After gathering some photos we drove along a few other short spurs to see if they offered any viewpoints. Then it was back to the main road and further in. We soon came to the branch the leads to Deer Lake but it was washed out a number of years ago and so the road didn't go far. Back on the main we started climbing and soon came by a small creek that crossed the road. Geoff got out and climbed along it for some distance to get some shots, I stayed on the road and concentrated on the tiny waterfall it created. Then it was back on the road and climbing. Unfortunately we were stopped by snow within another kilometer. So we retraced our path to the lowest point and took a side road through some marshy areas to a second set of transmission lines.

As we made our way along the side road, we were blocked by a senior and his wife collecting firewood. We chatted for a few minutes, they told us that they loved the bush and that he has been coming here for many years to collect wood and clear some of the deadfall. Once across the lowlands we traced the hydro service road up the slope to check out some viewpoints we could see further up the line. The road was very steep in one place and I wasn't sure we could traverse it, but Geoff felt quite confident and so up we went. I am glad we did because some of our best photos were taken just past that rise, next to a tower on an overlook. We stopped for some photos and then continued up the service road a ways until we reached another steep wet area that we thought would be best trying another day. So we retraced our path and then continued along the service road through more lowland and mud before the road connected back to the main FSR.

The sights we saw were quite good but we were only able to get in a few kilometers. The snow blocked us from the bulk of the road so we put a return trip on our calendar for next month. We got back to the highway and drove into Hope for a late lunch - we found the Blue Moose Coffee House. It was quite a chic little eatery, a bit of a surprise to me considering the smallness of the town. After lunch we returned to the highway and tried the next FSR - Garnet Creek. We didn't get far in before we were again stopped by snow. Then we had trouble with our transmission, it wouldn't to go into first. Geoff got under the truck and reseated a few of the wires connected to the transmission and we were soon back in good shape. A few more photos were gathered and then it was time to head back. Another road to explore later in the season.

It was while I was taking tree photos that Ethan confirmed that we had a tire puncture. We still had a usable amount of air in the tire and decided that changing it here in the mud was to be avoided if possible. So we got back in the truck and drove the few miles to the freeway interchange we were on earlier as there were a few service stations there. The paved area of the station made it easier for us while we changed the tire. So this cut our adventure short and once the spare was installed we set off for home. Being tired and wet with the continuing poor weather made it an easy decision. 

So it wasn't the best of trips but I did enjoy a few of the views from the higher elevations and look forward to a return trip when I can better see the valley. I could wish for more public access along the road to the views as it seems that most spots have become private property leaving visitors no access to the views.

Once parked, we set up the cross-band repeater radio that I use for hiking safety. The deep snow made it a challenge for finding suitable anchor points for the guys ropes. So we just kept the height to a minimum. Then we were off on our footed adventure. Just past where we were stopped in the truck there is an side-road to an area the usually becomes the drop-off point for ATV's and as I hadn't been in it before we decided to see what it might offer. We were surprised to find that the road continues past a small berme and right over the actual Airplane Creek via a heavily decayed bridge. The road continued on up the slope to parallel Foley Creek. Since it was a new area to me we decided to keep going and see what we would find.

The snow was fairly deep and made for slow going but the snowshoes worked well and we had a good time making our way up the road. We unfortunately didn't get high enough to get to some good viewpoints and had to make do with partially obscured views of two different peaks. After a couple of kilometers of hiking in the snow, we reached a southern exposed stretch of the road which was bare, so we ended up hiking the final third of our hike carrying our snowshoes. By the time we reached deep snow again the wind had picked up and the temperature was dropping so we decided to stop at that point, capture a few shots and then head back. The return trip went so much faster as we were almost skiing down the slope!

Once back to the truck we packed up the ham radio and were soon ready to depart. We were quite relieved to find the truck take off and get onto the road with no problem. I really didn't want to have to dig it out again! So it was a pleasant hike though a bit lacking in photo ops.

