Tag Archives: travel

nature, Photography

Coming into the Okanagan

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We have just returned from Northwest Territories to British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. The drive from the high-altitude Coquihalla Highway (also known as Highway 97C) into the valley is impressive and steep.

Lake Okanagan in the distance.

The summit of the Coquihalla Connector highway is 1800m (5900 ft) and you then drive down to the valley which is at an elevation of 344 m (1100 ft).

Getting closer.

This is a significant drop of 1456 m (4800 ft). Some people aren’t comfortable with driving this highway for that reason, especially in winter. It is a long way down, and you do want to make sure your brakes are working!

Almost there.

The sign in the distance shows that we are about to come down from our lofty perch to join the highway along the lake.

Greetings from the beautiful Okanagan.

Commentary, Photography

Night Ship

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This lovely old stern wheeler used to travel to the remote communities around Lake Okanagan before there was a network of roads. Launched in 1914 and owned by Canadian Pacific, it was considered a luxurious vessel and transported travellers in style. Its schedule and docking in Penticton dovetailed with the nearby CP owned railway and hotel, allowing its passengers good travel connections for the time.

SS Sicamous

Once reliable all-season roads were built, the paddle wheelers eventually fell out of favour. This one, along with a couple of other boats from the period, now form a museum commemorating that earlier, slower time.

Happy mid-week.

nature, Photography

The Road Home

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On June 24, M and I left the Northwest Territories to head to British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

Here are a few photos from our drive west through the mountains. They aren’t terrific because I took them from a moving vehicle through the dirtiest windshield ever!

Mountain view.
Getting closer.
Young mountain sheep in Jasper National Park.
Here, they have the right of way.

We are home now, starting to relax into holiday mode after an extremely busy covid-related 15 months. It’s really hot (low 40s C) but I’m happy with that. The covid cases are continuing to drop, and I hope that we have seen the last wave.