June 16, 2021 -- Stats: 13.8 km / 1010m gain / 948m high / 4:30hours MT
Take a walk back in time with the aid of 10 big signs: The HBC needed a new supply route that avoided the newly created Oregon territory. So in 1847 the Nlaka'-Pamux cheif began guiding them through this canyon and providing them with food. In 1858 word of a gold strike on the Thompson River reached California. That year over 30,000 miners invaded the Nlaka'- territory. Gold miners began digging up salmon spawning grounds and burned 5 villages. A war was averted when the miners got formal permission to continue prospecting. As settlers claimed land, the Nlaka'-pamux were forced onto small reserves.
The first 2 km are very steep.
2) The only good source of water on the mountain. So take lots along!
1) Columbine 2) Tiger Lily 3) Honey Suckle 4) Indian Paintbrush 5) Star Flower 6) Honey Suckle
The Nlaka-pamux hunted deer in these mountains and collected berries, mushrooms and cedar. This viewpoint one hour in is a great spot to take a break after climbing 560m in only 2 km.
I've never seen a red Honey Suckle before.
In the early 2000s, logging here was abandoned when archeologists found 70 culturally modified cedars.
This trail was the first viable horse route for the fur traders and link from the interior to the coast of BC. But they only ended up using it 3 times. Over 70 horses had died in the first season.
Clintonias.
2) very fresh bear scat 3) freshly cut blow down. There were 3 new large trees that had toppled over the trail. The Hope Mountain Centre had been clearing this trail just a few weeks before
From 1847 - 1849 the Lakes trail to the right was used by the HBC. The Bluffs trail to the left was used by the gold miners from 1858 - 1860. After nearly 5 decades of peaceful co-existance, the arrival of the miners put an abrupt end to it.
3) Lodge pole pine
Spuzzum Mt (1800m). Quick growing Lodge-pole pine grow where the 2004 forest fire ravaged the landscape.
Group shot left to right back: Berni, Case, Brigitte, Lorenz, Poebe, Jackie
Back: Denise, Irene, Tim, me
If you look closely, you can see the top of the bridge above Hell's Gate on the far end of the Fraser River.
Irene was showing us an inch worm on her finger.
Mount Nipple (2100m) to the north.
Penstemon likes to grow on rock.
It didn't take long to get to the campsite from where we'd stopped for lunch on the bluffs. It was at the farthest point in the loop.
1) Arnica 2) Yarrow 3) Goldmoss Stonecrop
Western Spring Beauty
Close to this stream in this little clearing, there was a building called the "Lake House". It was a rest stop for the miners. In 1860 the judge was notified that a local squatter named Gibson, was selling illegal whisky there. He couldn't find anyone to testify against him so he solved the problem by sending an officer to burn the house down.
Scarred skeletons.
Bunchberry.
Looking slightly down at the ridge we'd come up on.
Lupines.
Those last very steep kms always get the knees grinding.
I knew this hike would be a sweaty hike in a drier climate. So I packed 10 cold drinks along in a cooler in the car. When Jackie trudged in at 3:30pm and I asked her if she wanted a cold beer, she stopped, put her hand on my shoulder and looked at me right in the eyes saying a very meaningful "Thank you", as if I'd promised her the world.
The Fraser River in Black Canyon to the left. The red trail on the top leads to Gate Mt. But we tried it a few years ago and it was badly overgrown with a huge landslide on the higher slope close to the campsite.
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