Living the Dream...: Friday and Saturday, July 22 and 23, 2016 (North Thompson River Provincial Park, Clearwater, BC)

After our coffee this morning, we decided we should do our resistance exercises...it has been awhile! So by the time that was over with, we'd both had showers and breakfast...well, it was after 11:00. The generator decided to start making a strange noise last night, so Steve decided we had better not use it until we can get it checked out in Edmonton. That basically meant no watching the "big" TV...and worst of all...no hair dryer use for me! Sheesh! Our four 6 year old batteries have reached the end of their lifespan so we'll replace those when we get to Alberta...no tax!

Steve decided to knock off a few chores around the trailer, washing windows and topping off the battery fluid levels ...while I got to work on blog updates.

About mid afternoon, we started hearing the distant rumble of thunder...and, although pretty treed, could see some dark clouds moving in. After a bit, Steve, who had been sitting outside under the awning, said that it was starting to rain...I thought "a few pitter patters...no big deal" after all there was a 0% chance of rain today. HA! A few minutes later, the sky opened up with a torrential downpour! It just poured...and there was even a little hail mixed in!

Well, I managed to get all caught up on the blog...and other than that and Steve puttering around, that was our day. After dinner, we did get out for a walk around the campground. We checked out the North Thompson River...

A nice big day use area...

And a big playground for the kids (or grandkids)...

Saturday morning, after our coffee, and a quick breakfast, we got ourselves cleaned up and ready to head out to do some exploring.

The town of Clearwater is just 5km up the highway...another bridge over the North Thompson River...

Our first stop was at the Wells Gray Provincial Park Visitors Centre. We asked about popular hiking trails and must see spots for the day...

With a plan in place for the day, we left the centre, but before we started on the drive into the park, we needed a lunch. We obviously were not in-tuned to what we might be doing today because we left the trailer without packing a lunch! What were we thinking? Sheesh! Oh well, a quick trip to the local grocery store's deli where we picked up sandwiches and chips...and we were good to go.

And we were on our way...

To start our adventure in the park, we decided to drive to the end of the pavement, about 45 minutes, to Helmcken Falls and make stops on the way back.

Helmcken Falls is a 141 meter (463') waterfall on the Murtle River. Niagara Falls is only 173 feet high.
The protection of Helmcken Falls was one of the reasons for the creation of Wells Gray Provincial Park in 1939.

Helmcken Falls is the fourth highest waterfall in Canada, measured by a total straight drop without a break.

Canyon wall...

Very spectacular!

(Click to enlarge photos)

By this time, it was almost noon, so we decided to have our lunch here...

One thing we were very disappointed in was the maintenance of the park, especially the roads with frost heaves and pot holes. Even the parking lot entrance was full of pot holes. Our provincial government has really dropped the ball on this. We would like to know where our tax dollars are being spent. Wells Gray Park is a world renown park with thousands of North American and European tourists coming every year to camp and hike in this lush wilderness. As a matter of fact, I'd say that 90% of the RV's we saw were Class C Motorhome rentals...and we actually heard very little English being spoken while out on the trails and visiting the waterfalls.
We were here 20 years ago and don't recall it being like this. Needless to say, it was a slow, bumpy ride for us in Buster! Many parts of the road were worse than anything we experienced on our Alaska trip. Although we saw many tourist RV's we would never take our home on this roadway to the park campgrounds. So glad we are staying at North Thompson Provincial Park.

This isn't even the worst part of the road... Okay...our rant is over.

This is a bridge near Dawson Falls...

We stopped to get some pictures from the bridge...

Then we continued on to the parking lot for Dawson Falls. It was a good 10 minute hike to this incredible view. 18 meters high (59')

The trail goes to a spot above the falls...

There is the bridge we had stopped at earlier...

Wells Gray Guest Ranch...

Next stop was Moul Falls...and our longest hike of the day.

There is a sign on that bridge saying that it's private property...the fellow is setting up a camera, not sure what he is taking pictures of...

We made it to the overlook of the falls...see the people down there? I thought that was the end of the trail...but no, there are people down there! We have to continue...down!

Top of the falls...

Above the falls...

On our way down...

Wow!

To get to the other side you have to walk under the falls...

Too wet and windy for us...

The last stretch was a stairway down. I didn't know if I wanted to continue down or not. I had already slipped on the slippery trail. But Steve continued on...I did too, but was quite a ways behind him...

The falls are 35 meter high (115')

I made it to the bottom of the stairs but did not continue down the wet slippery section...you know me, I'm an accident waiting to happen!

Time to head back...that's the trail below...

Just over an hour and a half and 6 km later we were back in the truck...hot and tired! Whew! That was a great hike!

Looking down from a roadway bridge viewpoint...

Looking across from the other side of the bridge...

Next stop was a spot called The Shadden..,a beautiful spot to view the Clearwater River Valley...

Our final stop in Wells Gray Park today was Spahats Falls. Viewing platform top right...

Spectacular! 73 meters high (240') Still higher than Niagara Falls...

Mini falls seeping from the side of the canyon wall...

After a great day hiking and seeing spectacular scenery, we decided to treat ourselves to a brew at the local pub in Clearwater...

After a toast to a fabulous day, we finished our beer and before heading home, took a drive through downtown Clearwater. We crossed the North Thompson River again...