Fall in the Kootenays

After weeks of hot, dry weather, we seem to have arrived at fall. The days aren't as warm, the nights are definitely cooler, some leaves have started to change color and it's the end of September.

Catherine pointed out that the larches we could see high on the hills across the lake were changing color so we decided to take advantage of a blue-sky day to hike in to Monica Meadows.

Monica Meadows is one of the most accessible, nicest locations to see a sub-alpine larch meadow around here. It takes about 2 hours driving to get to the trailhead. North from here, east up the Glacier Creek FSR and then a steep few km up another old road to the trailhead. From there, you can be at views within 30 minutes. A further hour takes you above the meadows to great scenery in all directions: Horseshoe Glacier to the south, mountains of the Macbeth Icefield to the west, peaks between us and the East Kootenays just to the east....

The larches were about as good as they ever get and the smell of the meadows was wonderful. A great way to spend a beautiful fall day.

Moonlight Paddle

A view down Kootenay Lake after sunset the other day. We had paddled across the Lake for a campfire and a hot dog roast. The return paddle was done after dark with the full moon coming up behind us.

Slocan Lake - Revisited

The day after returning from our little camping trip to Washington and Idaho, we loaded up the canoe and headed over for a quick canoe and camp on Slocan Lake. For the second time, we had a lake like glass and warm temperatures.

Our campsite this time was a bit further down the lake at Nemo Creek. There are apparently a few falls on this creek, one set shown here. There is a good trail heading up the valley, but we didn't have time to pursue it to the end.

The campsite on the beach was nice, with views of the mountains across Slocan Lake to the east, watching the sunlight disappear and the full moon come up.

Slipping South of the 49th

We had a few days free between working around the hacienda and waiting for the twins so we made a quick trip for some camping down into NE Washington and northern Idaho. Mostly, this was in the Colville National Forest at Sullivan Lake and at a forest site near Bonners Ferry, ID.

The weather was excellent and the campgrounds were almost empty and, since the water hand pump wasn't working in our little campground, there was no camping fee. Operating on reduced services, apparently.

We did a bit of walking and some biking - easy stuff for a change. Watched some mergansers on Sullivan Lake.... Nice area, but dry at this time of year. Campfire restrictions went on after our first night there.

Exploring the Koots - 0905 - The Badshot Range

It's been awhile since we joined the "Sunday Hikers" on their regular day-trips, but this weekend's hike was not one to pass up. The Healey Creek FSR, north of Gerrard, is normally inaccessible because of various slides and road conditions, but, because of some mining exploration going on up that way, the road had been cleared. Accordingly, a group of us headed up there on Monday.

The drive to the pass took almost 3 hours, with slow going for the last few km. The road was cleared and decent enough as logging roads go, but it was rough in places, so rather than shake everyone completely to pieces....

The end of the Healey Creek drainage comes from a pass between the Razor's Edge (shown in the photo) and Mt Abbot. These are large, quite spectacular granite blocks that rear up at the pass, right in front of us when we arrived. The other side of the pass is Hall Creek which drains into the Duncan River only a few km down from where we were.

We hiked up both sides of the pass. To the west, we passed two old mine shafts and much rubble, gaining views out over more spires of the Badshot Range (Badshot Mt, The Spine, etc). To the east, we climbed towards a ridge joining up with Mt Abbot. Nice views to the south of Mt Wagner, the Tenderfoot Glacier and Mt Trione. Horseflies were fierce in some spots. There seemed to be some possibilities for peak climbing and ridge wandering in the area and there were a couple of nice camping spots in the sub-alpine meadows.

After a few hours of wandering around enjoying the views, we headed for home. Some pictures are near the end of this album: Summer in the Koots 2011.

I should also mention a very nice sighting of a mother grizzly and her two cubs on "Highway" 31, just after we left the Healey Creek FSR. The cubs in particular were quite silvery-haired. I tried to get pictures, but even with the amount of time I had available, the camera took too long to charge up the flash so the best I managed was a dark bum disappearing into the bush by the river. I wish I'd had the presence to mind to turn the flash off....

The Race Heats Up

This is Texas Governor Rick Perry, hot on the campaign trail. Right now he's running to be selected as the Republican Party's nominee for President of the USA. Depending on how things go, there is some possibility that this person could, just maybe, become the President of the United States of America.