Terrace and the Nass Valley in Northern British Columbia are worth a Visit

I remember visiting Terrace, New Aiyansh and Greenville, in Northern BC years ago.  A long drive of about 15 hours from Vancouver, just under 1,400 km and multiple stops I will never forget.  My father did his residency program in the smaller towns of both New Aiyansh and Greenville, small towns of no more than 2,000 residents each.  Located right on the Skeena River with an abundance of nature, it makes for a great way to escape the city life and find solace in the most remote corners of beautiful British Columbia.

Terrace and the surrounding areas are especially known for spawning grounds for Coho and other varieties of Salmon. The fishery industry here is huge and relies on fresh waters for year-round fly fishing. I remember trying homemade canned, as well as smoked, Coho Salmon, that my father got for us, and it was the most delicious Salmon I’ve ever tasted, mouth-watering and seasoned to perfection.

North of Terrace is the Nass Valley, home to the Nisga’a First Nation. According to the Nisga’a government, the Nisga’a Treaty sets out, “the right of the Nisga’a people to fish throughout 26,838 square kilometers of territory known as the Nass Area. The Nass River is being managed as part of a modern, scientific fishery to provide a sustainable resource for the Nisga’a people today — and for generations to come.”  Camping, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking are also some of the other outdoor adventures that can be enjoyed in the area. Plus a visit to the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park and Museum in Greenville is well worth exploring.

Many hiking opportunities abound in the area with trails ranging from 2 km to 10 km depending on your fitness level and time.  Some of the trails are Howe Creek Trailhead, Grand Trunk Pathway and Terrace Mountain Trailhead that offers a spectacular view once you reach the top. Exstew Falls, just west of Terrace, is a short hike with a stunning waterfall.

There are various camping opportunities in and around Terrace and Camping and RVing BC is a good place to start.  Kleanza Creek Provincial Park is located in the valleys of the Coast Mountains overlooking the Skeena River, and based on historical facts was one of the first sites where mining for gold began in the late 1890s.

I have visited Terrace and the surrounding areas a few times and I always like to explore the outdoors and discover something new.  Learning about the origins and the history of the city I’m visiting adds another dimension, another layer to what I already know about the people and the place.  Specifically, for Terrace, the more popular tourist sites include, George Little House, constructed in the memory of the town’s founder; Heritage Park Museum, where you can explore artifacts dating back to the early 1900s and visualize how life was for the locals at the time; and George Little Park, where the Terrace Art Gallery displays both modern and classical works of local artists.  Be sure to check out their website for the most current information and the latest exhibition on display.

Treasure Hunting in British Columbia’s Gold Country

The thrill of a modern treasure hunt comes alive with Geocaching in Gold Country – an area of BC’s interior rich in cultural and geographic diversity. Geocaching combines outdoor recreation, technology, and a good old-fashioned treasure hunt. Location coordinates can be entered into a GPS, or a smartphone app can set you on your way, or you can explore with a lower-tech version of Geocaching called Letterboxing. Your purpose? To visit places of historical, cultural, and geographic significance and bring BC’s past to life.

Gold Country started a Geo-Tourism initiative in 2008, and in 2010 launched a more ambitious project with the publication of their first book, Gold Country GeoTourism Adventures: Field Guide Volume 1. This book details 72 caches – hidden containers containing a log book, some trade items, and collectable stickers unique to each cache – hidden throughout Gold Country. In 2012, a second book, Gold Country GeoTourism Adventures: Field Guide Volume 2 was published, providing another 72 opportunities for exploration.

Gold Country provides a wide variety of terrain to explore and Geocaching helps provide inspiration – whether it is a day trip, a weekend away, or a more extended visit. Each Geocache listed in the Field Guides (or on the Geocaching website www.geocaching.com) is given a score between one and five for both overall difficulty (how challenging it is to find the cache) and terrain difficulty (how challenging it is to access the cache site – think length of hike, steepness, exposure, etc.). Each geocache is also given a unique code, making it easy to search and plan your route.

Gold Country Geocaches range in difficulty from what are referred to as simple “park and grab” style caches to ones that require significant off-road driving and extended uphill hikes. One of the benefits of geocaching in Gold Country is that each cache is located at a point of significance to the area. In fact, in Volume 1, each geocache is sorted into one of five categories: Pioneers & Early Settlers, Geological Wonders, Views & Vistas, Gravesites & Mystical Places, and Historic Churches. In Volume 2, the caches are categorized as Settlers & Pioneers, Geological & Views, Rails & Trails, Feature Film, or Agriculture.

As you travel from cache to cache in Gold Country you can consult your Field Guide, which provides information about the nearest community, parking, and any access information and restrictions. The Field Guides also provide an excellent background description of the cache’s significance. I have learned some truly fascinating history and geology through Gold Country’s caches.

