Best Places to See in BC - Shalalth

Shalalth, British Columbia
is today one of the communities
of the
Seton Lake Band
of the Lillooet Nation.
Shalalth has gone through a number of
changes in her lifetime.
Part of British Columbia's Gold Rush history
and the Douglas Trail, she was later
an Oblate mission in the late 1800's.
Becoming known as "the Mission",
the term still exists today as the
mountain pass between Seton and Carpenter Lakes.
(see map)

Today, Shalalth is home to the
Bridge River Power Project.
Three dams, four powerhouses
and a dam all make up this huge project.
I had no idea.

During WW II Shalalth
was used to inter Japanese-Canadians.

Best Places to Visit in British Columbia, Seton Portage

British Columbia's Gold Rush era
was the time of legends, dreams
and some pretty innovative people.
Seton Portage, or Short Portage
as she was to become known, was the site
of men, women and every type of
gold mining equipment imaginable
plying their way to the gold fields.
Though documented history is rare
on the Portage, the figure of
30,000 men at a time using this
small spit of land to cross between
Anderson Lake and Seton Lake is repeated in some writings.
I can only imagine what life must have been like
in the 1800's along this gorgeous
stretch of the Douglas Trail.
The mountain scenery is spectacular, the lakes
are ephemeral.
Did the gold fevered men and women
take the time to stop and look in awe and wonder
at their surroundings? Or were they so intent
on their quest for riches that they became
impervious to their surroundings.

I do know that this area today is chock full
of incredible scenery and history. An area to come
back to over time and savor the many faces
she puts on for her visitors.

Slowly time etches away history,
but the hopes and dreams live on
in all of us.

Seton Portage Provincial Historic Park, BC

Seton Portage Provincial Historic Park
is located at Seton Portage, BC.
Commemorating the
first railway in the
province of British Columbia,
the park is situated between
Seton Lake and Anderson Lake.
The area is part of the
Douglas Trail, used during
British Columbia's gold rush
during the 1800's.

Seton Portage River, BC

Joining Seton Lake with
Anderson Lake in British Columbia,
Canada is Seton Portage River.
Part of British Columbia's
Gold Rush history,
this area was used by
gold seekers in the18o0's
seeking their fame and fortune.
Part of the Douglas Road
or Douglas Trail, it connected
travelers from British Columbia's
coast to the interior of the province.

Seton Portage, BC

Situated between Anderson Lake
and Seton Lake in British Columbia
is Seton Portage.
(Map located here)
Part of the Douglas Road used
during the Gold Rush era
in British Columbia,
Seton Portage was the land connection
between the the 2 lakes, and
was traversed by
a 3 mile mule drawn railway.
From Seton Lake, it was
another 5 mile overland journey
for the gold seekers to reach Lillooet.

The journey must have been arduous.
The views - astounding.

D'Arcy, BC

One of the best adventures in British
Columbia is to follow the various
paths of the gold seekers.

D'Arcy, on the shore of Anderson Lake,
was founded during British Columbia's
Gold Rush
and originally called Port Anderson.
Steam ships plied the waters of
Anderson Lake taking gold hunters
across the 21 km's to Seton Portage.
Then across Seton Lake and on to Lillooet,
the hardy men and women made their way to the
various gold fields of British Columbia


I am still awed at the lengths
that gold seekers went to follow their
dreams. This area is rugged and
totally beautiful. To explore it today
is not for the faint of heart. The roads
are narrow and crumbling in some parts, winding
and twisting along mountains that seemingly
drop into the very depths of the lakes.
Traversing it during the 1800's
on horseback, by foot or even
by bicycle must have been a totally
hair raising experience.

Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park, BC

Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park
is located 90 kms north of Whistler.
Taking Highway 99 north from Whistler,
the road splits at Mount Currie marking the route
to D'Arcy or the Duffy Lake Road.
The road to D'Arcy is called
the "Portage Road", (see map here) which wasn't obvious why to
me until I started putting
pieces of geography and history together.
During BC's Gold Rush, D'Arcy was known as
Port Anderson. Port Anderson was part of the
Douglas Road transportation route connecting
the Fraser River to the Fraser Canyon
via lake transport, portages, etc.

There are
2 different turn offs along Portage Road
for Birkenhead Lake, both well marked. The first road
does not offer lake access this time of year. The
second road is passable with snow tires.
The views are astounding.
Snowmobiling, snowshoeing
and cross country skiing are all possible during the
winter months
at Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park.
The Bear Trail and Lake Shore Trail
are accessible for hikers and
bikers in the summer months, too.
Definitely a must see destination in
British Columbia.

Best Places to Visit in BC, Slocan Lake

The Slocan region of British Columbia's
Kootenay district is steeped in history.
Known as the "Silvery Slocan" this
region was part of the silver rush during the
1890's to 1900's.
The Slocan River drains Slocan Lake,
which flows through the Slocan Valley
and in turn meets the Kootenay River a few miles
above the confluence of the Columbia River.
I know, it's confusing. The map here might help
out.
Once you visit this area it all starts to make
perfect sense.
During the 1940's, Canadian
people of Japanese descent were
interred in the north end of the
Slocan Valley. Amongst them
was David Suzuki.

