Palouse, Washington

Two weeks ago Alaska and 15 degrees.  Today, Washington and 39 degrees!
SCORCHING!!!!!

But, the Palouse is a beautiful area and the wheat is being harvested right now.  We went up and caught the sunset from the top of Steptoe Butte which rises 3612 feet above sea level.  The road spirals to the top getting narrower to the point where there is only room for the parking lot and a set of microwave towers at the top.

Early morning light gives another spectacular perspective as the rolling hills create long shadows.

After the combines have been through there tracks will remain for the winter.

There are few places not planted in wheat or other crops but here and there in some watercourses a few trees manage to grow.

Some trees are planted as well around the farm houses and barns.  The barns here are worth a blog entry on their own but I'll have to get to them later.



Prince Rupert Side Trip

I know, I'm bouncing all over the place here.  When you don't have regular internet you process pictures based on your mood.  Now, while we sweat it out in Merritt I'm cooling myself off by thinking of rainy Prince Rupert.

We went to the North Pacific Cannery museum.  This is the last remaining fish cannery of the era on the Pacific coast.  Once, there were hundreds- but then once there was a lot more fish!

These canneries were isolated communities that were only accessible by boat and once you were there you were pretty much stuck for the duration.  You lived on boardwalks overhanging the beach, shopped in company stores and lived a segregated lifestyle for the most part.  First Nations, Chinese, Japanese and Europeans.  The living quarters reflected the racism and feelings of the time.

This is the net shed where nets were stored and repaired.

Inside the net shed.

Inside a tool shed.

The Japanese fuel dock.

A portion of the boardwalk.

Got cans?

Mmmmm...Salmon!  Mind the lead solder though...

We stopped in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it community called Usk where we photographed one of the smallest churches ever!  Compare the size of the door to the building, the door is normal size.  Inside are four pews- two per side.

Back in the Hazeltons I found this pole set against the Roche de Boule mountains which seem always to be stormy.

Wildlife- Other than Bears!

Yes, we are finding some other types of wildlife on our travels.  I was pleased to get this Black-cap Chickadee at Seely Lake west of New Hazelton.  It was so cooperative I was able to shoot it with my 16-85mm lens!  We do not have these on the Island.

In the Cariboo we found a marshy area where there was a bunch of Greater Yellowlegs feeding in the muddy shoreline. 

And the next small pond had a treat for us as I spotted this loon close in to the shore.

After dinner I noticed this Mule deer right behind our campsite.  Now, this is the reason we started RVing- to be where the wildlife is!  I really liked how she had to smell the flowers!

I stayed far enough away, the advantage of using a 500mm lens, that she became used to me and even settled down for a rest.

 I had seen a buck with her earlier but he was not coming out into the open. I knew if I waited long enough he would get the nerve to join her. I was rewarded for the wait after a couple of hours. A nice two-point in velvet.

As I was drinking my coffee the next morning and listening to a pack of Coyotes off in the trees somewhere I heard a munching noise coming from only a few meters from the open door of the trailer.  I looked up to see both of these deer had spent the night right behind our trailer and were happily eating their breakfast secure in the knowledge that those Coyotes wouldn't venture this close to humans.

Barkerville

OK, I know...a bit of water has flowed under the bridge(s) since we were in Barkerville!

Yesterday we left the Hazeltons for Smithers for a 'Utility' day.  We had the truck serviced which makes us feel like full-timers as the last service was done in Mountain Home, Idaho!  We also did our grocery shopping and a trip to Canadian Tire.  A nice Bakery in Smithers- Paul's- had some Dutch-style cinnamon bread.  Wow!  It is like having a cinnamon bun loaf!  Perhaps we should stop for another one on our way out of town this morning.

The day did give me an opportunity to catch up a bit on my editing too.  Hence, back to Barkerville.

I've always enjoyed visiting Barkerville.  Like Fort Steele in the Kootenays it is a restored town with period actors running the show.  It is an historic BC site so as such it is very tastefully done and not at all what you would call a tourist trap.  It is more of an immersed history lesson with some humour thrown in.

The Stables

Don't forget to walk behind the buildings!

Many of the buildings are open for you to explore.

Workers can bring their children to work but only if they play their part as well!

