Canada, eh

After our return from the San Juan Islands, we took a couple days to do some planning and get set up for our trip into Canada, since we knew we would have much less ability to just find places as we went a long (ie no phones). We spent one night in Larrabee State Park, just south of Bellingham and a beautiful drive up the coast from Anacortes. It was a bit cold and drizzled a little through the night, but we still made a fabulous salmon cake dinner with quinoa, and got up in the morning for a nice hike up to Fragrance Lake in the park. Then we drove through Bellingham, stopped for some groceries and a map of Canada, and headed up to Birch Bay, the northernmost park along the coast in Washington.



Hike to Fragrance Lake


Kis standing watch outside the van in Birch Bay

We spent the evening planning our route through Canada, and marking some campsites along the way. We found out that the road past Whistler stays open through October, so we decided we would head up that way out of Vancouver rather than straight east. Friday morning we got up and set out to cross the Canadian border, and spend part of the afternoon in Gastown, Vancouver, where we had a bite to eat and walked around for a bit. Then we headed up the hill towards Whistler, quite a long climb for Bones, and set out for Callagan Provincial Park. What we didn't know was that the park was up a very steep, bumpy dirt road, that did not have any signage. After a couple attempts at what may or may not have been wrong turns, we parked by the side of the road, and holed up for the night.


Driving up the highway towards Whistler


Settled in for an evening of cribbage, which has become a nightly event. Kelsey currently leads Nathan 6-0 in games won, so he is hoping to change that soon. Thanks to Chris and Pam for the great cribbage board!

In the morning we went up to Whistler Village to get a hiking book and map of the area, then set off for the Brandywine Falls hike, which wound it's way by several lakes and finally to a 70m falls that was very beautiful. After the hike we decided to treat ourselves to a drink in Whistler Village, before setting out again to find a campsite.


Hiking to the falls


Brandywine Falls


Whistler Village


Yummy squash soup for dinner in Bones- thanks again to the Kopp family for the great cups!! We are getting a good rhythm down for prepping the camper when we stop, preparing meals and our bed, doing dishes and packing up again.

Sunday morning we headed out for the Joffre Lakes hike, a very very beautiful hike pretty much straight up the side of a mountain, ending at an aqua blue glacier lake. Definitely one of our favorite views so far.



Headed up to Joffre Lakes


Joffre Lake- the photo barely captures the amazing glacier blue of the water and the peaks in the background... Truly breathtaking


We continued our drive north towards Lillooet, and found a nice campsite two nights ago by a creek with stunning views of the mountains. We had the last of the salmon from Clyde, made into a great meal with artichoke beurre blanc and rosemary potatoes on the side. We awoke yesterday to find the sun coming out, basically the first time we had seen it for longer than a few moments since Roach Harbor last week, and had a beautiful drive out of the last of the coastal region, and out into "gold country". We spent the day and night in Ashcroft, it's a lot like Sisters actually, tiny little town with just the right amount of everything we need, and the surrounding of a high desert fell- rolling hills and sagebrush. We are stayed the night at a little RV park by the river, and very much enjoyed an evening free of long johns and down jackets. Next it's on to the Okanagan Valley for a few days of hiking and wine tasting.

A little peek at driving through the mountains of Canada!