Capturing the Art of Nature
Harrison East and Talc Creek
Our goal for the day was to do some snow shoeing in the East Harrison area but the day was dull and cool and the snow high up in the steep zone. So we settled for some bush whacking through the lower slopes
Category
Serendipitous Discoveries
2013
Click on image to view gallery
It had been some time since we last did some serious snow shoe hiking and we felt it would be a good time to try it as the week-end promised some sun and dry weather. So Geoff and I picked the East Harrison area and hoped to hike the Cogburn FSR. When we set out in the morning we were already sensing that our plans were in trouble as the day was dull and overcast – not the best for snow shoe hiking. By the time we reached the Harrison area we were seeing low level clouds as well making it a damp dreary sort of day.
We started up the East Harrison and tuned in the 4x4 radio frequency we quickly heard a group on the radio and after chatting with them we learned that they were on the west side of the lake, so we wouldn’t be joining them. We drove up a number of kilometers and came by a clear spot with a view of the lake. While I was gathering a few shots Geoff heard water off on the opposite side of the road, he spotted a small waterfall and as we felt that we wouldn’t get to snow shoe we decided to bush whack through the underbrush and get to the stream for some photos.
The short hike wasn’t too difficult but the over-growth hid many logs and gaps and one had to be very cautious not to slip into a gap and possibly even break a leg. Once across the swampy lower area we arrived at the stream and found a fallen log which allowed us to cross to the far side where we were able to clear some brambles to open up the view of the small waterfall. It was a fun excursion and I did get a few decent shots of the stream from a few angles. Done with the stream, we returned to the truck while carefully picking our way through the fallen trees.
We continued up the mainline soon Geoff had the thought to give the Talc Creek FSR a try. The last time I was here a gate was locked right at the start of the FSR and we didn’t get to drive it. Today the gate was open and we sailed right through. The road climbs immediately past the gate and starts to follow upstream along Talc Creek. We made some distance along the creek as we slowly gained elevation but by around the 500m point we were stopped by deep snow. This could have been a spot to hike but by now the path forward was steep and Geoff wasn’t much in the mood with the dull weather. So we back-tracked and tried one of the side roads that we had passed on our way in.
This road followed along the Cogburn valley and being on a western slope it was clear of snow until close to 600m. By the time we turn back the snow was still passable but trees had fallen across the way and we could see that the snow depth was rapidly increasing and it wouldn’t be worth the effort to clear trees for a few hundred meters of road. Even so, earlier while Geoff was clearing some fallen trees he managed to fall and bruise his arm badly enough that I actually had to drive the truck for a while until his arm settled down.
We back-tracked to a level spot with a view of the Talc valley and there we stopped to enjoy our warm lunch. Geoff was able to start a small camp fire which gave more smoke than warmth but it was still a pleasant setting for a short stay. Done with lunch we continued back down the side road to the main Talc line and then took another side road which also followed the Cogburn valley but much lower on the slope. Here we soon encountered a large tree fallen across the road. Rather than cut it we decided to try out the new chain we had prepared and drag the tree. It took a few goes as branches kept snapping off under the strain. Once moved with drove up the side road and soon came by a huge moss covered rock.
The rock demanded our attention and so we parked and climbed up on it. The mosses were quite colourful and had many nice textures. I gathered a few images while Geoff explored the far side of the rock, he soon discovered that the far side had a sheer drop of 75 feet to the forest below! Being damp moss one had to be careful not to slip and go for an extended and fast trip to the trees below. We did make it back to the truck safely and as the rest of the road was not drivable we returned to the start of the Talc creek FSR and made our way to Cogburn Creek.
As expected, the Cogburn Creek FSR was gated at the start and as we realized earlier in the day the road at this elevation was quite bare of snow. So we took a few moments to explore the campsites below the main bridge over the creek before starting back down the mainline and our way out. As we drove south we tried the side road leading up Bear creek but found a locked gate before we got far.
We decided to go back to where we had hiked to the small stream and take the road that led to the start of the stream and a small lake. To the north-east of the lake the road continues up a steep rise and one can walk out to a cliff face with a gorgeous view of the small lake and Harrison Lake beyond it. Here we stopped to enjoy the view and gather a few last photos before setting off for home. So even though our day was much different from our initial plans we found numerous interesting sites and had a decent time in the hills.