Panning was the main way to get the gold out but underground work was also done.  Through the use of this waterwheel, which drove a pump to keep the pit dry, and a sluice box a lot of gold became available from the ancient riverbed located 20 meters under the present riverbed.

We're heading east, then south today on a round-about route which may take us down into the lower 48.  From Alaska to Washington!  We should be back in the Cariboo today, tonight may be our last internet for awhile as we'll be dry camping at Green Lake for a few days.

Moricetown

Moricetown is a First Nations community on the Bulkley River where you can watch fishing done in a more or less traditional manner.  In the past spring-type spears were used but now more modern dip nets are employed in much the same way.

It is both fascinating and scary to watch as these people are fishing right on the edge of a raging river at the top of a very narrow and violent gorge.  They are tied at the waist by a rope which from my observations would not prevent them from falling into the water nor would anyone be able to easily pull them back out of the water should they slip.  The rope would merely serve to make recovery of the body somewhat easier.

The reward for their efforts are Spring Salmon and the ones we saw being caught looked to be in the 7-10 Kg. range.  Hauling one of those up the steep rocks and out of the current would be beyond my abilities for sure!  One really has to admire people fishing in this manner!

This guy is smiling now but within five minutes he had pulled an 8 Kg Spring out of the water and was even happier!

Here you might be able to get a sense of the work involved.

And after you get it out of the water you have to get it all the way up the bank!

And now an even happier smile!

Note the rope holding this guy back!  At least this one looked like it would prevent him from being able to reach the water but it would still hurt I bet.

We spent a couple of hours watching these guys and man was it ever exciting!  It's hard to think of the term 'Native Fishery' the same after witnessing how these people do it.

Stewart BC / Hyder, Alaska #2

It's raining today but we still managed to get to the bears and had another sucessful shoot!  I've got about 20 gigs of Grizzlies so I guess it'll take some time to go through them all, lol.

We stopped and took some pictures of Hyder on our way out and visited some of the shops.  There are some interesting characters living way out here but it's fun talking to them!

What do you think of the downtown core?  It's funny, when we went to Waterton National Park in Alberta and took the tour boat down to Glacier National Park in Montana we had to go through US customs.  As we arrived on a boat, albeit a tour boat, we even were required to carry a passport.  Even though no one lived in this part of Montana and there was no way you could walk to anywhere from the US end of the lake there was US customs.  In Hyder- nothing, you just drive through the border.  Coming back into Canada however you must go through customs.  This point of entry is even open 24 hours despite the fact that no one would travel through here at night.  I asked them why this was so and was told that it's because Alaska has no requirements to carry any type of permits for firearms and that their main job was to keep US firearms out of Canada.

Perhaps I should have rephrased my answer when they asked why we were in the US and I told them to shoot the bears...

Ah, the bears!  What fun we're having with those!  Here's a few more for you...

The other day we drove up to Salmon Glacier with Robyn's friend Shannon and shot a few pics.

The alpine area up there is quite pretty as well.

There were some flowers still so now I have some new ones!  I'll have to ID this one later.

This is a snow cone near the Bear Glacier.  We passed it on the way in and Shannon got a nice shot of it but I couldn't really stop because we had the trailer on.  We went back the next day and when I compare my shot to hers you can see why the sign on the highway says 'Avalanche Zone- Year Long' .  There had been an avalanche between her shot and mine and you can see the differences quite easily.  We were not supposed to stop but this shot was worth it.

The light was bad, I was shooting into the sun- again.  I'm hoping the light will be better in the morning when we drive out but the weather has now turned so we'll see.

Stewart, BC / Hyder, Alaska

We arrived here yesterday with Shannon (Spirit of the North magazine), her two boys and her Mom and spent some time shooting Grizzly and Black Bears just outside Hyder.  We then drove up and up and up to the Salmon Glacier.  I'll post some pics of there later as well...I'm just to darn busy right now!

I came here for the bears but was treated to the numerous glaciers, snow-topped mountains and sunshine as a real bonus!

As for the bears, well spectacular comes to mind!  I've got a Grizzly Sow with a 2 year old cub, a Grizzly Boar and a couple Black bears.  Watching the cub is fun with playful antics.

Momma Bear

Momma and cub

A tender moment...

Hide and Seek...

A Boar with breakfast.