Exploring Marble Canyon

There aren't too many things I enjoy more than camping with friends. Every year we have our annual camping trip with the Klassens and the Veers and every year we choose somewhere new to explore. This year we chose Marble Canyon.

Marble Canyon has always intrigued me...from the incredible limestone cliffs to the ancient rock paintings to the three beautiful lakes in the canyon...we just had to take some time to check it out. We were not disappointed.


(click on the balloon for captions)

Our first evening there we were just in awe of the cliffs all around us. The turquoise lakes were incredible and we knew there were caches in the area just waiting for us to find.

The next morning we hit the ground running. The boys decided to go fishing (big surprise) while the girls and I decided to go pictographing and geocaching. Imagine our excitement when we realized that the first cache we decided to find was called "Ancient Art." We anticipated a find near some rock paintings and we were right. Wow... they never cease to amaze me....oh, and we found the cache too! My two favourite things together in one place! What could be better? We continued caching all the way to Lillooet and Seton Lake. The caches in the town of Lillooet are so well done, most of them teaching a history lesson or some geography. We learned about the Hanging Tree, Judge Begbie, the Bridge of 23 Camels and Chinese Rock Pilings. It was a great day for caching. Meanwhile our guys had a great day too, catching some awesome fish and anxious for more "lake time" the next day!

On our 2nd day we decided to hike around the two smaller lakes by our campsite: Crown and Turquoise. Turquoise Lake was an easy walk but when we started around Crown Lake we got a little more than we bargained for. High above the lake on a little goat trail was somewhat disconcerting to say the least but we perservered. We knew that we were heading towards a waterfall, where they do 'ice-climbing' in the winter, but we weren't sure if we were on the right trail. Little by little we heard the unmistakable sounds of rushing water. As we went up a little side trail and through the forest we were shocked to see the forest floor strewn with massive ice boulders! Broken off as the waterfall melts, they reminded us of the power of nature and that just maybe we shouldn't linger too long! We took our photos and marvelled at how cold it was there under the half frozen falls...even though everywhere else it was 20 degrees and sunny. It was awesome and well worth the hike.

Late that afternoon we decided to take some photos of the marmots that lived in the cliffs across from our campsite. The sun was setting and the lighting was perfect. While we were watching them perform unbelievable feats of climbing Joan said to me, "Am I crazy or does that look like a pictograph." Sure enough, just below the crevasse where a marmot had hidden was a painting! Not recorded in any documents that I've read, we were pretty excited about our unexpected discovery!

All too soon it was time to go home. Tony & I decided to take the scenic route and went home on Highway 12. It sure was scenic too...we saw an amazing herd of Bighorn Sheep and one more set of paintings that we hadn't yet seen.

And that was our trip to Marble Canyon. We're definitely going back!

A Little Caching on the Prairie

I know this Blog is supposed to be about our travels around BC but I just couldn't resist throwing this entry into mix. My latest trip (sans hubby) took me to visit my great friend in Burr, Saskatchewan. Having found most of my caches exclusively on the West Coast I was really looking forward to seeing how caching on the flat, dry, scrubby landscape of the Prairies measured up to caching in the wet, thick forests of the Coast.

It sure was different but was it ever awesome!

My very first Cache in SK was called Christ Church. A tiny little church by Patience Lake with a wonderful history lesson, it was a perfect, easy find to start my geocaching vacation on the right note.



The morning after I arrived we were greeted with about 4 inches of new snow!! We were going to go caching today! Well the first thing that I learned about Prairie people... a little snow stops nobody. We found 5 caches that day and it didn't quit snowing once! Pretty darn proud of myself!

Our next caching day took us to Lanigan, Jansen and Guernsey. I am embarrassed to admit that I thought all prairie caches would be easy to find...really how hard could it be? Was I ever wrong. After I spent 1/2 hour searching in the scrub bushes (and DNFed I might add) I have to admit that there are some pretty creative ways to hide a cache that I hadn't even thought of before this. No rotting logs or stumps for these cachers! And no geo-trails! I had no idea how much I relied on spotting that tell-tale trail. That's probably not a good thing.

