Hell's Gate and Hope Slide

August 27/2014  Last hot sunny day, rain is coming in for the long weekend.  3 days of misty, cool, rain at times.  Friday, Saturday, Sunday.  Time for us to Read!
About 1 hour north of Hope, BC on the Trans Canada Hwy there is a place called Hell's Gate in the Fraser Canyon.   To enable the highway to be constructed 7 tunnels were burrowed into the sides of the rugged Fraser canyon.

In 1808 the explorer Simon Fraser was terrified of this section of the river he is know to say "A place where no human being should venture, for surely we have encountered the gate of hell".   It is here that the Fraser river rushes through the narrow gorge at twice the volume of Niagara Falls.

Hell's Gate Tram going down

The Trans Canada Hwy 1 sits 800 feet atop the river and the only way down to the other side is to take the aerial tram across.   Since coming West we have been on more trams and gondolas than ever before.

Fraser River Gorge

on the right is the cement fishway

Hell's Gate is evidence of man's best and worst feats of engineering.   When the Canadian National Railway was blasting the walls of the canyon for construction of their rail in 1913 it resulted in a landslide that wiped out millions of spawning salmon.  It took almost 30 years to remigrate the salmon effectively by creating the International Fishways for them to swim through.    As well another odd circumstance in the area is the Hope Slide to the West on Crowsnest Highway #3.  In 1965 one of the largest landslides in Canadian history occurred after an earthquake hit the area.    47 million cubic meters of rock, soil and snow crashed down into the valley covering the road, lake and some vehicles never to be found.

Hope slide

road, lake, valley filled with land slide

The Salmon are Running

August 27/2014  Weather 85 hot and sunny, night 60 but a fall change is forecasted for the long weekend. 
When we paid for our camping at the office at Wild Rose Campground in Hope, we noticed a small sign that said fresh Sockeye Salmon Steaks $3.00.   Later that day we went back to see what exactly the deal was.   Ok when we get a salmon steak at home in Ontario it's usually Atlantic Salmon which is not as good tasting as Pacific and the steaks are about 1 inch thick and expensive.   So we thought lets get a couple and have them on the BBQ.   OMG.   check these out!!!!

fresh today and 4 inches thick

Little did we remember that Pacific Salmon spawn in the fall season so the fish are just starting to run.   All the lakes and rivers and creeks within the next few weeks will be covered with fish.  Jumping and making their way back to the place they were actually born.  Isn't that amazing?  Salmon are hatched in fresh water and live in the rivers till they are 2 years old then make their way to the ocean for the next 2 years and return on their 4th year back to the exact spot they were born.  Scientists believe they are guided largely by smell to find their way. 

on the porch at the local general store

Driving in the Mountains or are the Mountains Driving You?

August 26/2014  Weather is beautiful high of 85, sunny
In British Columbia we find there just are not very many primary highways and even fewer interstates or freeways.  To move from Kelowna to Hope we took 97C to Hwy 5 the Coquihalla, we climbed for about an hour then came down and made the connection at Merritt and climbed again and then went down all the way thru the Fraser River Valley. 

looking down before the descent into Merritt  on 97c

The last 17 kms (about 10 miles) is the worst on the Coq.  It is all downhill at 8% with heavy cross winds.  Can you just imagine driving this in the winter???  The first thing we saw on the Coq was a truck on fire in the northbound lane.

those are flames above the cab

Then after a day at Wild Rose Campground we watched on tv the news of a  tourism bus that had rolled over with 59 passengers.    Billy often follows the truckers up the mountains in the slow lane taking our time and coming down as well, maintaining speed and control.  We had a trucker tell us if you go up at 35 mph then you should be coming down at the same rate.

Fraser River somewhere in the valley below

runaway ramps always make you feel at ease - no they don't!

It reminded us of a fellow RVer we met a month ago in Cody, Wyoming;  he was laughing at our Canadian West roads.   His thought was that "you Canadians you like to go straight up and up and up, then you want to go straight down and down and down "!!!  He said he felt the USA was a bit different "we like to wind our way up the side of a mountain then wind our way back down".    So we have learned from experience what he was trying to tell us.  He was right. 

heading down into a tunnel on Coquihalla Hwy 5

Before coming on this trip we have often watched the Highway thru Hell on National Geographic and the Discovery Channel.  It is a reality tv show out of Hope, BC that follows Jamie Davis Towing and crew with heavy vehicle recovery on steep hills, lethal drop-offs, killer rock slides, and notoriously rapid changing winter weather all on the Coquihalla Hwy.    We are glad to have driven it on a beautiful summer day and "no" we are not coming back in the winter!

