The First Signs of Spring in Vancouver

I don't really have a "favorite" time of year.

Every season has it's own beauty and enchantment.

Seeing the first robins in spring is

always a thrill, though, and a

sign of new life and new

beginnings always
lifts your spirits.

Even the robins seem excited

about the blue skies 

and newly budding trees.

Merritt and the Great Northern Adventure

I have dreamed of going to the great northern reaches

of British Columbia for years. My visions

of vast open wild spaces have

haunted me most of my life.

I am lucky enough to be able

to travel this beautiful province of

British Columbia and in September 2013 my

dream was about to become reality.

First stop along the way
was south-central BC and the Nicola Valley.

Experiencing the immensity of 

the grasslands near Merritt is awe inspiring.
And it's quiet here. I mean .... really, really quiet.

You can hear the wind rustling the
grass in huge swaths that sweep across
the hillsides and valleys.The occasional rock or
tree breaks the rhythm of nature, heat waves
undulate and caress the blue skies.

I stayed overnight at Marquart Lake.
The skies slowly dissolve into an inky black,
the soft nighttime calls of an owl resting
in a nearby tree remain within my heart.

Best Places to See in BC - Fort St. James National Historic Site

One of the most fascinating places

I have visited recently in British Columbia

is the Fort St. James National Historic Site.

The fort was founded in 1806 by Simon Fraser,

the intrepid explorer, for the Northwest Company

which was later to become 

The Hudson's Bay Company.

Fort St. James has the largest

display of original wooden buildings

in Canada.

Though the tours of the site

are not operating in the winter months,

 the site itself is beyond beautiful.

Situated on the shores of Stuart Lake,

you can only imagine what the original settlers

must have thought of this paradise.

Though life would have been difficult

in this remote area, the scenery and wild life

would have well made up for it.

I spent several hours wandering

the pathways of these beautiful 

old buildings on a sunny winter day.

Visions of bygone days danced in

front of me along the pathways,

  doorways and windows

warped with time and memories.

Best Places to See in BC - Dawson Creek

One of the best places to explore in BC

is Dawson Creek, Mile 0

of the Alaska Highway.

Named in honor after Dr. George Mercer Dawson, 

Dawson Creek is also

known as the capital of the Peace River District.

The 16 foot tall iron statue of a surveyor was

created by Karl Mattson from scap metal

he found on nearby farms.

True in dress and equipment to surveryors

from the 1942 era, this surveyor 

points north along the route of 

the Alaska Highway.

The pioneer spirit of the North

is alive and well here in northwestern BC.

Things to Do in British Columbia -- Enjoy the Weather

You just can't beat British Columbia

in the sunshine. 

Clear skies and temperatures in the mid 20's C

today.

Doing any activity outside is a pure joy,

from sight seeing the local mountains,

taking a nature walk, 

or sitting in the shade enjoying 

the back yard garden.

Whatever you choose to do in 

British Columbia, this

weather can bring you pure joy

and some pretty impressive vistas.

Things to Do in British Columbia - Milky Way Viewing

British Columbia offers us some pretty spectacular

dark nights to view the Milky Way.

The crisp clear winter skies are great for

amazing star gazing, it's almost unimaginalble

how many stars are really out there.

Always best to have some back up when

trying to photograph the winter night skies,

lots of patience, hot chocolate and boot warmers come to mind.

This particular shot was done near

Tumbler Ridge, BC at -19C.

A lot of hopping around to keep warm was

 done for this one, plus a promise

to an upgrade in the winter mittens department.

To gaze in awe at the night skies is well 

worth the effort here or anywhere 

the skies allow your mind to wander

to infinity and back.

Things to Do in British Columbia - Bird Watching

The most striking thing about the Spotted Towhee

are their red eyes.

They like to live in scattered shrubs 

and thickets which abound here in British Columbia.

I get to spend a lot of time in nature

and these birds are always a joy to be around.

Though Towhee's are considered resident birds in British Columbia, 

their distinctive call heralds the beginning of

spring for me, of new life around us 

and life yet to come.

I wait anxiously for the their first brood

to make their appearance.

Best Places to See in BC - Kiskatinaw Bridge

Kiskatinaw Bridge, Alaska Highway, British Columbia

 The Kiskatinaw Bridge is located before the Mile 21 marker 

along the old Alaska Highway

in British Columbia.

The Kiskatinaw Bridge was the first curved wooden bridge

built in Canada

and is still in use today.

Built in 1942-43 it stands

30 meters (100) feet above the Kiskatinaw River, 

a tributary of the Peace River.

It curves 9 degrees along its length and is 162.5 meters (534 feet) long.

