Hell's Gate on the Gold Rush Trail

We joined the Gold Rush Trail at Hope and began to follow the swollen, clay-coloured Fraser River. This time of year you can truly understand Simon Fraser’s description of waters from Hell when you take the Tramway across the raging river at Hell’s Gate. From the lookout you can watch water two times the volume of Niagara Falls crash and boil through the narrow gorge. Full-sized trees are tossed in never-ending pools until they are shredded. You had to shout to be heard over the roar of the water. The river is an amazing 180 feet deep at the outlook. In the 1940’s, fish ladders were  built in the deepest, wildest section in an attempt to undo the damage done by builders of the railroads decades earlier. The ladders are paying dividends with salmon run numbers increasing every year since and expected to be record-sized this year.

We continued along the Gold Rush Trail through Lytton then followed the Thompson River through sage-covered country and beautiful rock canyons to Cache Creek. We had booked two camping spots and pulled into a  campground with the background sound of rushing water from the small creek behind us. Dinner was put together while the novice campers figured out electrical outlets, turning on propane fridges, and plugging in various electrical devices – especially camera batteries - before going on-line to look up the history of 100 mile house, and plan for sites tomorrow. A great first day!

Wildlife  spottings: Three tiny playful chipmunks, a red pine squirrel and a swirling gang of rufus hummers.