A morning walkabout. August 2012

    Well it has been slow around the hot spring campsite recently. That is normal for the middle of August here, this is always the hottest period of the year and taking in a hot spring may not be a logical choice for most people. (They may not realise it is possible to cool the tubs down for afternoon soaking.) This is also mosquito time too, middle of August, remember that.  I've had people show up in the last couple weeks for a stay only to track me down on the way out later to get their money back because the mosquitoes are so plentiful.
I tell them, "You should have been here last week when they were a problem!"
They don't seem to bother with me very much, but they sure go for the fresh meat that shows up from town.
    As a rule I keep a local Inshuckch member down at the hot spring to keep an eye on things and greet the users and campers when they pull in. During the week the bugger likes to go home for a few days off, imagine that. Collecting at the spring and conversing with everyone that comes down the road has never been my forte, Generally there has been someone camped out there for most of the season doing that for me. None the less, during the helper's time off I need to take the initiative to go down and seek out anyone who may have arrived in the night. I gave my help his days off in mid week so to give me the slow shift, when there is hardly anyone coming out to use the spring or camp. Thus freeing me up for other important activities, like exploring, inspecting the waterfall, being anti social, thinking big thoughts, and the ever important afternoon quiet time.
    So in the morning when I feel it is safe to go down I either walk, hop on my motohorse, or the quad and go down for an inspection. There are several routes I can take from the lodge here, the riverbank, the airstrip, the old heritage gold rush trail, or just go out the driveway and take the road.
Today we will take the road.

A hundred yards down there is a fork.

Pretty much self explanatory. Km 44.5

The old bench sign I built that has welcomed visitors for 15 years now is a little further in. Going to bring a gen set out soon and give it a good sanding and refinish.

A box drop is prominent for those honest folks coming in after hours, with a light bulb to see.

The office, located at the gate.

Looks to be no one on the upper area.

Looks like no one is camped along the river bank sites.

No one in the center area. 

Ah, theres one near the day use area.
That outfit is paid up until the weekend so no need to bother kayak girl.

No one camped at the site of the old gold rush 'Hotspring House' roadhouse, or back in the 'bug pit'.

The high bank sites are empty.

 

A hell of a way to try and run a business.

I'll head over to the hot spring area.

Well thats too bad, I got the place to myself again. I hate it when that happens. Yeehaw!

T'sek (St. Agnes Well/Skookumchuck) Source produces up to 52L (14 gal) per minute, at a maximum temperature of 53 Celsius (129'), too hot to enter.

Wild blackberries grow up to one corner of the 'spring.

When I'm really sure no one is looking, I stick a pack of paper under my arm and scoot around the abandoned campsite, using the trees as a slalom course on my motopony, restocking the 8 or 9 outhouses scattered around.

 Hey! Thats the good stuff, who's in charge of purchasing around here?!
Actually, my grade four teacher correctly forecast this type of employment in my future.

The place is quite aways from town so no need to expect anyone arriving normally until later in the day, so I'm free to go back to the office and make a tea and eat almonds for awhile before I head back to the lodge and finish some staining, and I will make a loop through on the bike every couple hours for the rest of the day.
Damn nice work if you can find it.

For more about the hot spring facility see the Dec 2011 post 'Early Hot spring Improvements'.