I have had many excellent experiences in Gold Country, but a few of my favourite geocache discoveries are:

• The Cache Creek Mélange: A site of geological wonder that I first visited as part of a university Geology trip. The Cache Creek Mélange exposes the movement of tectonic plates in a way not often visible, accessible, or understood by the average person.
• Lytton Reaction Ferry: This Pioneers & Early Settlers site is fascinating as it provides a great view and history of the Lytton Reaction Ferry. This free ferry (yes, you should definitely take it across the river!) has no motor and instead uses a rudder, a fixed cable, and the current of the river to cross the mighty Fraser with up to two cars and twelve passengers per trip.
• Marble Canyon:  Marble Canyon, on Highway 99 between Cache Creek and Lillooet, is a spectacular destination. A provincial park campsite offers a great place to spend the night, the towering limestone and dolomite cliffs are uncommon in BC and offer excellent rock climbing, and the hunt for this geocache takes you on a short hike to the base of an impressive waterfall.
• Logan Lake Shovel:  This one is not hard to find, as the Logan Lake Shovel is also the home of the Logan Lake Visitor Centre! The impressive thing about hunting for this cache; however, is the sheer size of the 235-ton ore hauling truck and the enormous bucket on the mining shovel, from which the cache takes its name. Make sure you climb the steps and sit in the shovel’s cab!
• Cornwall Hills Park & Lookout:  This is one of my absolute favourite Gold Country geocaches! The Cornwall Hills Park & Lookout requires a 4×4 to get to it, but it is so worth it to make the trek up the gravel road to the 2036 metre summit where an old fire tower provides 360-degree views stretching as far as Mount Baker in Washington state.

Geocaching in Gold Country offers something for everyone, from history buffs to adventure seekers. The Gold Country GeoTourism website offers detailed information for each cache, helping you to plan your journey before setting foot out the door. Just keep in mind that once you are there, a whole new world of possibilities will be opened to you, and you will likely find yourself wishing you had planned to spend more time in Gold Country.

If this blog was of interest to you, check out our suggested drive:
Following the BC Gold Rush Trail through the Cariboo & Beyond

For campgrounds in this area and elsewhere in British Columbia go to the Camping Map.

Share your BC travel and camping photos using hashtag #campinbc, #explorebc

Camping at Joffre Lakes, British Columbia With Friends

If I could recommend one hike to anyone visiting the Whistler area, it would have to be Joffre Lakes. Located north-east of Whistler off the Duffey Lake Road (Hwy 99), I would say it’s one of the most spectacular hikes of BC, if not Canada, and its popularity has kept it very well-maintained. Climbing 400 vertical meters over a 5.5 km span up to the third and final glacial lake, it is great for everyone, from beginning hikers to veteran backpackers.

Most overnight camping missions I go on tend to be just me, Sara, and our dog Tiva, so it was a fun treat to re-visit Joffre Lakes with a crew of friends. Joffre Lakes is always a beautiful hike to check out, and I have been numerous times.

The trail is fairly easy to manage and very scenic making Joffre Lakes extremely popular. (Note: Camping in Joffre Lakes Provincial Park is only allowed in Upper Joffre Lakes Campground and is only available by reservation).

With friends in from Ontario and also up from Vancouver, we started hiking up on a beautiful Sunday morning. On our way up, we counted 45 campers hiking down that had stayed there overnight (there are not that many campsites available)! Luckily, our Sunday-Monday choice was a good one – we only encountered 2 other camping groups up alongside us.

The trail has crushed gravel placed over two large boulder fields, which makes the hike much faster. We quickly reached the second lake, where we stopped for some fishing and lunch. The second lake holds some very nice small rainbow trout, and the water is so crystal clear that you can target cast for them and watch them take your lure. After that nice break, we ascended to the third lake, which passes by a beautiful waterfall. At the third lake we found a nice spot to set up camp, and took another snack break.

Another unique part to this trip that had me excited compared to years’ past was a new toy I had recently acquired, a 10-stop ND filter, which allows you to take long exposures during broad daylight. Once we reached the third lake and set up camp, we took off and explored the neighbouring glacial streams. My hopes for a clear starry night were squashed by the large cloud cover, but it made for a great sunset which was a joy to watch.

If you live in or near the Sea-to-Sky corridor, Joffre Lakes is a must-do for the area, probably the most bang for your exercise buck in terms of a beautiful hike. In addition to the essential hiking gear, make sure you bring your camera and your fishing rod! (Note: Dogs are no longer allowed in Joffre Lakes).

More information on hiking Joffre Lakes.

For more camping opportunities in this area and all of British Columbia go to https://www.campingrvbc.com/camping/

Share your BC camping pictures using hashtag #Campinbc

Published: November 30th, 2015