May 2017 Bowron Lakes Solo

[Cariboo Canoe]

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This 1st picture is looking east up the Cariboo River. This is where the clear waters of Isaac Lake meet the silty waters of the Cariboo.

The 2nd is heading down the river.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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More from the river. One looking behind and one ahead.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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I arrive at Lanezi Lake ( Lah neezy ). The weather starts to change.

There are really nice rock formations along the northern shoreline.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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Wildlife alert! I saw this cute little weasel. I'm not sure what kind it is. It was searching around for food I guess and only looked at me a few times. In and out of the water like a little snake.

It's right in the middle of both pictures.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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I cropped the pictures a little. Man, my computer skills have really improved over the last 30 years. My brother was always having to show me what to do on our Commodore 64.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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This is how it was looking when I arrived at the Turner Creek shelter. I was pooped, a storm was coming, and the shelter here is pretty awesome. Finished the day at 3 pm.

This is looking south across the lake.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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After the storm passed I took these pictures.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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It's going to be a cozy evening.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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It rained most of the night, but was only a light rain when I departed Turner Creek. I was on the water at 7:30 this morning. I still haven't noticed any mice at night. Well rested and fed, I set off for another long day.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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Moose! I was rounding a small point before an avalanche chute and there was this moose swimming towards me rounding the same point. It was only 10 feet in front of me. I reversed as it went ashore.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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The rain could not dampen my spirits. I was having a great time. After all, it wouldn't be a rain forest without the rain.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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I paddled to the end of Lanezi and into Sandy Lake. Usually low water causes a lot of walking here. Most of Sandy is about a foot deep and very sandy. The water on this trip is the highest I've ever witnessed. It makes everything a little better.

As I was entering Sandy a small rain storm moved in and I had to go through it, but then the sun came out for over an hour.

These pictures are looking behind at the rain and looking ahead to the sun.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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Lunch time on a sandy beach on Sandy Lake. I laid out some things to dry.

I purchased this jacket and pfd from Nookie in England last year. They have really nice stuff. You should check out their website.

 

[yellowcanoe]

You probably think you are writing to yourself. I am reading.. So far I have learned how to rig a cart properly from your pictures. We will do the same circuit this September early in the month.
Do you have a map marked with stopping places each night?
So far I am amazed at the "beachiness" of it all, being used to Canadian Shield country canoe tripping.

 

[wysedav]

Thanks for the trip report, I read about this loop about ten years ago and always wanted to do it. Now I want to do it all over again, maybe one day. Pretty expensive camping trip for me though. Maybe I'll do it after I finish paying for the kids going to college.

 

[sweeper]

Of all my canoeing nightmares, it the uphill waterfalls that makes me lose the most sleep.

Great trip, other then that.

 

[Odyssey]

I'm really enjoying this trip, thanks Cariboo.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

Thanks yellowcanoe. It can get frustrating if the cart is not held tight enough. Every bump or hole you hit will crank the cart sideways and cause the canoe to travel crooked and send you off the trail as you try to keep it straight. After screaming to the heavens, you straighten and tighten everything and carry on.

The park will provide you with an ok map but you can also purchase better ones. When it is really busy they actually assign you specific sites to stay at. Mountain Equipment Co-op has a nice double sided topo of the park that is waterproof for only 10 dollars. That's what I take with me. Also I always go when the park is closed so I never see anyone and when the weather is nice I just camp where ever I want. I don't usually use the bear caches or outhouses anyways. The shelters are nice sometimes though.

And yes, lots of nice beaches. With the lower water in September you will be seeing way more beaches than I did on this trip.

You should come by the blacksmith shop in Barkerville to say hello.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

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Thanks wysedav. A long ways for a week long paddle. It's definitely worth it though. I feel very fortunate to live a half hour drive from Bowron Lake. I even eat eggs from friend's chickens that live at Bowron Lake. I am planning to do the circuit again in the fall, a few weeks after yellowcanoe. I might be going with a friend who will paddle in another canoe. He recently moved here from England and is a hardcore cycle tourist, but I think I can get him into canoeing. I am not used to camping with other people, but he's a good guy.

Here is a picture of us a few years ago doing a 3 day backcountry trip. Coincidentally, this picture is taken on a bridge right over the Cariboo River a couple of hundred kms south of Bowron Lake Park. I'm on the right.

 

[Cariboo Canoe]

Thanks and you're welcome sweeper and Odyssey. More to come.