forest and open rangeland towards the Fraser and then hiking along bunch grass benches, across a couple of canyons, slides and ravines, a 9 hr roundtrip. Astonishing scenery. Endless vistas of canyons, cliffs and hoodoos, resembling the canyons in southern Utah. And not another human being anywhere.

Moran Canyon of the Fraser


Waiting for the Ferry


Fall Aspen


Bighorn Sheep


View from Jesmond Fire LO to Big Bar Creek and Fraser Canyon


Morning Frost


Riding on the Benches


Colliseum


Fraser Cathedrals


Cathedrals


Grassy Benches above the Fraser


Fraser and Churn Creek Protected Area