Bike rides

[gooned]

I’ll have to read up on Joffre incident as I’m not familiar, I tendered a new 100 site campground at 20 Min Lake with power/water to sites so that is coming...not nearly enough I’m sure.

We just booked some time at Mt Robson and then Banff, I thought without foreign tourists this was the year but Jasper was full so we couldn’t even get there.

At least we have the ranch to bug out too.

[bertvorgon]

I hope you find the Banff area not too busy this year without foreign tourists. Last time I was their with my gang.....Holy Cow...the crowds were staggering.

I had never seen so many Tour buss's. Banff has suffered like so many places with too much success. We did enjoy the gondola up Sulfur Mountain

We decided to stay at Mcleod Meadows campsite in Kootenay National Park and just do day trips. That worked out great at the time, hardly anyone in this campground, herd of elk wandered around us the whole time. Was a bit of driving but it lets us stop to see so many things. The Radium hot springs were just back down the road so that was nice to soak sore muscles. It was only about an hour drive from campsite to Banff, so not too bad.

That would be a good area at 20 Minute Lake, that whole flat area just past the lake would be perfect albeit the trees are pretty sparse there, depending on where they chose the site. Do you have a map of where? 100 sites is a very good start, Hampton has 100 sites, at least mid week there is hardly anyone there.

[gooned]

My site plan didn’t really tie it to the surroundings, we did stop there Thurs night to cook burgers on our way to Faulder though and saw the site just before you peel off to the Lightning day use parking.

I thought of skipping Banff when I saw the parking lot they call a campground but it’s only 3 nights so we will tough it out.

Reading the reports of parking lots full before dawn for the various hikes definitely has me bummed out, I hope it’s better this year.

[bertvorgon]

Bottom line now, for anything local, you need to be in parking lot at no later than 6:30 Am..PERIOD.

And, as Matt and I have not done anything that local lately, that has likely changed too.

We used to be early enough that we would be coming OUT as the press of people went in.

I know I am tad anti-social when it comes to my outdoor activities, I don't want to see ANYBODY on our adventures. The true back country now is the only way, anything in the so-called front country just sucks now. I used to spend a lot of time up in the Black Tusk area in the 70's, camp pretty much where you like. Now, it is reservation only! Cold day in hell I make a reservation to camp in the alpine.

Again, like our high speed drives were, I was lucky to have been in the heyday of being able to do that and experience those areas with minimal people.

Were not those trips to Red Mountain pretty special, high alpine with nobody!

Joffre Lakes got so over loaded that tons of cars were parked all the way down the Highway, blocking traffic for miles.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british- ... -1.3754139

That's another reason I have no interest in doing the Duffy Lake drive anymore...mid week would be the only way when the weekend warriors are at work.

[bertvorgon]

Not really sure what to say about this,I hope it is not a slippery slope into our Provincial Parks. RV'ing is a whole different mind set, where people park 6 feet away from each other, look at Sunshine valley!

I guess my anti-social tendencies come out, the sound of generators running is such a put-off. Oh well, maybe it will keep the big rigs from trying to get into Hampton or the other smaller sites. At least that area's tree/bush cover is minimal at best, so to de-nude it of what is left is not a big deal in reality.

Time to load up the back pack........



new rv park to be built in e.c. manning provincial park
Posted on June 29, 2020
| In Blog
| 3 Comments
Campgrounds are open for the summer, and a BC Parks initiative is underway to build a new year-round RV park in E.C. Manning Provincial Park, which will feature full 50-amp RV hook-ups. Being one of the first in the provincial park system with these amenities, this Manning Park RV park will be located near 20 Minute Lake, along Gibson Pass Road.

Construction on this project will begin in summer 2020 and will be built with respect to the natural environment as much as possible. The park will have 95 sites on 18 acres of land and be managed by Manning Park Resort. Construction is expected to take all summer, and an estimated completion date is for late this fall.

Manning Park Resort owner, Kevin Demers, says he is “ecstatic” with this new project. “I welcome this exciting new BC Parks project, one of the first with full hook-ups in their system,” he says.

While construction is ongoing this summer, the 20 Minute Lake parking lot will be unavailable, and the existing hiking trail will be relocated to allow continued use this summer.

Coldspring and Mule Deer campgrounds are now open for reservations, and for first come, first serve walk-ins. Lightning Lake campground has now opened and the first loop of Hampton campground is scheduled to open this month. Parts of Hampton will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to an excessive amount of hazard trees.

Manning Park Resort has resumed accommodations, food and boathouse facilities for the summer, with increased COVID-19 precautions. Manning Park Resort is a year-round destination resort surrounded by many recreational activities including hiking, biking and canoeing. With full Resort amenities including a variety of accommodations, restaurant, pub and group facilities, The Resort is nestled in beautiful EC Manning Provincial Park, 45 minutes east of Hope on Highway #3.