Cock a doodle doo !!! Kelowna & Okanagan Valley

August 19 - 26/2014  80's then dropping to mid 70's a storm is due mid week.  Looks like our heat wave has finally broken.  nights in the mid 50's.

garden when you drive into Canyon RV Park

chicken coup

dahlia garden

We have moved into Canyon Farms RV Park in East Kelowna for a week, to see the popular Okanagan Valley with all its orchards and wineries.  34 wineries to be exact!!!    Driving into the rv park seemed like threading the needle in the city streets then on into golf courses and finally a canyon and a dead end road.   Billy was starting to wonder if there really would be a park.    And we are not disappointed, it is adorable:)

The park has only 8 sites but they are all long and beautiful with flowers and grapevines between them.   Entering through the gate we are met by the chickens and flower gardens and vegetable gardens of which you can purchase fresh  organic produce and chicken and eggs!!!  Awesome.

picked for supper + eggs from the morning + chicken in the freezer

dahlia

Our lady host provided us with our recycling pale to feed the chickens - all scraps from produce, bread, noodles, coffee grounds - just no meat of any kind.   So every night we go feed the chickens and they come running and fighting for their piece of food.   It's hilarious.    I know what your thinking.....   Yes it really doesn't take much to amuse Billy and Rosey anymore.   The simple life is grand.

feeding the chickens - they come running

Ooops,,, Kamloops

August 17/2014  Weather is still warm, hot actually. High of 90 today low of 63.  Elevation is only about 1100 feet and Kamloops is in a semi-desert area. 

sides of the valley along Thomspon River

The topography is stark and rocky with sage brush except next to the water where the small valley allows pasture and vegetables to be grown.   Kamloops is a busy town, very long and narrow following the railroad, the Trans Canada Hwy and the Thompson River.  Native Indians, fur traders,  gold rush miners and loggers made this a busy way station/post in the 1800's via the trail north.   

coming back on the Westsyde road

Ooops Kamloops is our nickname since we are not that enamoured with this area,,, it's hard to find motorcycle roads that are not also the primary highways.   An maybe because we left some of the most beautiful scenery in Canada behind last week.   We did take a motorcycle ride north along the Thompson River and saw 2 black bear wandering around the tall grass and an eagle tearing apart his fresh salmon caught for lunch.  Scouts honor on this, the road was too busy with traffic to stop so we did not get any pictures!

isn't it barren and dry looking?

The highway from Kamloops north will eventually take you up to Prince George and then on to Alaska.  That will be another trip some day:)

McClure Ferry, about 330 feet across the river

We did take advantage of a quaint old way of transportation that exists in BC, a ferry that held 2 cars and was powered by the movement of the current only.  The operator told us there are only about 5 of these antiquated style ferries left in BC. 

Along Trans Canada 1 - Yoho National Park, Spiral Train Tracks, Continental Divide

August 10/2014  Sunny, high 80's again, cool at night 58
From camp we took the motorcycle and road Trans Canada Hwy 1 east from Golden, British Columbia to Lake Louise, Alberta.  This being a major truck route we were a little surprised in the steep inclines and descents and sharp turns. 

descent on hwy 1 into Golden

When heading into Golden it warns you of 14 kilometers/9 miles of sharp turns and decline, trucks chain up in the winter - no kidding!  Well we were glad to be on the motorcycle and not in the motorhome.  Everyone tells us we will see enough mountains with it.

in the distance is the village of Field & the Yoho visitor center

Before coming to British Columbia we had never heard of Yoho National Park.  The scenery is beautiful.  No wonder the Cree Indians named it Yoho meaning "awe".   There was a huge archaeological find in the highest peaks of Yoho, it is the 505 million year old Burgess Shale.  Kind of looks like an ancient "bug" to me but it is a marine organism.   Remember.... 505 million years ago these mountain ranges were an ocean flour.  Ok.  Now that makes you think, doesn't it!

