Note to self
The Hipcamp we’re at isn’t a town at all, it’s a grassy knoll adjacent to the Ainsworth Hot Springs motel & pool (unfortunately there weren’t massage or pool time appointments available).
For today’s exploration of Kootenay Lake area, we choose the towns Kaslo and Sandon.
Kaslo has a dog friendly river walk. About half a mile into the forest I realized we forgot the bear spray. (Note to self: find a way to remember this important Canadian hiking item.) A mile in, I looked at the hike pamphlet to see where the return bridge was and noticed a grizzly photo (once we crossed said bridge) with this caption: “Scouring-rush, a common Horsetail species here, grows in this cool, moist riverbank zone beneath cedar, hemlock, birch and poplar, where bears also browse the tender spring shoots.”
“We forgot the bear spray, I’m ready to turn back,” I announced immediately.
“Don’t you want to hike up this hill?” He answered.
“Is that what you want?” I threw the Larry words and tone he uses when annoyed at me.
“We’ll head back,” he replied.
(I need to interject my phobia of bears. Not an issue until I researched grizzly attacks a few years ago…And then there was an unprovoked incident last year in Creston, the last place we camped.)
The drive to Sandon, a partial ghost mining town, was picturesque through a cathedral of dark green giant pines. We read the history billboards and took turns touring their museum.
Then it was back to Kaslo to see the famous S.S. Moyie, 1898 passenger sternwheeler (paddle boat). I sat with the dogs at a picnic table while Larry toured the ship.
(Another note to self: traveling with dogs is annoying.)
We finished the afternoon picking up a hitchhiking. He threw his backpack ‘containing a paraglide’ in the bed of the truck and crawled onto the elevated backseat with our dogs. At first, they were excited for company, but I heard Elliott’s low growl soon after. We arrived to our destination, it was only four miles. Our passenger Joey hopped out super fast to grab another ride.
“That’s the second paraglider we’ve given a ride to this year,” we joked.
But I couldn’t help noticing his backpack wasn’t big enough for the contents he spouted and he paraglided 100 kilometers today?
(Note to self: Elliott-dog is a pretty good judge of character.)
Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. I insisted we get up early to explore. Didn’t count on the barrage of mosquitos.
They have the cutest Western Painted Turtles. Didn’t see any, too chilly.
Our neighbors, Cormack & Betty, very funny young couple.
Wood piles for winter.
View across the street, Ainsworth Hot Springs, BC
Unity Bridge, our start on the Kaslo River Trail.
Larry said his mom had this exact cookie apparatus.
Silvana Mine, Sandon
Drive between Sandon and Kaslo
At the community garden, Kaslo
We purchased a beautiful charcuterie board from Bill, Kaslo
Boat houses. Kaslo Harbor
S.S. Moyie
Elliott is a pretty good judge of character.
