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Trekking Tales

Fun with Friends from near and far
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While big discussions occur at our house regarding menus, finding places to go in and around Clearwater is never a problem.

Two gals arrived from the Lower Mainland on Saturday of May long weekend; however, having been up in the wee hours watching the Royal Wedding, they missed seeing Rotary’s Parade here.

“Waterfalls will be roaring,” I announced next morning.

“Let’s go!” they responded. Picnic lunches packed, we set off and were soon enjoying “elevenses” beside Clearwater Lake.

The river exiting the lake was so high Osprey Falls were almost non-existent.

Conversely, conversation was difficult during our lunch stop beside Bailey’s Chute and its splashing, rushing, dramatically-descending river.

Our longer hike of the day was the Ray Farm loop.

“Did you go all round?” I asked a young couple just leaving.

“There’s one flooded spot,” the young man answered, “but you can bushwhack past it.”

He was right, though several other would-be loopers turned back.

“I wasn’t going to walk along the logs and end up in that stagnant water,” stated one. They had assessed the wrong side of the trail. Following our more successful round trip past Alice Lake, we headed back to the paved road. Helmcken Falls, the Mushbowl, and Dawson Falls made dramatic viewing to end Sunday’s outing.

These gals, having participated in a seven-day Hut to Hut adventure with glorious leader Tay Briggs in 2009, know some locals who enthusiastically joined us on the holiday Monday.

Two rainbows and spray from thundering Moul Falls had us gasping and slightly damp, but pleased we’d made the final descent, now challenging for this aging body.

Going behind it was definitely not an option.

“Where for lunch?” you might ask.

How about Belgian waffles at Spahatts Falls? Excellent idea… One more gal, Joan from Williams Lake, met us at North Thompson Provincial Park that evening for our regularly-requested wiener roast. Our favourite spot for this is on the Clearwater River, but would be feet deep in fast-flowing water at this time.

Tough to see the Vancouverites leave next morning, but Joan stayed for the rest of the week.

Since both of us had discovered golfing about the same time, we played every day.

Well, she plays, I am still pretending.

Lacarya Golf Course saw us twice on two days. In between, we tested our swings at Chinook Cove and ice creams in Barriere, as well as Wells Gray Course in Upper Clearwater.

“You’ve time for a Buffalo Burger,” grinned a player as we waited to let two men go ahead of us. Thus we discovered the newest Bear’s Den Cookhouse right at the entrance to the golf course.

But time had marched along. Everyone has gone home and now I am back weeding the strawberry patch.



newsroom@clearwatertimes.com

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