Golden Ears Provincial Park-Allouette Lake

[LibertyTC]

Well you got to enjoy some photos from out last post regarding Chilliwack Lake,
So here is another jem in the Vancouver area called Golden Ears Provincial Park. Yesterday the KJ pulled the boat well to this beautiful lake!
I can not say enough good things about this place of eden?, as it is one of BC largest parks with pretty much everything you need to camp,boat,hike, use the horses, to get back into nature. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/golden_ears/
With over 62,540 hectares, there is no shortage of space here, the lake is large and produces Hydro, and feeds Stave lake below Allouette Lake.
There is gold here as well, you can pan (I am not telling you where) but the history of Slumacks lost mine http://www.suite101.com/content/slumachs-gold-in-pitt-lake-bc-a38504 from Pitt Lake not far away is always present while panning in Allouette. I believe the real gold came from Allouette.
The tales and truth regarding Slumach regarding this area go deep!
http://www.slumach.ca/
The story also tell of extreme back country conditions between Allouette and Pitt lake with tales of Sasquatch roaming this country side.
http://cryptozoology.suite101.com/article.cfm/sasquatch_sightings_at_pitt_lake
So if that is not eerie enough for you, there are also tales that for those who venture to look for the lost mine, can go in, but do not come back out!
I could easily spend a week in this park and only see half of it.
One winter I am going to hike in here while the park is closed to photograph the frozen lake and the majestic mountains, but be assured I will not go alone and not without a satellite phone and protection from the wildlife in here.
Enjoy this Allouette Collage!
(Cheers)
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[wheeee32]

Nice pics!

 

[Dave]

Beautiful lake TC.

Dave

 

[desertkj]

Very cool. That hovercraft is awesome.

 

[Luke]

I had to resurrect this post to tell you my experience with Golden Ears.

Back in the early 90's I was lucky enough to live in east Van. Friends and I did several day trips to the park, there are two awesome 20ft water falls a short distance from the gate, perfect for swimming and lazy beer drinking. One of my friends (born and raised there) had been up to the summit and since I am always game for a trip we started planning.

The time came and we disembarked with heavy packs for the 3-4 day hike. We made it up to the Alder Flats for the first night and pitched our tents. Camping just about anywhere in B.C. is just awesome. The next morning we realized we would have to hike back down the trail a bit to catch the river and refill our water. A light drizzle just started as we set out down the trail. Most of the trails, by nature of the surrounding geography are straight up on one side and straight down sometimes 100's of ft. More like a narrow ledge than a trail actually. As I am following my friend down the trail I notice a "step down" of a couple feet in front of him and watch as he tries to negotiate it. At the very top edge of this "step" in the trail was a perfect boot sized loop of a root just waiting for him. In went his foot, trapping it, and the rest of his body and pack just kept going forward. Crrrrraaaack. Not only had he broken his leg but now was clinging to a few weeds a couple of feet down the 50 ft drop off on the side of the trail. I quickly grabbed onto him and pulled him back up the cliff as he screamed bloody ******.

This story could have ended a lot worse if I didn't have some unknown lucky guardian with me almost everywhere I go. Within minutes, presumably hearing my friends expletives wafting across the mountain side, an off duty search and rescue dude and his son come walking up the trail. He announced that he was going to leave his son there with us so he could make the trip back down to get help faster. I was up for anything that meant I didn't have to carry him down the mountain myself. My friend however was not as appreciative due to the fact that all he wanted me to do was to spin him up a little pain reliever. After what seemed like an hour or so the rescue team arrived with a stretcher. It took 6-8 of us 8+ hours to get him back down the mountain. Several of these awesome rescue dudes skidded perilously down the cliff face as they lost grip on the stretcher on the very narrow trails. I think every one of us was wounded in some way by the time we got him down.

After I joined JKJC (some 15 years later) I met KhakiKJ who as it would turn out had just left the Maple Ridge Search and Rescue about the same time this happened. Great bunch of guys, as are most who go to such extremes to help others.

The End

 

[LibertyTC]

That was an interesting read and life story. Thanks for that Luke.
You can never under estimate the back country conditions that exist here in B.C. and be prepared enough in those 3 -4 day hikes. Only for the young and adventurous.
I am glad it turned out well, you all survived and made it home.
In another adventure for another day, I may post up a tale about a Pitt Lake excursion.
And quarts rocks with gold in them that I do find.
From Allouette lake to Pitt Lake and beyond the tale of Slumach's Lost mine:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitt_Lake_gold_find
Many who look for the mine get seriously injured and or never come out.
This is considered Sasquatch Country!
http://www.slumach.ca/pdfs/RWN%20pages/RWN%2014.pdf

 

[Luke]

opcorn: