Despite the unusual winter, friends came from West Vancouver and Vernon for our annual snowy play-time, although skis were left at home.
On Feb. 21, we started from the Murtle River warming hut and snowshoed on the trail beside a river almost free of ice and snow. Glancing downstream soon after starting, to our surprise we saw maxi-spray from Dawson Falls. Later we saw why.
The snow was crusty and the trail foot-printed – but only by boots, skis and snowshoes. Critters, and evidence of them, were sadly lacking. Perhaps I saw a fox flitting behind some bushes and fresh scratches on snow across the trail. But it was a fleeting glance – and could have been something in my eye!
Jake the tall, curly, black poodle took the girls further along, thoroughly inspecting the deteriorating building of Majerus Farm before heading partway along the level section of the Blackwater. On their return, snowshoes were carried.
After making short work of our packed lunches, we looked in on Dawson Falls first. Any frozen, snowy buildup was gone. Other than one chunk on the far side and transparent, curlicued “icing” on a couple of stationary logs, it was like viewing this mini-Niagara in summer. Well, the slippery, unevenly worn trail was definitely more challenging.
Driving on to Helmcken Falls, we suspected there would be no cone, but were only partly right. Three-fourths of it remains, the front channel open showing a cross-section of the open cone. Part of that snow is covered with grit and is flatter than the rest of it.
We were amazed at the amount of water in Murtle River, as evidenced at both waterfalls. Between the two, it swooshed though the Mushbowl beside its huge rocks still bedecked with layers of pure white snow.
The following morning, sunshine accompanied us on a shorter loop at Spahats Falls. We promptly stashed our snowshoes behind a bush not far from the car, the snow more than capable of holding us up as we walked along the back road to Shadden Lookout above the Clearwater Valley. Surprising little snow remained, except for that gleaming on distant Mt. Garnet; the Clearwater River too was ice-free. Plenty of ice confronted us on sections of the trail looping us back to the Spahats viewpoint, however.
One of our number cleverly had ice-grippers in her pack; mine were “safely” in the car, necessitating occasionally bushwhacking. Jake (and his toenails) just followed everyone everywhere. Once again, above-normal temperatures had cleared away most of the build-up of snow and ice from Spahats Falls, and water trickled freely beneath the trail, its nearby delicate waterfall having no dramatic curling sculpture in front of it.
Before returning to our house for lunch we went somewhere, I am ashamed to say, I had never been before! At the curling rink, two of our local buddies (partners in our energetic 2009 hut-to-hut hike) were participating in the Ladies’ Bonspiel. Watching rocks sliding and sweepers sweeping was fun for a while, even if we knew little about curls, hog-lines, and strategies.
“They will like seeing the art display at Dutch Lake Community Centre,” John thoughtfully suggested. And all did, praising the variety of works, the talents of so many locals, including high school students, and their willingness to show and share.
Without mentioning our reward for exercising, otherwise known as Happy Hour, it is safe to say our time together was replete. The park, this whole area, changes frequently, making visits worthwhile, no matter how often we explore it and “play” here.