Prince George to Revelstoke with a Short Stay in Kamloops
Sunday, September 4, 2022
It is hard to keep the days of the week straight. Thank goodness for medication that is packaged in daily quantities. Sometimes it is the only way either Jim or I can keep it all straight.
We left Prince George this morning and followed the Yellowhead Highway, ultimately on our way to Kamloops (that is still a couple of days away according to our schedule). We have been travelling on the Yellowhead Highway all the way from Mile 0 in Massett, Haida Gwaii. We are now at Kilometer 850 give or take, with a lot of side trips along the way. British Columbia is certainly a large and diverse province and we are barely scratching the surface.
The scenery along this highway is spectacular in this part of the trip. The Rocky Mountains flank us in the east and the Caribou Mountains are in the west. We are travelling through a broad valley with lots of ups and downs along the way. Happily, the traffic is very light. Often, we cannot see a single vehicle moving in either direction. That makes stopping along the road side to take photos very easy and safe.
Once again, we are surprised by the amount of agriculture that occurs along this valley. Herds of cattle, groups of horses and fields upon fields of baled hay can be seen on both sides of the road. Farmers’ markets are advertised in each community and there are occasional roadside stands.
Where there are no farms, huge forests occupy the countryside. At various locations, logging roads head up the mountains. There are so so many fir trees and a well developed system for harvesting and replanting. We can see on the mountainsides where clear cut logging has occurred because, logically there are not trees to be seen. There are also areas where new trees are growing but it will be many years until they are ready to harvest.
There was an area that was being preserved due to the number of ancient trees that continue to live in that part of the forest. Jim went on a short hike to see them. He was very impressed with the size, the number and the appearance of them.
The deciduous trees (birch, ash and others) are already changing colour as the summer season quickly comes to an end. Signs along this highway remind travellers that winter tires and chains are required for travel from October 1 to April 30. Winter is a long season in this part of Canada.
Our destination today was Valemount, just 3 hours drive north of Kamloops. While we enjoyed the magnificent mountain scenery, we were disappointed not to see a single animal. We went on some back roads in some provincial parks hoping our luck would change … but not an animal in sight. This is salmon spawning season so we stopped at several rivers where salmon were known to travel. Even the fish did not cooperate. Not to be despondent, we will try again tomorrow.
The sky was an interesting display of clouds today, everything from fluffy cumulous clouds to heavy, dark rain clouds. We did feel fortunate that we actually encountered very little rain. The various cloud formations and colours in the sky impacted the scenery and the shades of gray and green on the mountains. It might have been described as an artist’s dream, so many scenes open to interpretation through blends of light and colour. Nature is a fascinating thing.
Just before we got to our hotel, a beautiful rainbow appeared between us and some distant mountains. Jim was able to capture it with the camera. So I have included it here.
Tomorrow will be a more relaxing day. If the weather is fine, we will further on the Yellowhead highway toward the Alberta/BC border. Then we can truthfully say that we have explored the breadth of BC, west to east. It is here though, that we leave the Yellowhead Highway and continue our travels along other roadways. All beautiful and interesting, I am sure, but we have enjoyed our long association with Highway 16.
Monday, September 5, 2022
This morning began slowly, mainly because neither Jim nor I slept very well last night. We enjoyed a leisurely but ample hotel breakfast, did some more trip planning and followed through with necessary emails. We also had a lovely phone conversation with friends in Michigan. It has been a while since we connected and it was nice to catch up.
Finally, we got in the car and headed directly across the highway to the local Tim Hortons. Coffees to go … and we were off for the day.
The sky was much brighter than it had been yesterday so we decided to repeat some of the driving and destinations we had seen previously. Mostly we wanted to see the mountains in the sunlight and we were quite successful at doing that. We saw peaks that were hidden by clouds before. We saw rock formations that had been hidden in the mist. We saw raging rivers, writhing rapids and the green-blue colour of glaciers.
All of this scenery can be found along the Yellowhead Highway, the highway we have been following since we were in Haida Gawaii. We suddenly realized that we had driven the entire length of the highway except for about 50 kilometres. It ends at the BC/Alberta border which was close at hand. So … you know us!! Off we went to Alberta. The road rose and plunged as we crossed mountains and drove through valleys. We kept thinking of the early explorers and the engineers who originally set out the path for the train. It must have been a daunting task! One more thing about this border … it is also the continental divide, the place where water to the west flows to the Pacific and water to the east flows to the Atlantic. Yes … it is true. Rivers, steams, lakes and waterfalls from Alberta flow all the way across the country to reach the ocean. Many of them do take a shortcut and empty into Hudson’s Bay.
