Our first stop in British Columbia was Harrison Hot Springs. The natural hot springs in the area make this a very popular vacation destination for Canadians. For us, it was a one-night stand in a delightful setting of a crystal clear lake surrounded by snowcapped mountains.
We seldom took the direct routes on our journey through British Columbia. Of course, everyone has to ride the Trans Canada (Hwy 1) through Fraser River Canyon. The road clings to the side of the canyon walls as the mighty Fraser River crashes and churns far below. But mostly we rode the far less-traveled roads such as the Thompson River Canyon and other small roads dubbed Destination Highways in the book Destination Highways British Columbia by Brian Bosworth and Michael Sanders. A Destination Highway is a road worth riding to, just for the joy of riding that road on a motorcycle. On our 11 day journey, we rode 19 Destination Highways, including 3 of the top 5.
We explored little out of the way places like the Quilchena Saloon. This fun little "watering hole" was established in 1908 as part of the Quilchena Ranch, one of the largest ranches in British Columbia. Look closely to find the three bullet holes in the mahogany bar, a legacy from the old wild days.
Ferries are part of the road system in British Columbia. Instead of building a bridge, the British Columbia Transportation Authority provides free ferry service to cross major waterways. We used three of the ferries.
One of the many sights we took in on our journey through British Columbia was Mt Revelstoke National Park, located in the Selkirk range of the Columbia Mountains. The ride to the top of Mt Revelstoke is along the Meadows in the Sky Parkway. This great little 15 mile long road switchbacks up the mountain and there are numerous views out to the city of Revelstoke and the surrounding valley. At the end of the road a shuttle van transports people up the final few hundred yards nearly to the top of the 6360 foot summit. The Meadows in the Sky trail at the top of the mountain gives views down to the Columbia River and out to the Monashee and Selkirk Mountains of the Columbia Mountain Range.
Glacier National Park and Roger's Pass are more of the beauty within British Columbia. The mountains are filled with craggy peaks and glaciers. Glacier National Park used to have over 400 glaciers. Travel over Roger's Pass today is relatively free from the dangers of the "White Death" snow avalanches that claimed the lives of 250 railroad workers during the thirty year period that the Canadian Pacific Railway used the pass. Slopes adjacent to the highway are regularly closed in winter due to artillery fire for avalanche control. Avalanches kill an average of 11 people every year in Canada.
A peaceful walk through the forest down to Fletcher Falls. Bet you don't find this on your own.