| 2001 Trail Updates |
Y2Y 2001 Update #2
July 24 - We left Kakwa Lake with ten days of food in our packs, ready and primed for the next stretch. I've been told that this will be the toughest section, but no one knows of anyone who has walked this route. We'll see. We have an easy day today with trail all the way to Jarvis Lakes and a BC Parks cabin. It is a welcome home for the night with its cozy wood stove, view of Mount Ida and display of Northern Lights late in the night.
July 25 - We are delighted to find a trail, old and overgrown, going west. Following it is a challenge sometimes, but we take it until it starts loosing elevation and then stumble upon old blazes going our way. They soon disappear in an avalanche path and we dive into a slow slog, beating our way through dense willows and kromholz. This is tough going. Each of us are falling and tumbling our way along, trying to gain elevation at the same time. John lost his treasured head net in one tumble and was bumming until I gave him mine. I haven't been using it and have a mosquito-net shirt with a headpiece attached that I could use.
Finally we popped out above treeline above Moonais Pass. The sun was shining and we were in high spirits as we dropped to beautiful Moonais Lake. We decided to make the best of our day without rain, climbed the steep headwall west of the lake and topped out on the high ridge overlooking a vast alpine basin. Faye Lake glittered below and mountains, glaciers and beauty stretched away into the distance. We slowly made our way down to the open basin in the golden evening light.
July 26 - We started our day with a steep climb up into a high pocket basin full of boulders. The morning was sunny and it felt good jumping from rock to rock as we ascended ever higher. The final headwall involved all fours, but was mostly a series of narrow ledges. Perfect way to climb a mountain. Once on top we didn't stay long. A cold wind was blowing and we had a precarious descent into another basin. Saw a couple of huge porcupine along the way. Sprinkles came and went as we climbed the low pass on the north side of Ochakwin Mountain. Then we had a very difficult descent through dense and wet brush to the shores of Dimsdale Lake. This is a place I've dreaded, having heard the weather can be terrible for weeks on end. We wanted to get past it. We pushed on, climbing on to another alpine bench to a pretty unnamed lake for our camp.
July 27 - Heavy rain this morning kept us in our tents till noon. When we did set out the slopes were very wet and slick. We called today our "meadow march," linking a series of big meadows with short stints of woods walking. It was a great route. We forded the Narraway River without difficulty and crossed the low pass into Belcourt Creek. A short stretch of forest walking brought us to a grand meadow and we split up to look for a campsite. John found a special spot, a nice dry bench that gave him a unique "feel." A while later we discovered a tepee ring and upon looking realized that this place was covered with old rings of stone. This was a campsite for folks in the past. We felt honored to sleep there.
July 28 - Rain and more rain. All night and most of the day. We finally get a break in mid-afternoon and packed up. Fording the creek downstream John had a mishap and lost his hiking stick and nearly himself. I crossed and heard an alarm from behind. Turned to find John on all fours in the middle of the creek. He recovered well, but sure missed his trusty "stick" Of course it began raining again as we bushwhacked through forest and brush up toward Amisk Lake. We neared treeline and the wind was howling. We were soaked. Found some kromholz to pitch our tents behind. Dry clothes and the sleeping bag felt so good!!
July 29 - Hard to motivate today, but the rain let up and we set off in high winds and soon got to Amisk Lake. The gray clouds and cold wind made it seem very stark and desolate. A lone caribou grazed on the mountainside above. We climb steeply into a higher alpine basin, into the rock and snow, clouds swirling about us, hiking through Natanik Pass. The clouds begin to lift giving us the top-of-the-world views as we walk the crest of the divide and drop to Herrick Pass. A higher basin provides camp and a fire for drying out clothes and soggy socks.
July 30 - A foggy night, but patches of blue this morning as we climb higher into the alpine. We love these high open basins, especially when it's not raining! The unnamed pass leads us over the mountain to a vast open basin, which we wander down. Eventually we enter the forest and have lunch near a large lake just east of Paksumo Pass. The day gets difficult as we hike to another pass, but then attempt to side-hill to another basin. The vegetation is dense. Willows pull at us and the slope is slick. It is very slow, hard travel. When we reach the open basin and the gradual walk to its summit, I dub it "Relief Pass". We camp high on the mountain shoulder with grand views topping off our day.
July 31 - A short day today but a good forest bushwhack down the valley to Warner Lake. Made camp as it began to rain, but later the sun came out and we swam and washed out clothes. Oh, to feel clean again!
August 1- At one time there was a road up to Warner Lake. Now it is an ATV trail accessed in the fall when the rivers are low and can be crossed. We walk the "trail" down to Red Deer Creek. Rather we "beat" our way down. The alders have overgrown the old route and snows have bent them over the road. What we expected to be an easy stroll is a series of battles breaking through the dense alders. We reach Red Deer Creek, a river in it's own right., but are pleased to find it fordable. We camp at a junction and await our new friend, Kevin Sharmin, of Tumbler Ridge, BC, who will be hiking in with our food re-supply.
August 2 - Another rainy day. Our tents are pitched under large, water shedding spruce trees and we get a fire going and while away the day. Kevin Sharmin shows up around 3:30. We are surprised he is alone. He has carried 8 days of food for 2 people up and over a high alpine ridge walking many kilometers to help us out. We are so thankful. His company is much appreciated and we enjoy getting to know him and hearing stories about his adventures in this big, wild land.
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