As we drew closer to the provincial boundary, the road increased in steepness and we kept going higher and higher. At the very top of the roadway was the provincial boundary. Fawell to British Columbia. Thanks for visiting.” And “ Welcome to Alberta, the Wild Rose Province.” This was as far as we wanted to go. Now we can truthfully say that we have been in all 10 provinces in the ;last three years (Alberta was the only one missing.) and that we had now traversed the entire Yellowhead Highway from Haida Gwaii to the Alberta border. Silly perhaps … but who ever thought you have to be sensible all the time.
Although Jasper was only a few kilometres further, we really wanted to focus on British Columbia. Later in the day, we learned it was a good thing we had turned around. Apparently there is a substantial forest fire near Jasper and then entire city had fallen prey to a massive power outage for several hours today. We wondered why there was so much traffic flowing from the direction of Jasper. I am guessing that is why.
We stopped a few times along the way back to Valemount to take additional photos but we had our next adventure in mind. We have been in Valemount for more than two days and have not really explored the village itself. There are restaurants, gas stations and a myriad of hotels along the main highway but the real village is off the road. So we went into the village to see what was there. The standard buildings were all there – government offices, schools, post office, drug store and a wonderful children’s playground. There were also cafes, tourist shops, a grocery store and a Home Hardware (they are everywhere).
We rambled along through some residential areas (it did not take long as Valemount is very small). As we have noticed elsewhere, most buildings were of lumber construction and, n Valemount, most were in very good repair. That is not always the case in remote villages. It all depends on the economy of the town. We were very happy to have seen most of Valemount before we headed backto the hotel.
After a homemade in room dinner (salmon salad sandwiches), we made our way to the hot tub where we met 4 other people, two locals and two guests at the hotel. We learned a few things about the town from the local couple. For instance, in spite of being located among huge mountains, there is no skiing facility near this community. The local council is lobbying for a large ski development not far from town. The local couple in the hot tub were very supportive of that idea. But then, they did run a B&B that would be available to skiers in winter as well as summer tourists.
The other couple had literally just arrived in Valemount yesterday … to move here permanently. They had vacationed here three years ago and fell in love with the community and the areas so they purchased property, built a house and are now awaiting the arrival of their furniture so they can move in and call this home. Jim and I will not be doing that, cute though this village may be.
Another couple were travelling on a Via Rail tour from Vancouver to Toronto. They were caught up in the fire issues in Jasper today and ended up at our hotel. We had actually seen their train stopped along the track as we travelled along that highway today.
So that is today’s story as told by a weary woman. Time for bed … as we prepare our minds and bodies for another driving day tomorrow. Destination: Kamloops.
Good night, all!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Happy First Day of School!! Even after 14 years of retirement, I still think about what an exciting day this was!
Our day was much calmer than the first day of school ever was. We had a leisurely start to the morning, reluctant to leave the wonderful hotel we were staying in in Valemount. Alas, it was time to go. We were on our way to Kamloops where will spend three days with friends, Tory and Dan. It will be great to see them.
We learned that the road we would be travelling along is also called the Yellowhead Highway … Yellowhead Highway South, to be exact. We have spent so many days on this highway that it feels like a friend. Great comfort in being on a comfortable road.
We left Valemount with a Timmie’s in hand. We made one last stop at the salmon spawning observation deck but, once again, there was not a single fish visible in the river. The spawning season runs until about the end of August. We did not realize how precise that date could be.
We drove along, once again amazed at the breathtaking scenery. Today the sky was clear and the sun was shining. Everything seemed to be glowing. We were able to see the mountain tops and on occasion had a very good view of glaciers that were still frozen solid high on the slopes. It was glorious.
As we drove along, we were aware to a significant amount of construction along the side of the road. For a while, we thought they were widening the highway, perhaps making into a four lane divided road. That did not seem to make total sense though as the traffic along the road was generally pretty light and an additional lane for passing was available on most significant uphill sections.