Burgess Shale

In the Rockie Mountain range all through North America you will cross the Continental Divide.   The Great Divide separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those that drain into the Atlantic Ocean.  We crossed it a few times in Montana but never saw the reality as simply as here at Kicking Horse Pass.  Divide Creek has a fork draining west and another draining east.   We were driving up to the Pass and you could see the water flowing towards us;  a few miles later you could actually see the water flowing with us!  Don't you love it with Geography comes alive???  

map showing the spiral tunnels - 1 upper and 1 lower - follow the tracks

On and off along the Trans Canada Hwy 1 you can see that it follows the CPR Canadian Pacific Railroad line, which was here before the road.  In the early 1900's the railroad track summit near Wapta Lake was the steepest in North America with a 4.5 % grade.   Extreme for trains, causing trains to come off the track and crash with fatalities.

Here comes the train!!!

 In 1901 CPR opened up a pair of Spiral Tunnels to reduce the grade to a manageable 2.2%.   You can view the tunnels and see the exhibit from a stop on the highway.  How lucky could we be? We could hear the train coming through while we were there!!! (Billy lets get that lottery ticket tonight).   This was better than Disney World,,,  so cool.

See the Engines above coming through the tunnel while the train cars are following below

Golden, British Columbia

August 8 - 15/2014   T Storm threatening on our move up to Golden, only 85 miles
Otherwise 88's to 92's predicted.   Fire Ban in B.C.   We passed White Swan Lake Provincial Park which was closed due to a Wildfire.  Due to the heat and storms, lightening strikes are causing fires in the west.  This is something we have never had to deal with before while Rving across the country.  

Golden, community sqaure

Golden is a little town on the Trans Canada Hwy 1.   The highway runs through Kicking Horse Pass and Yoho National Park then back into Banff National Park.  From Golden it is about 50 miles to Lake Louise.   At that point you can also head north on the Icefields Parkway to Jasper, Alberta.   We decided to make Golden our home base for a week and do the rides to Lake Louise and Jasper on the motorcycle. 

Paragliding into Eco Adventure Ranch from Mount 7

Golden is known for Paragliding and Hang gliding, from Mount 7.   Called that because as the snow melts the last to go is a number 7!    We are staying at Golden Eco Adventure Ranch, which is such a great find for a campground - all the gliders land in the field right in front of our camp site.   What a sight!   So neat!
Billy talked to the guys landing and they said they stay up there for 1 or 2 hours.   What we found out was that the record was set in 1986 for Paragliding from here to Whitefish, Montana - 220 miles.   Can you imagine??? 

Paragliding

Wooden Walking Bridge in Golden

Downtown has a wooden walking bridge over the Columbia River.   As well there are many white water rafting trips too.   Lots of mountain biking and hiking.   You can tell by the number of very fit people in town. 

Whitewater Rafting on the Columbia river

Fairmont Hot Springs, British Columbia

August 5,6/2014  Hot 92 and 95.  Cool at night 58.
After a month traveling through the USA we have crossed over into British Columbia, Canada.  Funny how we feel like home?  :)
We saw Hot Springs in Yellowstone and again near Butte and now following the Rockie Mountain Range into Canada we are stopping at the largest and cleanest in our home country.  Fairmont Hot Springs happens to have a resort and large RV park as well.  We also did not visit the pools and baths when we were in Hot Springs Arkansas so this will be a new adventure.   I am thinking it will be revitalizing and rejuvenating and tranquil right? 
I had to research what the springs are all about so I am sharing it with you:
When the Rockie Mountains evolved the process that raised the mountains left deep faults in the rock. Water collected high in the mountains, entered the rocks through these faults, and ran deep into the mountains. After long travel, it bubbled back to the surface. Warmed by the heat of the rocks, it emerged much hotter than it entered, to form hot springs at the rock surface. Every year the process was repeated as snow high in the mountains melted and the water disappeared into the fissures in the rocks.
The RV park is full of Alberta campers which makes sense as they are only 1 1/2 hours away via the Kootenay Pass.  We asked why they had the park full and mostly their response was that "Alberta has ruined all their lakes and waters with mining and oil so we come to BC"  !!!!!

The hot pool at 104 degrees

So we got setup and walked to the Hot Springs and paid our $24 to be rejuvenated ------   Not what I expected at all!   It was 2 huge swimming pools basically with millions of people and kids and diving boards.   Ha Ha.   So we laughed at ourselves to pay for this experience.   Had our lawn chairs and books and drinks and enjoyed the day and lounged in the pool a few times but it was not what we expected at all.   You just never know!

Cooler pool at 86 degrees