Highway Information
YVR
Weather
Fire Rating
- "We leave the forested valleys and glacially-rounded lower slopes far below and enter
a sparkling world of ice and granite."
Page 3 of 4
In the evening the wind dies down, the lake turns calm, and it's time to go fishing. We have our choice of canoes, kayaks, belly boats, or U-boats. For those not familiar with the paraphernalia of fly-fishing the belly boat and its streamlined version, the U-boat, are ingenious contraptions that transform an otherwise ordinary human into a bipedal amphibian. Wearing chest waders and scuba fins, and seated comfortably in his inflatable craft, a fisherman can paddle about, duck-wise, with hands free to cast his line. With expert help from fishing guides Brian and Kevin, Vanessa and I got set up with the right lines and lures and all of us caught our share of feisty rainbow trout.
Before turning in for the night we went back to the lodge for a cup of herb tea laced with honey. It was late when we finally headed for bed but a bright half moon lighted the way from the lodge to our tents, each tucked into its own private nook in the forest. The camp has accommodation for 10 to 12 people in tents with either two or four beds. But these are no ordinary tents. Built on wooden platforms each spacious safari-type tent has its private front deck and a picture-window view of the lake. The floor is carpeted and the comfortable hand crafted beds have warm, feather-light comforters. As I settled down for the night I was aware of the stillness. Many urban dwellers have never experienced the profound silence of the wilderness at night – no traffic, no sirens, nothing but the whisper of a distant waterfall – and then I was asleep.
I awoke to the haunting sound of loons calling from across the lake. The water is glassy calm. The chatter of a Douglas’ squirrel announces that it's time to get up and as I walk past the hollow tree where the resident woodpecker has her nest I can hear her brood clamoring to be fed. The sounds of a new day have begun.
Bella, a sponge for affection, nuzzles my knee. Claude pours me a cup of coffee and we talk for a while before the others rouse themselves. Originally from Montreal, Claude is a certified chef with 25 years experience. He could work anywhere but this is the life he chooses and he is a wealth of stories about his wilderness experiences. Kevin, already in his chest waders, breezes in for a swig of coffee before heading out onto the lake. "Now's the time they're biting," he tells us as he rushes out the door. He claims to have caught and released at least 30 fish while the rest of ate breakfast.
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June 17, 2013, 5:00 PM
Whistler Blackcomb Foundation donates $300,000 to Centrepoint complex
Social services, church and housing being built by Sea to Sky Community Services and United Church More...
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June 17, 2013, 11:15 AM
Whistler Farmer's Market sees busy first day of operations
Market opens with vendor numbers at maximum More...
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June 16, 2013, 12:30 AM
Neal Kindree takes Test of Metal win
67-kilometre mountain bike race sees 871 racers at the start More...
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