After exploring the lake we stopped near the truck for a bit of lunch then we continued north along the river on towards the dam. We learned that the river flow and lake level was lower than normal for some maintenance. This gave us a few different sights of the river which would normally be submerged and not visible. There was still ice covering a large section of the river and an old tug boat was frozen in its midst. While walking we came to a hydro exhibition area where they had samples of transmission towers, transformers and other power related items with some explanatory commentary. It was quite interesting and offered a few unique photo ops. We then made our way to the dam/generating station which we discovered was a museum and actually open. The person on duty encouraged us to buy a ticket and view the exhibits but as it was getting late we took a rain check so we could get out and capture a few more images before the light was lost.

We walked back to the truck and set out for the Stave Lake mud flats where 4x4s go to run in the mud. The area was still quite hard and frozen but there were numerous determined groups out there camping and enjoying a camp fire. It was getting later and we wanted to see more of Hayward Lake, so we didn't stay long. We drove back to the main road and made our way to the south end of Hayward lake. There we found a second dam and generating station. This one was quite interesting as it had a one lane bridge along the top of the dam which forced cars to take turns as to which direction was active. While there I noticed that there was a fair amount of traffic crossing the dam and all without problems or electronic control devices. I got a few interest shots of the dam and area before we continued south to head home. 

We drove past the south Stave River area which is a large area of wetlands which look like they would have a lot of birds during the warmer parts of the year. This section looked moderately accessible and will need its own return visit some day. Once past the wetlands we arrived at Highway 7 and quickly made our way back across the Fraser river and on to home. The weather had definitely worsened by this point and so I was glad that we were done for the day. We stopped at Tim Horton's in Abbotsford to warm up a bit before continuing home. Though we didn't see much of our primary objective we did discover Hayward Lake which neither of us had seen before. It was well worth the time to visit and will be worth returning to. So all told, I ended up with several more places to visit again, it seems one cannot exhaust the number of areas to explore even within the small Fraser valley region, and there is a whole province to explore!

We decided to drive around to the main entrance to the park and explore the actual Falls from there. We were shocked to find the price of entry was $5.00 a person but we were here and so we paid it and parked so we could explore the Falls. We made our way along the well groomed trail to Hillton Falls enjoying the colours and fresh air. At one point Mike noticed some small birds flittering in the nearby trees. He held out his hand with some seeds and soon they were quite willing to eat out of his hand. After enjoying the birds for a few minutes we continued along to the Falls.

Once at the Falls, we scouted the area for some good angles and soon found ourselves at the bottom looking up at the water fall. Though not a very big drop, it still has a majestic quality to it. I was able to capture a number of different angles and exposure settings of the creek. The whole rock face was seeping with water which was also very pretty. Once we had all gathered a number of images and explored the creek from all sides, we set off downstream to an old viewpoint Steve remembered from years back. We found the spot but the view was over-grown so we didn't have the desired scene.

We climbed back up the escarpment and found a plaque describing a circular hole that had been formed by the creek in years past. Then it was back to the trail and the walk to the car. It was a lovely setting and a good first day out in the trees for this trip. The differences between the forests in BC and here are quite amazing and though there aren't the huge mountains , the subtleness of the hills here pack an amazing amount of grandeur into the area, and it is often more accessible.

We returned to the trail and made our way further along not stopping until we got to the side trail that led to the main overhang prior to the point. The sun was just right to bring out the dense colours of the trees this morning. It was an amazing view, leaves ranging in colour from strong rich greens through yellows, oranges and deep reds. It was so beautiful I could have stayed there for hours. But we had a dead-line - Luke had a birthday party to get to by 3pm! We continued on to the actual point and grabbed some more photos. Once we had enjoyed the scene and refreshed our souls, we set off back to the car. Due to the time constraint we had decided to remain on the top of the gorge this year and not do the circle route like we did last year.