Hmmm … we wondered what else it could be. We finally figured it out when we saw pipes being installed … It is the Trans Mountain Pipeline, a highly controversial and very expensive system for transporting oil from Alberta to the Pacific coast. Massive pieces of equipment were visible from the roadway. We became more aware of trucks that were hauling pipes to various sites. There were areas where the work had not been started and portions where it seemed to be complete. There has been a lot of public discussion about this pipeline – cost, disruption, appearance and environmental impact. Having now seen it firsthand, at least during the construction phase, it is extremely disruptive to the residents, the communities, the wildlife and the overall appearance of the land. It will be years before the landscape and plant life recovery from the work that is underway. Let’s hope the pipeline achieves what was intended in a safe and environmentally and manner.
As we drove along, we spotted a sign advertising boat rides to see bears. We turned off the road at the appropriate location and headed to the river. We were forced to stop in our tracks as we were approaching the train tracks we needed to cross. A freight train was on the tracks and traffic had to wait … and wait … and wait. Tank cars, box cars, flatbed cars, extra engines, and then more of the same passed us by. I wish we had counted but there were certainly more than 100 cars on this train. We enjoy trains and spent our time speculating what might be in each of the cars and what the final destination might be.
At last, the tracks were clear and we made our way to the river as planned. There was a surprising number of vehicles in the lot. We were encouraged, taking that as a probable sign of success. Jim went to buy tickets and returned to the car several minutes later emptyhanded. Apparently, a boat with passengers had gone out earlier in the day and became stranded on a sandbar because of the low water level. So the second boat went out to assist with the first boat.
No tickets were being sold currently, at least not until one of the boats arrived back safely. There were already enough passengers waiting to fill both boats so we made the decision to simply continue on our way.
So far on this trip we have not seen any wildlife even though warning signs are regularly posted along the road. We are still optimistic. One day, we will see a four legged animal come out of the woods but not today. Or so we thought … Just a few kilometres later there was an animal on the side of the road. It was not one of the creatures we had hoped to see, though. It was a domestic sheep, far away from any farm quietly munching on the grass that was underfoot. How it got there is a mystery. We did stop to take a picture, laughing all the while that this may be the only wild animal we will see.
As we got closer to Kamloops, the landscape changed dramatically. There were still mountains all around but the valley floors were wider and there were farm animals in the fields and crops growing. Some farmers were using irrigation systems to support the crops. This part of British Columbia is a semi-desert with very little rainfall and much hotter temperatures than we have experienced to date. The mountainsides were quite yellow with very little vegetation in many areas. Recent fires also contributed to the lack of growth in the mountains and even today, there was smoke in the air wafting in along the valleys from areas that were currently experiencing fire.
We made our way to the home of Tory and Dan and enjoyed the view from their hilltop home. Quite a spectacular array of local landscape. It was great to see them and we picked up the conversation right where we left off a few years ago. We enjoyed a meal together and made plans for the next couple of days. It was lovely to be in an actual home with good friends.
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
We spent today in Kamloops. What a lovely city it is. The panorama from on top of the mountains is spectacular – broad rolling plains, coloured yellow due to the drought; roads that meander up and down the many steep slopes and wind through the hills; the beautifully maintained gardens found in parks and on private lands; bridges and rivers, historic buildings and trains. And, of course, friendly people who simply say hello as they pass by on the street.
Our morning began at a Ginseng operation. We made arrangements to go to a larger facility tomorrow for a tour. We drove through the city centre and found the city hall (new), the courthouse (old) and a small but interesting farmers’ market. Small tents protected the vendors and their wares and a street was closed to traffic while the market was open. We bought some bannock and some fresh cherries. We would probably have purchased more but we had just finished a substantial breakfast before we left the house.
We drove by the Thompson Rivers University which is where Tory is on faculty. Yes … there is an ‘s’ on rivers as this is the location where the North Thompson and the South Thompson rivers join together … thus, rivers with an ‘s’. When the rivers join, each maintains its colour before it blends into one river. One of the rivers is quite muddy brown and the other is quite green/blue. Both colours flow side by side for a significant distance.
We spent some time in Riverside Park where we had a picnic lunch. It is a large park with many great facilities including picnic areas, children’s playground, ball diamonds and a large sand beach along the shore of the river. There are many bridges in Kamloops that span the river. Several are visible from Riverside Park, most for cars, but at least one train bridge as well.
Kamloops is a major transportation hub for the rail industry. Long, long freight trains pass through regularly. It is possible to hear the whistles blow from almost anywhere in the city.
On the north side of the river is a brewpub (maybe several). We had a quick visit but instead chose to have a drink at another pub, The Iron Road, near the university. Late in the afternoon, Tory joined us for a local beer before we headed ‘home’ for dinner.