On Saturday night we went to an Earth Day supper in the Burr Hall. It was a very appropriate celebration considering that we had been spending most of our time enjoying the outdoors and while we were there I was fortunate to visit a little with "Mac5." An avid cacher, who owns the local Health Food Store, she was more than willing to talk with us and dish out more than enough hints for some caches we just couldn't seem to track down. It was so awesome to talk caching with someone I hadn't met before! If you're reading this it was so nice to meet you and thanks for the help!

All too soon my holiday was over. I left behind a few travelbugs and coins, made a few new friends & converts, hid a new cache and gained a new appreciation for cachers on the Prairie.

Caching our Way to Cache Creek

I love the Fraser Canyon and I love the beautiful simplicity of the towns along the way. So when Tony asked me if I wanted to take a little road trip to Cache Creek I didn't even need to think about my answer. "When do we leave" was the only thing I was thinking.

A few days later with the 4Runner packed, a hotel room booked and the GPS loaded we were on our way.



We got an early start and by 8am we were finding our first two caches in Bridal Falls. It sure is nice to cache when there is no one around!

We continued caching through Hope and Yale and by 9:30am we were in Lytton. We had previously grabbed the two caches on the highway above Lytton, but we never seemed to have the time to go into the town itself. I was so glad we did this time. The sun was shining and, being a Sunday morning, there was no one around. It was so peaceful and tranquil. I don't know what it is about towns like this... for me it seems like the past is almost palpable and the history is in the air. I want to soak it all in.

The first cache we got was "Going Postal"... OK, that was wierd, but fun! After that we did a Earthcache called "Lytton Jelly Roll." This is why I love earthcaching. It was so interesting and there's no way we would have ever seen this without another geocacher to point it out to us. Very cool. I should mention that while we were finding the Lytton caches we were also finding clues to solve the puzzle cache "Nlaka'pamux." What a great puzzle (I love learning new things)! After we found the final we ended up spending another 1/2 hour there watching a large sheep herd on the side hill across from us. It was incredible.

When we got to Cache Creek we had some time to kill before we checked in so we decided to drive above the garbage dump. I know it sounds wierd but if you want wildlife photos this is often the place to go. We weren't disappointed. I have never seen so many eagles in one place and before I knew it we had taken over 50 pictures!

The next morning we decided to grab the cache by Hat Creek Ranch called "Boo!" I won't spoil it for you but this one gave me the biggest laugh all weekend. Well done... I love it when cachers use their imaginations!

All too soon it was time to go home. We saved a couple of caches in Boston Bar for the next day but it sure was sad to realize that there are almost no caches left in the Canyon for us to find.

So for all of you who are Canyon Cachers I'd like to say, "Thank you so much and whenever you're ready... I'm ready for more!"

It's Just a Number....Isn't it?

I've been geocaching for just over 2 years now. This hobby has taken me to places I never knew existed, on hikes I never would have attempted and trips I never would have considered. Soon I will be closing in on that 1000 mark and I gotta admit... I think that's pretty amazing.

I know - it's just a number.....

A couple of weeks ago I spent the day caching with goinggone in Bellingham. First of all let me just say that that is the most organized cacher I have ever met in my life! Between the palm pilot, the GPS and his notebook with hand-written notes on which streets to take, I was kept busy! There was no "I'll just come along for the drive" on this caching day. And don't forget to stamp the cache notes with the "Found" stamp! By 3 that afternoon I had broke my record of 17 caches in one day. Thanks goinggone! What an awesome day and now my record is 26!I know - it's just a number....

The very next day I went to Deep Cove to hike the Baden Powell trail with my friend Carol. With our lunches packed and caches loaded in the GPS we set off in the pouring rain. I wouldn't even consider going to the mall if it was raining but I'll hike for 5 kms if it means I might find one more cache. The hide (GC323A Deep Down Below) proved to be a bit tricky but in the end Carol said those three little words that have come to mean so much to me... "I found it!" One more find.

I know - it's just a number....

