After struggling to sleep last night, I woke up around 9:00 AM and started getting ready. The first night of my stay in Revelstoke, BC I had the place to myself. Last night a couple from Scotland arrived. They were nice. I spoke with them for a few hours before they headed to bed. They were gone by the time I left my room this morning.
I had decided to stay near Johnson Lake, a lake that is maybe the clearest in BC? Or Canada? Anyway, there was supposedly a provincial park there. I was going to rely on my GPS to get me there which was taking me by way of a long, rough, dirt road. I asked the GPS to take me to a certain spot near the lake, but it couldn’t determine my location. Frustrated, I pushed on wondering if I should just turn around as I didn't know what was ahead of me. It was slow going in my little car over the poorly maintained dirt road. I eventually found pavement and a sign for the resort I was looking for near the lake. I tried to follow signs but somehow ended up in Barriere. The visitor center was closed, but I found someone in a gas station that had very precise directions. I then backtracked 20 minutes to the road I should have taken the first time. So back over 16 kms of rutty, muddy, potholey roads until I came to the camp I was looking for. Their sign read “Closed until June 1, 2016”. On pavement it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but it was rough going on my car and once or twice I was certain I was going to get stuck. Another sign stated “Forestry Campsites 6 km”. If I get up there and it’s closed, I’ve added 20 minutes round trip on this horrible road. I considered driving a few hours to a town and getting a hotel. Since I’ll be in houses for the next several weeks and since I’d wanted to camp at least once more before then, I decided to take my chances.
I was driving in the middle of nowhere and wasn't seeing anyone or any campground. When I finally saw someone I asked him about the campground. He wasn't completely sure but said that if I didn't see it within the next km to just camp anywhere. He said no one was up here and no one would bother me. I kept driving and within a km I started seeing campervans. The area had about 10 sites and a few still available. Vault toilets and no attendants. Fairly primitive, but there was a dirt road there for accessing the sites. I pulled in, set up my tent, and went for a walk further up the dirt road with my camera. At one point I left the road and walked up an overgrown trail for about half a mile enjoying the solitude and moist smells in the air.
I came back, ate, and here I am. At 7 PM it’s already 44 degrees out, so it will be a cold night. But I think I’m prepared. I even put some hand warmers in the tent just in case it gets that bad. But I should be good. Hopefully I’ll get tired soon as I am lacking sleep. I think I was too warm last night which won’t be the case tonight.
I had decided to stay near Johnson Lake, a lake that is maybe the clearest in BC? Or Canada? Anyway, there was supposedly a provincial park there. I was going to rely on my GPS to get me there which was taking me by way of a long, rough, dirt road. I asked the GPS to take me to a certain spot near the lake, but it couldn’t determine my location. Frustrated, I pushed on wondering if I should just turn around as I didn't know what was ahead of me. It was slow going in my little car over the poorly maintained dirt road. I eventually found pavement and a sign for the resort I was looking for near the lake. I tried to follow signs but somehow ended up in Barriere. The visitor center was closed, but I found someone in a gas station that had very precise directions. I then backtracked 20 minutes to the road I should have taken the first time. So back over 16 kms of rutty, muddy, potholey roads until I came to the camp I was looking for. Their sign read “Closed until June 1, 2016”. On pavement it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but it was rough going on my car and once or twice I was certain I was going to get stuck. Another sign stated “Forestry Campsites 6 km”. If I get up there and it’s closed, I’ve added 20 minutes round trip on this horrible road. I considered driving a few hours to a town and getting a hotel. Since I’ll be in houses for the next several weeks and since I’d wanted to camp at least once more before then, I decided to take my chances.
I was driving in the middle of nowhere and wasn't seeing anyone or any campground. When I finally saw someone I asked him about the campground. He wasn't completely sure but said that if I didn't see it within the next km to just camp anywhere. He said no one was up here and no one would bother me. I kept driving and within a km I started seeing campervans. The area had about 10 sites and a few still available. Vault toilets and no attendants. Fairly primitive, but there was a dirt road there for accessing the sites. I pulled in, set up my tent, and went for a walk further up the dirt road with my camera. At one point I left the road and walked up an overgrown trail for about half a mile enjoying the solitude and moist smells in the air.
I came back, ate, and here I am. At 7 PM it’s already 44 degrees out, so it will be a cold night. But I think I’m prepared. I even put some hand warmers in the tent just in case it gets that bad. But I should be good. Hopefully I’ll get tired soon as I am lacking sleep. I think I was too warm last night which won’t be the case tonight.