We played some bridge with Tory and Dan this evening, women vs men, and I am happy to report that the women defeated the men … but not by much. I suspect there will be a rematch tomorrow night.
Tomorrow promises to be another busy day so it is time to say good night. More tomorrow!!
Thursday, September 8, 2022
Today was a great day. The morning began with bright sunshine illuminating the mountains that are visible from our friends’ home. Tory and Dan have shared their home and time with us for three days. Sadly, tomorrow it is time to move on.
We had a busy agenda today. Our first stop was at the Ginseng processing facility. Other than seeing ginseng growing in fields under the shelter of black fabric, we know very little about this product. Today we had a tour of a ginseng garden and learned about the growth, the harvesting and the uses of ginseng. During the tour (very personalized as we were the only two there), we had the opportunity to drink some ginseng tea (we liked it), try some very thin ginseng wafers, taste ginseng powder and some ginseng mints. We were surprised to learn that the part of the plant that is useful actually grows underground and looks very much like a small parsnip when it is harvested. The leaves and the berries are not used at all, although the berries do have seeds for future plants in their centres. It takes four years for a ginseng plant to fully mature and be ready to harvest.
Following the ginseng tour, we went to the campus of Thompson Rivers University campus where Tory teaches. It is a beautiful and modern campus with condominium and apartment housing right on the campus.
The academic buildings had a range of architectural styles, all intended to blend into the mountainous terrain. This is the first week of the fall semester and the streets were filled with students moving about. About 90% of students who are on campus are international students. It was fascinating to see people with so many colours of skin and varied clothing interacting with one another so freely. Of course, they all have a common goal which is to get and education at a Canadian university.
Our next stop was lunch. We decided to get a sandwich at Subway and return to Victoria Park along the North Thompson River. We had enjoyed the park yesterday as well.
After lunch we headed out of the city to the BC Wildlife Park, a refuge for injured or orphaned wild animals. We focussed mainly on the grizzly bear (I am not sure I have ever seen one before), the black bear and the badger (most familiar from children’s story books).
The Wildlife Park certainly provides excellent care for the animals that live there, but the structure of the park is very zoo like with fenced cages containing each of the animals. We felt it needed some updating with larger spaces for the animals to move about.
We also saw some magpies and ravens. I was not aware that magpies live in Canada.
From the Wildlife Park, we headed up into the mountains, destination Sun Peaks. We learned that Sun Peaks is the second largest ski resort in Canada, surpassed only by Whistler. It was a beautiful drive up to the resort and the facilities there were quite incredible. Of course, there was no snow yet but there were lots of trails for hiking and biking. We were surprised by the number of people who were staying in the various kinds of accommodation available. It is hard to imagine what it must be like in the winter.
We headed back into Kamloops (about a 45 minute drive) and ran a couple of errands before we returned to Tory and Dan’s home.
Of course, we had learned of the queen’s death earlier in the day and listened to CBC radio in the car as we travelled from place to place. Once home, Tory turned on the television to absorb more of the news and associated stories. The outpouring of good will from around the world was very moving. Queen Elizabeth has served the Commonwealth and the World with grace and dignity for 70 years. She will be missed.
Dinner was delicious again tonight. We played more hands of bridge (Tory and I were the winners again tonight). The evening was filled with easy conversation and lots of laughter. It has been a pure pleasure to spend time with Tory and Dan.
Friday, September 9, 2022
I will begin this entry with a shout out to our oldest grandchild, Wesley, who celebrated his 13th birthday today. We now have a bona fide teenager in our family.!!
Today was a transition day for us.
On our way out of Kamloops, we stopped at the Kamloops Residential School. Of course, the burial grounds are now sacred territory and no one is permitted to enter or take photographs. As we sat in the car by the fence, a lovely security person approached us and wondered how he might help us. I told him we had simply come to pay our respects and how sad the whole situation made me ... at which time, I began to cry. It was not until we were so close that I realized how deeply the whole disaster has affected me. This very sensitive young man at our window was able to find the words that prevented a major breakdown (thankfully) and we had a lovely conversation with him and eventually drove on. This tiny moment I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I am very glad we stopped there.
We travelled along the South Thompson River, heading south to the Rocky Mountains and ultimately Revelstoke. The day was clear and sunny and the scenery was beautiful. There were sand cliffs and hills across the river that towered above the landscape. Sculpted by wind and water over the years, they had unusual peaks and valleys and rippled along for miles.