Soon we were back at the car and we drove around to the Webster side parking lot. This lot was almost full and we just managed to snag a stall after it was vacated. There were attendants collecting fees on this side this morning but we had paid at the other side and so we were waved through. It wasn't until later that Mike remembered that he had an annual membership and didn't need to pay anything! Oh, well, the extra fiver goes to a useful cause. After parking we set off for a top view of Webster's Fall. The flow volume was much higher this year and looking at the bottom we could see that the places we collected images from last year would not be accessible so we decided to remain at the top. 

After collecting a few images we moved further along and found a small trail down to the cliff edge which we followed and found the photographer we met at Tews grabbing some photos here. This time we had a lovely chat with him, Mike spent quite awhile chatting while I took my photos. He had a Nikon camera and through our chatting we learned that he was hoping to own a 70-200mm one day. I pulled out mine and let him try a few shots with it. I think that made his day, of course now he wants that lens even more.

After a few more images I packed up and we returned to the car so we could get Luke to the party he was invited to. Once we had dropped him off, Mike and I decided to find a restaurant for a late lunch. We had a good meal and then set off back to Grimsby. Later this evening Mike's eldest daughter would be celebrating her 16th birthday and we would have a chance to meet more of the extended family. It was a good day of hiking and picture taking and family fellowship over a home cooked meal.

After I had taken a number of photos with my regular zoom lens, I needed to change to my long lens but changing them at the bluff would have damaged my camera due to the grit. So I had to pack up and trek back to the car to change lenses and then return to the cliff edge to take the shots. It was disruptive of my concentration but necessary. Sometimes technology must be babied to keep it safe. Once I had collected a number of telephoto shots I returned to the road and found the stand of colour across a field to the west of the road. I had been a bit disappointed up to this point in the lack of colour, but here I found it and this field had been harvested so I had a good view of the trees.

As I completed the shots across the field another photographer drove up and parked. He shot wildlife and had some gorgeous long lenses and heavy tripods. He hauled them out and walked to the cliff face where he set up to capture some birds. He said that a group of hawks were just down the shore and slowly making their way this way. So he was getting ready for their arrival. By now the day had gotten a bit duller and we had seen enough of the cliff so we returned to the main road. I had hoped to stop at a few more sites but the day had deteriorated enough to make me want to get back to my warm room at the inn, so we set off back there and spent the rest of the day relaxing with a nice book.

Next I set off back to the car to head out but when I got there I noticed a hiking trail across the road. It was a continuation of the park and so I decided to hike it for a short ways to see what views I might find along it. The first part of the path runs along the edge of a private house and yard, they had put up numerous signs pointing out that the trail went one way and going the other put you on private land. They obviously get a lot of people losing the trail and crossing their land in error. The trail was restful and offered some interesting sights but it got deep into the trees and didn't open up into any views - at least for the distance I walked. By now I was getting quick tired and my inspiration for photo taking was rapidly diminishing. The sun was also getting low reducing the light levels too much for decent photographs - it was too breezy for slow shutter speeds. I returned along the way I came and returned to the car. The park was definitely interesting and I need to return a bit earlier in the day so I can walk the whole trail as I do think it opens up to a view of fields not much past where I turned back.

I got back on the road and decided to head back to the Inn but not directly. I wanted to drive through a few of the smaller towns mentioned on the map to see if they had anything of interest. The first of these was Wallacetown followed by Iona. Next came Shedden and Fingal. These last two both looked interesting and seemed to have some potential angles to explore but I was definitely beyond interest in photo taking by now so I didn't find anything inspiring to stop me long enough to grab some photos. A shame really because they were both interesting little villages. A return visit is definitely in order. I think I should plan a day trip to all the small villages around the port just to capture the essence of them.

Once out of Fingal the clouds had thickened and were starting to spit at me . So it seems that my timing was quite good for the day and I got back not much before the rain started in earnest. Over-all it was a very successful day for photography and I did manage to find some excellent scenes to capture.

