|
|
|
[ Archive Index ] [ 2001 ]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Hodgeman hits the road, again. I've just returned from a great weekend of hiking in Oregon, and had exactly one day to reload for Cathedral Provincial Park. The 33,272 hectare (8218 acre) park is located in British Columbia's southern interior, right on the U.S. border. To the east lie the desert areas of the South Okanagan, with the Columbia Mountains beyond. To the west are the ridges and peaks of Manning PP and the North Cascades. Cathedral's alpine area seems kind of small, by B.C. standards, but it's rather unique in its mix of rolling ridges and craggy peaks. Wednesday, August 15th. I've chosen this location for an opportunity to spend a few days with my dad. There's a small commercial lodge operating in the core area, which provides a jeep shuttle to spare their guests from the 16km (10mi) hike, which climbs 1500m (5000ft) from the base. They will transport campers for a fee, and since my dad officially 'hung-up' his backpack when he turned 70 last year, the arrangement is ideal. |
|
|
|
It's only a 5-hour
drive, from Vancouver to the sweltering, Okanagan town of Keremeos, the self proclaimed 'fruit stand
capital of Canada' (I truly hope it is, because they have precious little
else). But, we have departed early, expecting delays from what has
quickly become a 1000 ha (2470 ac) forest fire, started by a motor
home burning on the Hope-Princeton Hwy.
It's been hot and smoky through
Manning Park and the Similkameen Valley, but we are not delayed and
thankfully are accommodated on an early shuttle. Arriving up top, we choose
Lake of the Woods as our destination for
camp. It's a short walk, but far enough to get away from the lodge and
'front country' campsites, at Quiniscoe Lake. It's a beautiful spot, that
we'll be happy to call home for the next 4 days. |
|
| Thursday, August
16th. The morning is sunny and calm as we awake at 2072m (6900ft),
but a persistent haze will prevent any long distance views today. Despite
this, our goal is the Rim Trail and we set off at a leisurely pace. As we
wind our way around neighbouring Pyramid and Glacier Lakes, the zonal
transition seems compressed. In a very short time, we have gone from
forests of Lodgepole pine and Douglas fir, through alpine meadows, and
arrived at the tree line to begin our main ascent.
The southern half of the Rim Trail takes us to 2573m (8570ft), and offers a broad open ridge to roam. As Dad strolls the ridge top, with a smile on his face, I am slightly annoyed by the flat light and the sky's refusal to clear, despite a prevailing wind. Nonetheless, I have my camera ready to capture the many interesting features of Cathedral Park. |
|
|
|
Sudden afternoon storms
are common on these exposed ridges, and Dad chooses to rest at the top
of our descent trail, while my camera and I continue along Denture Ridge,
in search of Smokey the Bear. It doesn't require much imagination to see
why this dramatic outcropping is named after the firefighting bear. He is
likely the only bear that you will see up here, since ranchers long ago
eliminated the resident Grizzlies and there is little of interest for
Blacks, at these elevations. Beyond Smokey is the Giant Cleft, and I travel
on for a couple more photos.
During my absence, Dad has been entertained by a family of mountain
goats, and I'm sorry to have missed them. He assures me that he has them
on film, so we begin our descent and traverse past Laddyslipper Lake, to
complete our loop. We'll enjoy a late supper as the sun sets on our Lake
of the Woods. |
|
| Friday, August 17th. I have planned a somewhat less strenuous
outing for today, and
Dad is pleased with the idea. We make a late start and head toward
Quiniscoe Lake, for a stroll on the loop trail that encircles it. The
lodge here is a small Bavarian style building, with six rooms upstairs,
with a lounge area for dining below. There is an odd collection of smaller
cabins as well, and Dad investigates the possibilities of returning,
at another time, with my mom
and his fishing rod.
Tent pads are provided all along the far shore, with picnic tables and fire rings, for those more tolerant of 'front country' annoyances, and the lodge offers meals and canoe rentals to campers. At the east end of the lake, the B.C. Parks Rangers are set up, in what our driver told us was a log cabin costing $180,000 to build, and we feel entitled to a brief tour. I should say, that the rangers we encountered, in this park, were exceptionally courteous, and dedicated to their duty. |
|
|
|
Saturday, August
18th. The weather has changed slightly, as temperatures dipped below
freezing overnight. The winds have increased and I am anticipating clear
views, as we set out for the days hike. We descend a few hundred feet to
a junction, where Dad will follow the creek side trail, up through the
meadows, to Goat Lakes. From here, I'll take the high route, to traverse
Lakeview Mountain, which at 2588m (8620ft) is the high point of the park.
It's a steady climb on easy trail, and my regular pace has me above
the trees quickly, for westward views of the core area, while the morning
sun remains behind me. There will be 'blue' sky, in my photos today! I
make a beeline for the rocky summit and... WOW... a spectacular panorama!
Cathedral Park has earned its name, standing like a fortress on the
border, towering above all else. The valleys remain hazy, but I have unobstructed
views of distant ranges, and even manage to spot Mt Rainier, 300km
(180mi) away, in Washington State. |
|
| After nearly an hour on
the windy peak, I drop down to rendezvous with Dad, for a late lakeside
lunch. As we make our way back down the Goat Lake Trail, I spot a couple of 'lodgers' hopping the
creek to regain the trail, and I suspect
they've just had a bit of a 'romp', in the meadow. With uncanny timing,
Ranger Jen appears, and we stand by as she relieves the pair of the
mushrooms they've been gathering. I'm curious where these people might be
from, but can't detect an accent, as they had little to say for
themselves.
We're a bit envious of the campers with the fire rings, at Quiniscoe, as another chilly night sends us early to our tents. We can afford to 'lie in' a while tomorrow, before packing to meet our 1 pm shuttle. |
|
|
|
Sunday, August 19th. Despite our lazy morning start, we arrive at the
lodge, with
time to spare, and join the guests for lunch. It seems rather civilized,
after a few days in camp, and we enjoy a tasty meal, before heading down
to the base. We've had a wonderful stay here, and its been great to have
some quality time together, away from our busy homes. I'll plan to return
with my daughter next year.
After a quick stop in Keremeos, for fruit of course, it's back to the
highway, and what is now 2900 ha (7160 ac) of uncontained fire.
Thankfully, we had traded my jeep for the air-conditioned comfort of
Dad's sedan, on this trip. |
|
| Cathedral PP Info |
Park Map (121kb .pdf) |
Cathedral Photo Gallery |
Cathedral 2001 
