Bears, Berries and Ferries - traversing the southern Canadian Cordillera

brianzurek
Aug 6, 2024
5 min read

Its that time of year again - summer vacation time! This year we discussed potential places to go but made no plans - let the winds guide us as they will - like a leaf in the stream our final destination is guided by the whims of the day.

Eva looks up at Mt Robson from the flower patch

Four ferry rides later - where the winds eventually blew us...

Jasper

To get things started we aimed for Jasper - little did we know less than 10 days later the park would be evacuated due to fires, making our memories bitter-sweet what was once there may now be gone.

Day 1 - Eva admires the views.

Having arrived its time to gear up

On approach we look for walls to climb

Perhaps up there? Eva asks...

Brian eager as a Canadian beaver says "let's do it!"

Not distracted by the scenery behind Eva focuses on what lies ahead

Eva tackles a corner while Mt Edith Cavell looms in the background

high up above the valley floor

After a full day on the wall Eva searches for some deeper water to take a swim and cool off.

Followed by a yummy healthy dinner

Rockies to the Coastal Range

The crowds of Jasper in combination with higher temps led us out of Alberta, across the interior of BC to the coast.

Not knowing what to come Brian is impressed with the waterfall

A stop at Wells Gray Prov park is whats to come...

A park known for its waterfalls - like this one

this one

this one even has a rainbow!

and of course swimming

As the heat rollls in its time for some ice cream! Thats a double scoop for Brian

and of course some swimming!

and more swimming

Brian sucks in the stomach and poses for the camera...

Eva not impressed dips her foot in the water

and enjoys the last light of the day.

Followed by a quick stop in Squamish, Brian gets a crack

and Eva gets a crack

Powell River and the Sunshine Coast

Our Squamish stop was quick as we had places to be - mainly a ferry journey over the sunshine coast!

Waiting in line to board the ferry #1 (Horseshoe Bay - Langdale)

Eva enjoys the view

another day another ferry #2 (Earls Cove - Saltery Bay)

Stop 1 - the beach

Eva looks for pearls in the oyster beds

Perhaps she finds one?

or is it just a shell?

off to search for places to climb

Brian thinks he finds the perfect crack!

Eva content after a day climbing by the sea

Before finding a home for the next few nights

Is that fish for dinner?

T&G enjoy the view

Must we watch another sunset?

flower blocks the view

Better yet. let's get some berries!

not enough - even more berries!

having eaten ALL the berries we head back to the coast

Eva looks for whales

only to find a poopy sea lion

Not another sunset! that one has to be AI

full moon glows like the sun

more ice cream

and of course swimming!

after Brian almost gets eaten by a plant we know its time to move on

Vancouver Island better known simply as 'the Island'

Time for Ferry #3 - Powell river to Comex

The ferry on its way to port

Brian scouts the way ahead for whales

that's a boat - he says with great amusement at his ability to identify a boat over a whale

Eva quick to her toes states - now that's a whale!

Now over on 'the Island" its just birds

and fools who photograph birds....

Eventually we found a place to climb - rumour has it you have to go down to go up?!

looks like someone even built a dock to keep you dry

would appear Brian didn't get that memo.... hmmmm.

In the interior, Eva takes in the views - an island, in a lake, on the Island, in the ocean.

Are these ok to eat?

and how do we find our way to the climbs if they are on hidden walls?

Eva finds a crack

while Brian wonders where to go next

Meanwhile Eva finds time to play 'the Yuke' on 'the Island'

and works the rainforest catwalk in her sunday best

Brian on the other hand appears to have not fully recovered from that incident at 'the Lake'

No visit to the Island would be complete without a visit to the worlds largerst burl - otherwise known as 'the Burl'

unimpressed with 'the Burl' Brian gets an order of the worlds largest fish and chips

all I can ask is, what is Brian wearing?

of course! he is in his taking pictures of sunsets outfit... we should have known.

Bella Coola

Ferry #4 - Port Hardy to Bella Coola, this is a biggy 300km and 10hrs the whole time surrounded by the coast mountains and the perfect weather we have had to date surely this will be an adventure of a lifetime!

skies look a little gray...

van stowed...

the Northern Sea Wolf

Eva appropriatly dressed...

view out back

coast guard keeps on eye on us

who is watching who???

Happy to be back on land - G is for the color Green.

Previous ferry boats

Fish for dinner!

At the visitor center the nice young lady kept referencing downtown - downtown..

too wet to climb but definitely no shortage of areas to explore

explore

explore some more

and some more

Finally!

We find a big tree

Maybe there is a bear out there?

Perhaps something is moving over there?!

Bears!

Rumour has it eventually the sun cleared out and a few walls dried Brian might have found the perfect finger crack into a roof - having blasted the finger crack and made into the roof Brian might have had a premonition on the last move to try and dyno to a hand crack - this may or may not have ended poorly for Brian's shoulder but since we have no photos we will sadly never really know!