Eventually, the river widened into the Little Shuswap Lake which the highway flanked for many miles. The valley broadened far beyond the lake and agriculture became apparent in the fertile soil. An amazing amount of hay is grown in this area and must be exported to other parts of Canada as food for livestock. We have never before seen an irrigation system for hay but the water in the river was used to spray the fields on a regular basis. The field were verdant green and the grass was tall. In some areas, cattle were grazing. On side roads, cattle grids were used to demark the farms and keep the cattle safely inside.
As we were in farming country we could not resist stopping at DeMilles Farm Market where fresh Okanagan peaches and nectarines were available. Of course, we indulged. We also bought a small container of cherry tomatoes and longing looked at the cobs of corn on display. (We are really missing the flavours of late summer/autumn at home.) We resisted temptation to load the car with fresh food as we know we will realistically not be able to eat it. And ice cream cone sufficed as a treat. DeMilles also seems to have a sense of humour.
Between Chase and Sorrento, we visited two provincial parks, still searching for salmon spawning. Once again we were disappointed at the first park but found some success at the second one. Tsutswecw Park had a trail leading to a small river that flowed through it. At the river was platform from which you could see the beautiful clear water and, sure enough, there were vivid red/orange salmon in the water, searching for the perfect place to lay their eggs. Several salmon seemed to be squabbling over who should actually get the preferred spot. In many locations, salmon spawning season is over or has not yet begun so we were happy to finally find one that was active.
We carried on from Tsutswecw and were soon engulfed by towering rock faces and mountains the soared to the sky. I have a vivid memory of the first time Jim and I drove along this road fifty years ago. I had never been to the mountains and really had no concept of their size. We were on the road that approached the mountains to the south (same road as today) as it flanked the mountains for quite a distance before changing direction and being swallowed by the towering giants in every direction. On that occasion, I was overwhelmed and began too hyperventilate to the extent that Jim pulled off the road and got me out of the car to breathe the air and adjust to the landscape. Happily, this time, I was prepared for the beauty and size of these magnificent mountains. I quietly chuckled as I drove the car confidently along the narrow passes and around the rockface turns. Still, magnificent and memorable … but I was not breathless this time.
There are several small communities along this route through the mountains. Given their locations, these towns and villages clearly depend on tourist traffic as a base of their economy. Well equipped with accommodation of all shapes and sizes for winter and summer, these communities featured many stores and businesses that would draw tourists in. Restaurants were abundant as well as water activities.
Sicamous claims to be the houseboat capital of the world We did see many houseboats heading out of the harbour, presumably for the weekend. They were all shapes and sizes and could easily hold and sleep many people. What fun!!
Salmon Arm has erected the largest treble clef in the world as a point of interest in this community. I cannot find an explanation about why they chose a treble clef but, having seen it, it is memorable. It stands over 45 feet high and 30 feet wide, not to be missed. Salmon Arm also has the longest curved wharf in the world, another claim to fame.
Near Craigellachie we stopped at a National Historic Site to see where the last spike of the CPR rail line was installed. Unlike a previous attempt to find a last spike, this one was well marked with a monument, two plaques and a small museum. As we drove on through the mountains, we remarked about how challenging it must have been to find the best route for the railroad in this rugged landscape. And yet, it was achieved and the last spike was driven in on November 7, 1885, more than 100 years ago. And the same train route is still used today.
Let me tell you about the train line … and how active it is. We are staying in Revelstoke in a modest hotel along the main highway, Clean and comfortable are our criteria and this one certainly measures high on both. When we checked into the hotel, we were asked whether we preferred a courtyard room or a room facing the mountains. No contest … we chose the mountains. We were warned that the rooms on that side would be a bit noisier due to the nearby highway. Well … that was the understatement. Transport trucks roar past the parking lot all day long. Just past the highway is the mainline train track between Alberta and anywhere in BC. Trains pass by frequently. Trains of 100 cars or more … clickety-clack, clickety-clack. Many people would hate the room we are in. Just like kids, I especially enjoy the view of all the activity and have a particular fondness for trains so, in spite of the noise, this suits me perfectly. And, to be truthful, without his hearing aids, Jim is really not disturbed by the noise.
Dinner at Denny’s, another delicious meal and time in the room planning for our next adventure. We’ll keep you posted!!
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