Valhalla Provincial Park lies to the west of
Slocan Lake. The Valhalla Range offers incredible
mountain vistas and scenery.
With the abundance of wild life,
drop dead scenery, and even
ghost towns,
the Slocan Valley could take a lot
of further exploring on my part.

Upper Saddle Mountain, BC

The Kootenay's region of
British Columbia has fast become
one of my favorite places to photograph.
After departing the Needles Ferry across
Lower Arrow Lake, the
mountain views become more
and more dramatic.
Exploring here during the winter
awards you more treats than you
can possibly digest in a few hours.

The vistas are simply stunning. Snow and fog
envelope the mountains in cloaks of down.
And give us glimpses of
their tree clad sheer faces. You could
honestly spend all day looking at one mountain,
the mists change constantly and add a feeling
of mystery to the whole experience.
Saddle Mountain and Upper Saddle Mountain
lie south of Nakusp, and the hike
up Saddle Mountain to the lookout offers spectacular
views of the Arrow Lakes.

Mother Nature never fails to impress
and surprise me, usually at the same time.

Needles and the Lower Arrow Lake Ferry, BC

Continuing eastward along Highway 6
in British Columbia's Kootenay region,
you come to the Arrow Lakes district.
The Arrow Lakes are actually part
of the Columbia River.
Riding the ferry from Needles to Fauquier
across the Lower Arrow Lake,
you can see the
Monashee Mountains
on the west side and the Selkirk Mountains on the
east. Stunning actually.
Steeped in history, the area offers
up many tales and mysteries.
The cemetery is the only thing that is left of Needles.

The ferry has been operating since
1913 and the original was built by
local farmers using old car parts.
A map of the area
can be viewed here.
This cable ferry ride is free.

Monashee Mountains, BC

The Monashee Mountains are part
of the Central Columbia
Mountain Range in British Columbia.
Like most people, I have trouble
trying to understand the boundaries
of the various mountain ranges, districts, and areas.
Where do the Kootenays start exactly?
Are the Monashees part of the Kootenays?
Leaving the confusing details behind,
the Monashee's are beautiful.
In the wintertime, they are a treat for Mother Nature
seekers.
I've never seen a mountain I didn't like. The Monashee's
are no exception and offer the adventurer
trails, parks, peaks, rivers and creeks
galore to explore and experience.

Located between Vernon and Revelstoke,
Monashee Summit is accessible by car along
Highway 6.
Taking a tour through the Kootenays
should definitely include a look at the Monashees.

Top Places to Explore in British Columbia, Myra Canyon

One of my top places to visit and explore in BC
is Myra Canyon.

I wasn't able to cycle the Myra Canyon
Kettle Valley Railway route last summer.
Life got busy and time just slipped away.
Fortunately, on my latest trip through the
Okanagan Valley, I had a chance to visit
this amazing place.
If this is the only site you mange to visit
when you are in the Okanagan, you won't be
disappointed.
Not only are the views from this historic site
spectacular, the idea that they were built
in the 1880's and then rebuilt after
a devastating fire in 2003
destroyed many of the trestles
is astounding. Human ingenuity
never fails to amaze me.

I can't wait to get back to this area
and do some more exploring. The photo
opportunities are endless. Picking a single
image to represent what I saw and felt
is impossible. One of those
You-Have-To-Do-It-Yourself
experiences in life.

Top Places to Visit in British Columbia, Kelowna

One of the top places to visit in
British Columbia is Kelowna.

Kelowna sits on the shores of Okanagan Lake
in the Okanagan Valley region of
British Columbia.
Kelowna means "grizzly bear" in the
Nsyilxcan language.
Lake Okanagan is the
home of the Ogopogo.
Be it fact or fiction, everyone loves
a great monster mystery.

Also home of the William R. Bennett
bridge, it is only one of eight floating bridges
in the world, and the only of of its kind
in Canada.
Made of pontoons and fixed structures,
this bridge truly is a thing of beauty.

I wonder what the Ogopogo thinks
of the new pontoons.

Big White, BC

I have always enjoyed finding beauty
in the unexpected.
The highest mountain in the Okanagan Valley
is called Big White. At
2,315 m (7,595 ft), she is truly magnificent
and ephemeral in the wintertime.
The Big White Ski Resort is built around the summit of
Big White Mountain.
The ice climbing tower is
a thing of beauty on Big White.
Worth the trip to gasp, "eeww" and "aahh"
over. And if you're feeling
really in shape, give it try to reach the top.
Quite the winter adventure.

Skaha Lake, BC

Sometimes the most beautiful places
in the world get overlooked because of their
proximity to the more celebrated locations.
Take Skaha Lake in the Okanagan
Valley region of British Columbia.
She sits south of bigger and much more famous
Okanagan Lake. The lake of the Ogopogo legends.
Who doesn't love a good elusive monster mystery.

Skaha Lake is part of the Okanagan River, which is
a tributary of the Columbia River. The Okanagan River drains the
Okanagan Valley east of the Cascades. And the Cascades
are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Lake Skaha certainly plays her part in the bigger picture
of British Columbia's geology and geography.

And she is a beauty. In the wintertime, she
is gorgeous.

New Destination Hot Spots in British Columbia

My Boots 'n Me have returned
from new adventures
in the Kootenays
and the Canadian Rockies.

New destination hot spots
and my favorite places to visit
are being listed on this site.

Mother Nature is so amazing, the
adventures continue.