Quite the view from the bridge deck, the river meanders

its way gently through the rolling hills

below bringing to mind wandering dinosaurs

in ages past. 

Best Places to See in BC - Gitwangak Battle Hill

Gitwangak Battle Hill 

National Historic Site of Canada

(formerly known as Kitwanga Fort)

is located in northwestern 

British Columbia along highway

37 - the Stewart-Cassier highway.

Built in the 1700's by the

Gitwangak First Nations people 

the hill was used as a fortified

location for homes and

a site to launch raids against 

the Nass River and coastal peoples.

The indigenous trading routes of British Columiba

included the Grease Trails, named after

the small fish called eulachon

which run in the Nass and Skeena Rivers.

The fish were boiled to extract their oil and

were traded with other Native groups

that did not have spawning rivers in their

territories.

Best Places to See in BC - The Alaska Highway

Mile "0" of the Alaska Highway begins

in Dawson Creek, BC.

Construction started on the highway during World War II

to connect Alaska to the United States through Canada.

Completed in 1942, it stretched 2,700 km. 

Due to reconstruction and repair today the highway is actually

2,232 km and ends in Delta Junction, Alaska.

The first 987 km (613 miles)

are constructed through British Columbia.

You can still find historic mile postings along the highway

and the Canadian metric system has warranted the change to

signposts being in kilometers. Most residents along the highway

refer to their location as "mile x along the highway".

The history of the Alaska Highway is one of heroism and

  determination. I visited the 

There is a fascintaing

display of old photographs taken from the road building era at the

Dawson Creek Art Gallery.

The Alaska Highway should be on everyone's

"must visit while in BC" list.

Best Places to See in BC - Avatar Grove

The Avatar Grove

on Vancouver Island

should be on everyone's 

"to do" list in life.

 Located a few mintues 

drive outside of Port Renfrew,

these old growth trees

have recently been protected

from logging.

Their massive size and the

overwhelming tranquility of

 the rainforest must be experienced

in person. 

The Avatar Grove a life altering

journey into the very

beginnings of time.

Best Places to See in BC - Botany Bay

Botany Bay 

on the west coast of Vancouver Island

has everything you would expect from
a name steeped in legend.

Rugged, rocky, windswept

and hauntingly alive.

The easy

2.8 km trail connecting

Botany Bay to Botanical Beach
should be on the must do list for everyone
visiting this area.
From gnarled stunted trees
to the tidal pools and rocky beaches
there is glorious life along every inch of
the trail.

  With me "easy" means

a good 3 hours of ewwwing and aaaaahing

over some fabulous West Coast scenery.

Even in the pouring rain the West Coast

of Vancouver Island is stunning and wild.

Add shifting mist, long stocks of bull kelp washed ashore,

some weather beaten coastline and

Botany Bay is a photographers dream come true.

Though I have not hiked the

Juan de Fuca Marine Trail yet,

it is high on my list of priorities for

the coming year.

Best Places to See in BC - Botanical Beach

Botanical Beach Provincial Park 

 on the west coast 

of Vancouver Island

is a magical place to visit

and should be on everyone's Best Places

To See in BC list.

It is a fabulous location for

watching storms that roll in off of the Pacific Ocean as

 well as sea life galore. Several species of 

bird life soared on the strong winds and rain while I

stood in awe of this vast ocean scape.

Bull kelp lay in long yellow rope like strands along  the

rugged coastal rockscape and

the feel of being here and alive were present 

on the tang of the salty air.

Best Places to See in BC - Milkhouse Derby Reach

British Columbia's 

is chock full of interesting history

at every turn of the road.

Take Derby Reach Regional Park

in beautiful Langley.

Located along Allard Cresent

the oldest existing road in British Columbia,

this milking shed is part of the 

Houston farm which dates back to 1909.

The sign on the shed states it was

built in 1935 and restored in 1996.

You can envision bygone days here quite easily.

The lazy drone of bees on a hot summers day

mixed with gull cries from the nearby 

Fraser River.

Come, spend a few hours to explore

British Columbia's past. You might just

discover the present.

To see more photos from
fabulous British Columbia
please visit my other website

karencoopervancouver.ca

Best Places to See in BC, Tynehead Park, Surrey

Tynehead Regional Park in Surrey
is another of those gems on my
Best Places to Visit in British Columbia list.
The Serpentine River flows gently through the
260 hectares of forest, meadows, and wildlife habitat.
I spent a nature filled afternoon here wandering the
many paths and trails,
taking in the fish hatchery and and butterfly garden.
Squirrels and several varieties of birds flitted about
enchantingly, and the fresh smell of summer in
the forest was intoxicating.
Watching the play of light on the forest floor
as the river gently splashed onward on her journey
to renew life
is nothing short of soul renewing.

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.