Isn't it?

One Van, Two GPSs and Six Women

What happens when you put six geo-caching friends together in one van? And then drive all the way to Fairmont Hotsprings and back?

A trip I will never forget!

I have never seen so many beautiful places in one week. And, I am sorry to say, it was wonderful travelling without any men! We could stop as many times as we wanted and not hear those travelling excuses that all men love to impart on their women...

"Oh, did you want to stop?"

"But then all those semis I passed will get in front of us!"
"You want to stop again?"
"You just went to the bathroom!"

We love them but, honestly, what are we racing for?

We decided to take the scenic route to the Kootenays, travelling along the Crowsnest Highway. It's curvy but so amazing.... full of history and views that belong on a postcard.

It would be a pretty lengthy blog if I wrote about every day so I'll share just a few of the many highlights.

On the first day we decided to take the Old Hedley Road between Princeton and Hedley. There are a few caches along this road but what I love about this route is the many pictographs you can see along the way. To experience a tangible, touchable piece of history painted there on the rock gives me goosebumps every time. I try to imagine what the artist had to say but I must admit that I love the mystery just as well.

There are over 15 different sites, some that you can see without even getting out of your vehicle. We didn't stop for too many this time but we did make sure to stop for my favourite.... the Drowned Warrior paintings. The four paintings depicted on this cliff wall supposedly tell the story of a young warrior who drowned while canoeing. See....I'm getting goosebumps again.

Close to Greenwood we made sure we stopped to look for a cache called "Look at all Those Flags!" We wondered at this seemingly misplaced tunnel. It wasn't until we got home that we discovered the story behind British Columbia's very own Sphinx.

After an amazing dinner of authentic Ukrainian food and a sleepover in Grand Forks we continued on to Fairmont. We made stops at Christina Lake, Kettle Valley Gorge and of course, the Goat Mountain Soap Company in Yahk.

Fairmont Hotsprings is a wonderful place to have a base camp when you're exploring the Kootenays. Every day one of had our "Princess Day" and got to choose where we would travel to next. From shopping the Bavarian shops in Kimberley to stepping back in time in Fort Steele... every day was a truly unique experience.

If you're a geocacher like us you really have to experience all the earthcaches that are here. Published mostly by locals, who know the area best, they take you to the most amazing places. Once you have stood under a warm waterfall or sat in a real hotspring beside a mountain stream you will be looking for the next nearest earthcache, believe me.

On our last day we decided to do a couple of good hikes. The hoodoos near Fairmont are some of the most incredible examples of geological formations in the province. We decided to hike to the top of them and found the three caches hidden at the top as well. Those finds were well worth it! My pictures don't do justice to the uniqueness of this place, you just have to go see them for yourself. Amazing!

So those are a few of the highlights...
What a wonderful trip this was with my friends. Visiting, caching, eating and making memories.

Memories to last a lifetime!

27 Years!

Our latest trip was an annual event for us. It was our 27th wedding anniversary and we went on our favourite kind of trip... a DA trip.




Now if you've read my other blog you already know what DA stands for - it means drive aimlessly.

That is a bit of an overstatement... we do have a plan of sorts. But normally we set a particular destination in mind and then we just head in that general direction. Often (and I mean often) the road will have other little roads attached to it... those roads just beg to be explored. There may be a geocache (or two or three) along the way. OK who am I kidding? I plan the entire trip around finding geocaches alright?

Where we sleep the first night is usually a mystery and we love our trusty 4Runner and SUV tent. Best invention!

This trip took us to the area around Barriere and Maclure. After the devastating forest fires there a few years ago we wanted to see what it looked like now. It was pretty amazing to see... I had no idea the fire was so big and that it jumped the river!


We found some pretty cool caches... one called Black Pines Vista that had the most breathtaking view of the North Thompson Valley. As we were travelling up the gravel road to get to this cache Tony kept saying... who is crazy enough to put a geocache here? And I said... "well we're crazy enough to go find it!" If you're ever doing some caching in this area make sure you get this one. The view is worth the bumpy drive.


