coquihalla highway

Left home around 1030....early for us. Stopped at Hope as usual for gas, before heading up the Coke.

Nak peak, Zopkias ridge. That is the onion skin like shedding granite rock to the south of Highway 5 after the snowshed. always reminds me of Yosemite's 1/2 dome. Really tough grade going up we have to go into 3rd gear and usually only 50 km/hour when pulling the trailer....even a light 15 foot trailer it is still slow going. Going up or Coming down this same stretch in the winter is not a lot of fun either as it can be very slippery if snow or rain...and sooo many trucks. we have noticed a lot of road construction on the south side of the snow shed the last few years and it looks like they are putting in a large parking/rest area as this tends to be where the highway closes when those winter storms come through....and leads to traffic pile ups.

Lundbom lake. Named for Augustus William Lundbom who settled in the Nicola valley in 1871. ranger, justice of the peace, judge and environmentalist. He established the Commonage due to concerns about overgrazing in the Nicola valley. Today the cattle only graze on one section for 1-3 weeks, allows recovery time for the natural bunchgrass to establish. no cattle were spotted on this trip, but september 2016 last time we were here the cattle came through the camp site getting to the lake for water.

Laurie Guichon memorial grasslands interpretive site, this is on the way in. Laurie Guichon was another rancher (4th generation) died in 1999. He was instrumental in having the grassland interpretive site established. There is a kiosk on the way in modelled after a first nations Kekuli house with an open centre and open wall facing north for optimum natural light.

Grassland habitat. rock outcrops and open slopes support bunchgrass sagebrush. sheltered gullies home to Aspen, Doug fir, Moisture collects in the hollow to create riparian areas. large stand of timber provide cover for deer and moose.

Columbian sharp tailed grouse, recovery area. We may have disturbed a pair on one of our eve walks as 2 flew up. Luckily the dog ignored them and stuck to the 2 lane track we were on.Read more