A Canadian Adventure - Day 22

Thursday 24 August 2017

Sun Peaks Resort

We have yesterday's cyclists to thank for suggesting today's visit to the Sun Peaks Resort, rather than head up to Wells Gray. It was good advice. The top picture shows how 'closed' is Wells Gray Provincial Park.

After waving goodbye to Gary (we were his only guests last night) and stocking up in Safeways, we enjoyed a 45 minute (57 km) drive up to this small resort where Sue had booked a cheap but smart room last night through booking.com.

We arrived in time for elevenses, during which a trail guide was obtained and a hiking route planned. Then it rained. So we took a breather before mounting a chairlift that took us above some scary looking mountain bike trails and a pair of Mule Deer (they have big ears and a short black tipped tail) from 1250 to 1850 metres. That placed us in a great position for an enjoyable 13 km circuit including two summits - Top of the World (2080 metres), near which summit we enjoyed our lunch, and Mount Tod, at 2152 metres the highest point in the area.

The paths were excellent and offered good views over a landscape a little different to others we have viewed. I think it's described as 'sub-alpine'. No jagged mountains except in the far distance, but expansive views in all directions, albeit a little hazy. The alpine meadows would recently have been blue with lupins, but now they have been taken over by pinkish willowherbs (known as Fireweed here but we would call it Rosebay Willowherb) and the yellowing leaves of great yellow gentians. There were also light blue bellflowers like Harebells, Red Paintbrush flowers, and Ragworts,  Fleabanes and Louseworts similar to those seen as weeds at home. Also Fringed Grass of Parnassus, Sue tells me. 

Apart from a few folk near the top of the chairlift, we encountered just two people - a couple of ladies at the far point of our circuit. We joked about the rather black cloud that was heading towards us.

Afternoon tea was taken just as the blizzard started. The temperature dropped to 0°C (it had been 20°C earlier) and a good inch of snow fell. We were on a joint hiking/biking trail but saw no bikers - it wasn't an easy path to ride and would be tricky in the snow.

After about four hours on this walk we emerged from path number 9 at The Alpine Shop, where we were accosted and told that the chairlift had been closed due to the risk of lightning. A truck driven by Aussie Tom was on its way down so we bagged a lift in that together with three others after telling the concerned staff about the two ladies we had seen earlier. The chairlift soon started up after the storm had passed, by which time we were installed in this excellent room with two double beds at the Sun Peaks Lodge.

Our salad ingredients proved as tasty as ever.

It's now quite possible that we will spend the next two nights camping on a site with no WiFi, so you may not hear from us again until Sunday evening (Monday morning in the UK).

Today's pictures:

• The Wells Gray debacle
• Kamloops Backpacking Hostel
• The chairlift to Top of the World
• The view from Top of the World to Sun Peaks Resort
• Lunch near Top of the World
• A Fireweed view
• Storm in view
• Tramping through the meadow away from the storm
• On Mount Tod
• The storm starts
• Snow!
• Sun Peaks Lodge

I have been reading other blogs but I'm reluctant to make many comments as they seem to appear in duplicate. Sorry about that if I have commented, and if I haven't you may yet hear from me when we get home.

Today was another most satisfying one, despite not being part of the original plan.

13 km hike with about 500 metres ascent, plus 4 km by the North Thompson River in Kamloops in 21.30.