We travelled all the way up the west side of the North Thompson, crossed over the bridge at Barriere and made our way down the East side of the river. We treated ourselves to a lovely night at the Howard Johnson & dinner out but the best part of our day was the spectacular sunset that we shared from our hotel room patio. Absolutely breathtaking.

The next day we decided to travel west to the #1 and go home through the Fraser Canyon instead of taking the Coq. I love the Coquihalla highway when I'm in a hurry but for spectacular scenery the Canyon is my favourite route.

Of course, before we even hit Cache Creek, we had to take some side trips. Tony haD always wanted to explore the area around Deadman Creek so we took a little detour. Except for spotting a young eagle on the hoodoos it was pretty uneventful. Then as we turned a corner we saw something 'slithering' into the bushes in front of us! It was a very big rattlesnake!! I have only seen one rattlesnake in the wild before this so this close encounter jaggled my nerves just a
bit...especially when Tony decided to try and 'coax' it back out with a stick! crazy man....












After a wonderful lunch at Herbie's in Cache Creek we meandered down the Canyon, finding new caches all along the way. Before we knew it we were crossing the bridge at Agassiz. "Hey!" I said, "That's the beach where we camped the first night of our honeymoon!"



The man I married 27 years ago looked at me and said, "I know... I thought you'd want to see it today so I drove this way just for you."

Awwwww.......

Geocaching the Hard (but best) Way - the Spirit Caves Trail

Don't get me wrong... I love 'easy to find' geocaching. The "drive-up and grabs" that you can get without barely leaving your vehicle. Those are the type of caches that bring up your numbers and let you log another find when you don't have time to spend all day caching. I have hidden a few of those myself to tell you the truth. But those are hardly the ones we remember, are they?

From the very day I read that there was a cache hidden in the Spirit Caves above Yale, I was intrigued and knew that one day I would have to find that geocache. So many times we had driven through the canyon and had seen that little sign that says "Spirit Caves Trail" but I really didn't have the motivation to go there until now. It's amazing, even to me, that all it took was a little piece of tupperware to get me up there.

My two friends and I finally set a date and looked forward to a hike to remember. We were not disappointed.

The Spirit Caves Trail is a climb. There is no other way to describe it. From the moment we left the road we were going up. I am not a good climber so I sure was glad that my friends were patient enough to wait for me every 15 minutes so I could catch my breath!

The trail went through some gorgeous open forest and zig zagged it's way higher and higher. It took us about 2 hours to make it to the lookout where we grabbed some lunch, enjoyed the breathtaking view of the canyon below and of course, took lots of pictures of Yale and the Fraser River.

After that nice pit stop we went on to the caves which was only about 15 minutes past the lookout. The directions that the cache owner posted in the cache notes were right on and we found the correct cave entrance within a few minutes. After that it was a different story. With flashlight in hand I squeezed my way through the cave entrance. I was just happy that I checked out the cave before I ventured inside. The cave floor right at the entrance was lower than anywhere else in the cave. In order to get inside you had to lower yourself in while stretching your legs over to the ledge across from it. I'm just glad I have long legs! Carol came inside the cave as well (Joan decided she'd brave it outside) but it was soon apparent that she wasn't going to make it out the way she came in. Her legs are a lot shorter than mine.

While I started hunting for the cache Carol started looking for another way out! Now the task was to find the cache. The cave was not too large but still enough crooks and crannies to make the searching interesting. Every time I shone my flashlight in another spot

I was certain this would be the place or a bat would come flying out at me! Finally, in a very dark spot, I noticed a few big rocks that looked a little too perfect to me. WooHoo!! I have never been so happy to say those words... " I found it!"

So 4 hours and 6km later we can claim another find. I know that if we had stayed home and gone caching around the valley we could have found 20 caches in the same time and saved ourselves a lot of time and effort. We wouldn't be sore, tired and filthy but we also wouldn't have made some amazing memories. Now when we drive through Yale I can say, "Did you know I climbed that mountain? There's some amazing caves and a geo-cache up there you know."