[funwithmonkeys]

I have given up on most camping heading east. We used to go to a bunch of places around Vernon but they are all so busy now you feel like you in the city. We started to head up to Powell River a few years ago and struck gold. There are a bunch of small campgrounds that are not busy at all on the weekdays and even though they are busier on the weekends they are still quiet.

[bertvorgon]

Morning Norm,

You are lucky you have that resource that way.

For Matt and I, North is the only way, 6+ hours, which requires more than just a 2 day weekend. And now with the Covid B.S. and less people being able to jump on a jet or whatever, it will be interesting to see what even up there we may run into, at least the area is vast and there is no reason for people to camp on top of each other. Just look at the Nahatlach Fire look out pic, no privacy there. I always look at those canyon cams to check out weather.

As I sit here this morning, working on my 3rd cup of coffee and see the sun finally poking through the clouds, I find it bizzare that we have not done a drive yet for 2020. I cannot ever remember a winter/spring and now beginning of summer with such bad, cool weather. My furnace still kicks on! It's 12C on my porch right now.

[funwithmonkeys]

I have a feeling it is going to be a year with not many drives for myself. Having to stay in Vancouver overnight is going to be difficult. I have already put on over 2k since the conversion but most of that is just driving up and down the coast and commuting.

[bertvorgon]

I hear yah, I just can't believe how bad our weather has been.

I can understand the whole ferry issue for you too.

I maybe blasting up to Area 27 at the end of the week, just for a road trip in the Infinity, Colin is running the Brabham up there for a track day.

The 510 World here seems to have blown up to me here, what with the Covid issues. As soon as I see a solid weather window, I am going to Penticton for a drive, just so I can do that Apex road. I had hoped to hear from SLOWERTHANTIME, just as a potential destination, but, nothing yet.

Spending this nice day cleaning up my Boler, hoping to get out later in the summer.

[slowerthantime]

Hey Keith, you and anyone else are welcome anytime. Just let me know when. I wont have a car for you to test but happy to show you the local roads.

[butters68]

Hey Keith, if you go up on saturday i'll go for a drive with you.

[bertvorgon]

If I was to go to Area 27, it would be Friday, as the two track days are the 9th and 10th.

I am waiting for a really good, high pressure weather system, to head to Summerland. The morning I drove to the big car show in Penticton was just an awesome drive, no traffic and perfect temps and roads.

[butters68]

oh well, have fun Keith. and yes our summer has sucked for weather.

[bertvorgon]

As it turns out, which I guess I should have thought...Area 27 is NOT allowing any spectating..Period.

I guess you could sit up on the hill with binoculars...Scratch that trip off the list.

[Byron510]

There is some spectating available around the outer edge of the track, my father and I did this a few years ago. There were only a few bikes and a few cars on the track while we were there. It’s certainly not spectacular from a viewing stand point however. We just happened to be in the area Traveling with family and stopped by. It’s such beautiful country around Oliver. We actually went off roading instead for the day, drug the Armada through all kinds of wash outs and drainage cross ditches and had a blast with 7 people on-board in and AC Lots of great roads in that area.

A few weeks ago I rented a cabin at Paradise Lake, between Merritt and Kelowna just off 97c - honestly it was beautiful. Went with our family plus an extra kid, and a couple whom we are good friends with. There were some extra Covid rules, we had to disinfect the place before leaving and did have to supply our own bedding - but these are the times. I Had a line in the water just about every morning, did some more off roading every afternoon... I was having fun. Kids loved the lake, and getting away felt great after being cooped up at home for 3 months with the Covid restrictions. I’m still staying at home most of the time, like most locals. It’s why BC is doing so well in this Covid crisis. There’s not much we can do about it. If we get careless, it could go to hell in a hand basket. Just look at the rest of the America’s as they have ignored the commonly known science... it I’m not going there, to political for this site

Last weekend I took our two international students out to the Othello Tunnels, and was quite upset to get there to find the parking lot barricaded off and a security turning people around. Apparently it remains closed because it hasn’t been scaled and someone is worried about falling rock! Unbelievable, it’s a beautiful site and now we can’t go there because Maintenence isn’t being done. Since management had been turned over to private enterprises, parks like this one have just rolled downhill! Such a shame as it’s a great site.
Not to be deterred we stopped by the Crystal Falls park up Sylvester Rd on the way back home. I have never seen the parking lot so full - ever! It was amazing. On the other hand, people are getting out, and that’s a good thing. It’d rather see a crowd at a local park than know the parks are not being used. Anyways the girls (students) loved the place, as did my own kids who have been there many times.

I agree, it’s been a cool and wet year. The news in this country is always based around Toronto and lately it’s been the heat wave.... we’ll we certainly are not seeing this on the west coast this year. It happens some times, it better than being on fire as we’ve had a few times in the past 10 years! It’ll turn around soon. And when it does Keith, I’d look forward to a drive as well I should put a day permit on the Bronze and give er a shake down run. I think I have my ignition woaws sorted with the new ignitor box and coils. Come to think of it I haven’t done the nut and bolt check this year...
I’ll stay tuned.

Byron