Capturing the Art of Nature
Squamish River Valley in the Winter
It was to be a nice day and so we felt it was time to drive the Squamish mainline with the hope of reaching the Elaho.
Category
Serendipitous Discoveries
2013
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The last few trips we made were to the Harrison area and so we felt it was time to return to the Squamish region and renew our familiarity with the sights. The day was expected to be a sunny one which would give us great views of the snow-capped peaks and so we set off for the valley. This early in the season we weren’t expecting to gain much in elevation but we hoped the lower mainline would be clear of snow much like the east Harrison was. So we set off a bit earlier than normal and after the requisite stop for drugs at a Cloverdale Starbucks we made good time to Squamish where we fueled up and tried the local radio repeater. This was now our first disappointment – there was no response from the repeater!
We drove on to the start of the logging road and as we got close I put out a call to my Ham radio friend who lives at the home we were just passing. He responded and told us that the repeater was undergoing repairs and was working in reverse at the moment! I never did get it to respond but John said he would monitor the simplex frequency should we need him. So off we went to see how far we could drive. The road was quite clear at the start and we felt encouraged that we would get some distance in.
We didn’t make many stops as we drove in but we did take time at a wide area next to the river where we have stopped on most trips. By this point the snow was around a foot deep except on the mainline which was plowed! Geoff decided to try driving over the snow in this open and flat area but got only a truck length in before being stopped. It was just too wet and dense to drive. We backed out and then got out and walked to the river for a few photos. Walking was far more successful than driving. The sun offered some nice lighting effects on the far peaks and I was able to gather a number of photos.
Continuing on we drove as far as the B800 side road at which point the plowed road ended, it went up the B800 instead. Looking over the mainline it was obviously the same conditions that stopped us in 20 feet earlier and so we reluctantly concluded that reaching the Elaho would not be possible. So we decided to follow the cleared path up the 800. A short ways in an ATV came barrelling down which gave us some hope that we would find something of interest.
Not very far in the plowing stopped where a swath of trees had wind-fallen across the road. We noticed that they had been recently cut but in such a way that there was an ATV wide gap down the middle of the road. Now we could have pulled a few trees out of the way but on reviewing the road past the trees it was clear that it was not plowed and we wouldn’t get far. So we turned-a-round and back-tracked along the mainline.
We came back to a waterfall that we ignored on the way in but now we stopped to gather some photos of it. Meanwhile Geoff set out for the river and did some target practice. Once done with the photos and the targets we continued our drive back and came by the B300 side road. It was clear and we decided to head on up. This was a new road for us and we were making some good distance along it. There was a further side branch that we took which climbed the slope and soon we were into a few inches of snow which made for a bit of slipping but the over-hanging trees were the bigger problem. So while Geoff drove I got out and cut down a few brush trees to clear the road. We made decent progress and got to a nice view point before the snow got too deep. It being lunch time and the view decent we decided to have our lunch right there. It was at this point I discovered I was missing my hat and that I no longer had protection from the glare. Once done with lunch we carefully backed down the road to where there was another fork that looked interesting. The side fork lead a short distance back to the slope edge where there was a wide flat area with a great view of the valley. It was a popular camping spot and a cemented fire pit had been built, it was quite huge.
Once done with the view we turned around and continued back down just before we reached the end of the section where we first had to clear some trees Geoff spotted my hat on the snow. So we were able to retrieve it after-all. It was unfortunately a bit wet to be worn at first. We returned to the Squamish mainline and a drove back to the B200 branch which we drove up, here we encountered some logging equipment parked along the side. We were able to get up past the spot I had found earlier with a great view of the valley but soon after we were stopped once again by snow. We had passed a truck that had unloaded a pair of snow mobiles which were somewhere up the slope.
Done with the 200 branch we back-tracked to the Ashlu and decided to drive up it. Unfortunately we got only a short distance past the power station before the road became deep with snow. So we reluctantly decided to head out. It was at this point that John called on the radio and invited in for a visit so we left the hills and made for his home – a measly kilometer from the start of the FSR. We had a great visit – he showed us his new quad-copter which he had just received earlier that week. He had it out flying earlier this morning and showed us the video he had captured with it. I was quite impressed with the quality of the gopro camera and the amazing angles he captured while flying the device. I think that one of these would give us some amazing video and be a great addition to our photos of the back-country. After spending an hour with John we resumed our trek home but not until we had refueled with another dose of drugs in Squamish.