Monday, May 18, 2009

Traveling the Back Roads!

On Sunday we decided to see if we could make it to the Elk Lakes Provincial Park, about 60km above Elkford on the back road. This road is not maintained at all so it can be rather bumpy!

We stopped for Spencer to have a pee (one of many stops along the way... he's now known as "Fountain Boy") and this little girl was sitting on the side of the road right in front of the Jeep. She let me walk up to her pretty close and take her photo before she took off into the bush.


We climbed from 1150m (the valley's altitude at home in Sparwood) to 1700m (550m or 1804 feet) up the valley to this beautiful plateau about 20km from the Elk Lakes Provincial Park entrance.

The above photo is looking towards the park and the photo below is looking back towards where we had come.

Well needless to say, we made it to within 2 kilometers from the park parking lot. Yup... only 2 kilometers from our destination but we encountered a rather LARGE amount of snow on the last 2 kilometers of road prior. Even though we had the 4x4 on the Jeep, we spotted a low spot ahead on a bend in the road and it was filled with water. Not knowing how deep it was or how soggy the road was underneath, we decided to turn around. So on a little decline we turned around in the ditch and back we went, back toward Elkford again.

We had passed a little area with a mini cabin and two small areas with picnic tables so we stopped for a few pictures. If you look in front of the Jeep, that's how much snow was on the road where we had turned around! A lot.... considering it's the middle of May! Yup.... and that's MUD colouring the side of the Jeep! And lots of it!


My guys.... in "cheese" mode!


Spencer and I. (I'm going to have to teach Todd how to use the close up action on the camera!!!!)


We had packed a dinner meal to prepare on our journey. At mile marker 144 on the trail, we had passed a beautiful user maintained camp site with a view of a gorgeous stream and a picnic table and bathroom. We stopped and got out the Coleman stove and cooked up some yummy sausages on a bun with fried onions and had them with potato chips. It was delicious... especially due to the scenery.

My two characters......


Our "dinner" site.... the river is behind the boys.


On our way back, we stopped at Blue Lake, another user maintained camp site nestled in the bush. We'd been here before in the fall and there was only a puddle of water left the last time. We we overjoyed to see some beautiful but rather cold water in the little lake this time. It was crystal clear!!!

Spencer thought it would be a great idea to go "fishing" so he grabbed a stick and began to fish. Well no sooner did he "cast in his line" when the fish began to break the surface. They continued to splash and make themselves known to him. He was so excited! Little did he know, it was just Daddy throwing stones in the water from behind him.... hahahaha! Daddy did eventually get caught... thanks to Mommy!


Spencer then decided to take his version of a "dip"... he fell in the lake.... so we quickly got him into some dry clothes and off we went, back home.

Another great adventure. I even drove the Jeep most of the way home from our dinner camp site. Gotta love the back roads baby!

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