I finally arrived at the conservation area and enjoyed a lovely view of Silver Creek and the colourful hillside as it wanders between two ridgelines of the escarpment. After driving to the ridge over-looking the creek I discovered that I had arrived at a crossing of the Bruce Trail. The weather was good and the area looked inviting so I parked the car and set out on the trail in a north-easterly direction. The trail at this point is at the top of a ridge and offered a few spots looking down on the creek. Unfortunately most of the viewpoints were over-grown so they didn't offer much for panoramic photos. The trail made its way over rough stone that was well weathered over the years. Being Fall, the trail was covered in leaves which made its own beauty and I was able to get a number of shots of the trail itself. I tried a side trail that looped back to the main one but half way along I lost my way due to the trail being covered by the leaves. Fortunately it was only a short distance from the main trail and I cut across the distance and was soon back on the main path and heading back to the car. There were quite a number of couples and families with dogs out walking the trail which seemed to make it all the more inviting.

After I had worn out the limits of my back I returned to the car and set off back to the Inn. I decided to drive through the small town of Erin and saw many people milling about having recently left their church services. I stayed on the main road where I saw a number of interesting stores to explore some day but I didn't see any photo ops here. Soon I was back at the Inn where Carolyn and I set out to find a place for a late lunch. 

After lunch at the second mill in the town we returned to the room and I went out to capture some shots of the mill dam and waterfall. Though not a very high drop it did have a decent flow of water and I spent some time trying to capture a decent image of it. I was badly hampered by the lack of a neutral density filter which left me unhappy with the images I took of the falls. I will definitely need to make it a priority to get a filter. Once done at the falls I wandered the grounds of the inn for a bit and then returned to the room to get a bit of rest before dinner. It was a good day and opened a new area of interest for me in Ontario. I will need to return here next year to see more of the region.
So the stay in Ontario was nearly done and I was able to get out on 5 days for picture taking. Perhaps not as many as I would have liked but the colours this year were great and the trip was a success. I guess I will just need to return next year, and find some more sights to explore.

The beauty of today's visit is that we were by ourselves. Half way through our stay a small boat made its way in and dropped off two people for a short visit, and as we were heading back to our truck a dirt bike came down the road for a quick look. So it was very quiet and pleasant for photo gathering.

The first area we explored was along the western edge of Macs cove. This edge leads to a point that I had wanted to reach on previous visits but it wasn't an easy traverse. As the lake level was quite low this time of year, the path along the edge was much easier to walk so it was a good day to make our way along the edge out to the point. We quickly walked out over the exposed and hence dry rocks to the point where we could look back at the cove and campsite area. After collecting a number of shots we stopped to eat a bit of a snack and then set off back along the rocks to the main beach area. Our next area was to walk out along the main jut of land that separates Macs from Cooks cove. I have been out here each of my prior visits but the narrow sliver of rock has always presented me with lovely sights to capture. I really love the thick moss ground cover as it makes walking quite gentle.

After a number of stops along the outcrop I reached the end and settled down to enjoy the view for a few minutes. It really is a lovely sight. I also worked a repeater with my hand-held radio to see how reception was from here. It seemed quite usable as I chatted with Carolyn at home for a few moments. We then made our way back and continued east along the main area of Cooks Cove. I decided to not go any further up the beach for today's visit and so after a few shots from the beach we set off back to the truck to eat lunch and then head out.

On the way out we decided to try a side road to see how far up into the hills we could go but we didn't get very far. The road quickly became impassible due to snow and ice. So we returned to the main FSR and made our way out. We stopped at the small park on the side of the lake just below where the FSR starts and gathered a few more shots from lake level of the town of Harrison and some of the homes and islets nearby. After that we drove into town where Ethan booked a stay at the Harrison Resort. I felt a bit out of place as our truck was covered in mud and we weren't exactly in the best of attire, but the hotel staff accepted us as we were and gladly took the reservation. I did sense a sigh of relief from their valets as we drove off!