Fall Outing: KVR Railtrail, BC

Thanks to the old Short Notice Signup List members of the Mt Baker Club were able to form a fall outing to explore the KVR (Kettle Valley Railtrail) in the Tulameen Valley, northwest of Princeton, BC. This is one of the three most fascinating sections of the trail in our area and possibly in the nearly 1000 km trail.

The weather cleared beyond Manning Park and the fall colors were vibrant and golden. Eventually, the entire group settled at the riverside Granite City Rec Area, adjacent to the gold mining ghost town of Granite City. From here we could bike the short distance to Coalmont and ride the trail either north to Otter Lake or south towards Princeton.

Riding north the first day was a sunny trip along the entire length of Otter Lake into the ranchland stretching all the way to Merritt. One memorable event occurred during this ride. We were just rounding a bend in the trail when suddenly a group of young cyclist (later we learned that they were from Vancouver) frantically biked past us shouting “Bear! Bear! There’s a Bear on the trail!” One of our members bravely (some might say foolishly) slowly and noisily biked ahead. There, at a mere 300 yards distance, was a huge black bear apparently sleeping in the middle of the trail. Cautiously he approached and with a loud shout drove the beast from the trail. The only response was a bellowing Moooo as the “Bear” wandered off to join the rest of the herd under the trees. This made interesting conversation at the Coalmont Hotel & Pub afterward and around our cozy campfire that evening.

The next day dawned brilliant. The morning light lit up our camp through the canopy of golden cottonwood and aspen leaves. The blue sky welcomed us as we cycled south. The canyon quickly narrowed but due to the frequent north-south orientation, provided us with warm sunlight for nearly the entire day.

Passing quiet river pools, beaches, and pleasant picnic sites we eventually reached the tunnel and copula viewpoint.

Here the river became a raging flow as it sped around the bend and through great boulders which had forced the construction of the tunnel. As if to emphasize the drama of this place, a yellow canoe could be seen, impaled on the rocks below us.

From here the group separated, some returning, while others continued past rocky outcrops, hoodoo formations, and the famous (soon to be designated a World Heritage Site) vermillion cliffs. The final section of trail sped through a lighted tunnel and into downtown Princeton. A fine day was had by all.

The next day, the group disbanded with various plans for the drive home: exploring more ghost towns, searching for pictographs, visiting historic cemeteries, and enjoying the many viewpoints and short hikes along the way. We all felt that we wanted a return trip next year.

Fall Outing: Yakima Valley

Inspired by the wonderful article in the Wash. Trails Assoc magazine (April 2007 Hiking Wine Country) and motivated by the damp, dark fall weather in Western Washington, we headed east for a few days of drier conditions. We were not disappointed. The fall colors were at their peak, and locals claimed they were exceptional this year.

A wonderful variety of short outings were ours to enjoy including: hiking old favorites like Cowiche, Umtanum and Black Canyons; visiting new ones like Selah Butte, Horse Heaven Hills, Snow Mountain Ranch, Badger Mt; and exploring fascinating geologic features of volcanic flows and glacial floods. For variety we also managed some cultural explorations including Ahtanum Mission, the murals of Toppenish, the famous vineyard & hop industry of the Yakima Valley, and some delightful restaurants.

Some other highlights included a short visit to Roslyn. This picturesque little town was the outdoor film location for “Northern Exposure,” but is also the center of a short but fascinating Mine Rail trail.
The drive and hikes down Yakima Canyon were beautiful though the big-horned sheep had not yet moved to the canyon walls, part of their wintering range. On the way home we decided to drive through the eastern part of Mt. Rainier NP. Of course we returned to the rain but the views along the American River were beautiful and our passage over Chinook Pass was poignant as we realized that snow would soon be closing it.










This was a wonderful fall trip, one that gave us more ideas for the future; maybe a short notice outing next year? Thanks again to our friends at the WTA (http://www.wta.org/), we look forward to sharing the trail with you again.

Steveston, BC, Year-Round Destination

Photos: http://www.mountbakerclub.org/StevestonBC
Thanks to the Mt Baker Club Short-Notice Outings list-serve; a group of us shared a uniquely different mid-week outing. It was a short drive and border crossing bringing us to our first stop of the morning; an amazing Buddhist Temple. Incredible use of gold-leaf; brilliantly painted architecture, and carefully constructed gardens were a delight, encouraging us to begin the day in a relaxed and reflective mood.

Minutes and a world away: We explored Finn Slough, the historic home of fishermen, houseboats, and waterside shacks. Little changed; small boats tied up, precarious little docks perched above the swirling slough waters; charming gated garden entrances. A brief stop at the New London Farm; clean, cute, Victorian, its primness made an interesting counterpoint.

Onto the historic and charming downtown of Steveston with a light snack from Pajo’s Fish & Chips at Garry Point Park. Strolls along the waterfront, wetlands, waterfowl, historic cannery, boat shops, and homes, highlighting the rich and varied heritage of the area.

The rest of the day we entertained ourselves with walking through the compact downtown. Some tourist oriented shops, but well supported by locals giving Steveston a more “real” feel than one might expect. Highlights were the Japanese and Community Cultural Center and, the newly established but wonderfully rustic Romanian Bakery with its welcomed warmth from the wood fired oven (the loaves were exceptionally delicious but huge; make sure you’ve either got a very hungry group or a strong rack on your bike).

Throughout the afternoon the weather constantly changed from beautiful warmth and calm; to dark, grey, wind, and rain. Somehow we were always in a bakery or coffee shop when it rained and were always pleasantly surprised that it was nice again when we were ready to continue our walk.

Towards evening we wandered into an unexpected event. CTV news was doing their community focus program with the evening news filmed at a different community each evening. By wonderful coincidence it was being filmed on the Steveston boardwalk this day. We were given lots of little mementos (key chains, brochures, mini-thermometers, 2010 Olympic pins, etc.) and treated to the Kyoto Drums a reflection of the strong Japanese heritage of Steveston. The news anchors were very nice and between their on-air presentations, they would tirelessly pose for photos with local people including their pets.

As daylight faded into evening we found a window table at Le Nakamura restaurant for an excellent Japanese dinner. Afterward it was a short walk around the block to the Cultural Center where we were allowed to watch a Kendo class in its entirety. The participants ranging from old to young and beginner to advanced made a thrilling display of practice and training bouts with this Japanese form of sword fencing.

An easy drive and again an empty border crossing (going south) brought us home without incident. We all came away from this trip delighted and eager to return to enjoy the many hiking, biking, and cultural experiences that this nearby community has to offer.