Bowron Lakes here we come!

[Paddlinhal]

One of my many birthday presents this year is that I get to finance a guided, outfitted 9 day canoe trip on the Bowron Lake Loop in BC. Not only me and my wife, but my two daughters and their two boyfriends. Oops, there was a breakup. Now there's only one boyfriend. That means there's an opening for the August 5 through 14 trip with Sea to Sky Expeditions, only $1,795. If interested, I'll even give you an "I Paddled With Hal" t-shirt. At least I'll owe you one...

 

[Guest]

Does that include the girlfriend companionship?

 

[Paddlinhal]

That would be between you and my daughter. She likes me and I'm an old goat, so there might be a chance.

 

[gumpus]

Any chance that you'd like to adopt me? I love paddling so maybe I'm the son you always wanted. I'm 60 but I'm exceptionally immature for my age.

 

[sweeper]

Let's see I picking up a $5200 CDN canoe on my way to Algonquin for 9 days ending on the 3rd of Aug, that gives me 2 days to retool and drive to BC for another 9 days @ $1800. This could work, I'll talk to SWMBO tonight.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Let's see I picking up a $5200 CDN canoe on my way to Algonquin for 9 days ending on the 3rd of Aug, that gives me 2 days to retool and drive to BC for another 9 days @ $1800. This could work, I'll talk to SWMBO tonight.

You forgot to allow for Ontario road construction delays.
Add one week.

 

[sweeper]

You forgot to allow for Ontario road construction delays.
Add one week.

OK I guess I can't go.

 

[yellowcanoe]

OK I guess I can't go.

Not sure I can go either. We just heard there are 170 forest fires in the area. Where exactly I don't know. Headlines on CBC

 

[Canoedog]

posted by Sandy of Bear River Mercantile, one of the Bowron Outfitters on their Facebook page just after noon today -

Ok, phone is ringing off the hook and messages are coming in strong. Bowron Lake Provincial Park has three active fires and has now been closed. I am a bit busy, but I will get to you as soon as I can. We are not in any danger up here at the north end of Bowron Lake, but Dick is setting the fire pumps near the river right now as I type. Yesterday there were three lightening strikes resulting in fires on Isaac Lake. The Park started evacuating everyone off the East Side, pushing everyone through the Cariboo River onto the West Side or turning them back via Indianpoint & Kibbee Lakes. Today they will be moving people through the West Side until everyone is out. There are no lightening strikes reported on the West Side at all, no one is in any danger, it is just a standard evacuation.
With all the fires occurring all over BC right now, the Wildfire crews are very busy and being that Bowron Lake will be evacuated, they will be concentrating their efforts on the more populated areas. We will just have to wait and see what happens. I will put updates up here as I can so keep coming back. We have no idea how long the closure will last.
For all my clients who were anticipating their Bowron Lake paddle between today and July 11, I will be trying to get private messages to you all, then I will work from there. Thank you for your patience.

and this about 2 hrs ago (3:30 Pacific) -

Latest news from the Park Registration Center. They figure the Park will be closed for at least two or three days. Will let you know when I get more.

search for Bear River Mercantile/Bowron Lake Museum for their facebook page, seems to be a good way to get updates.

 

[Paddlinhal]

Coincidentally, somebody did sign up for that last slot, one day before the park was evacuated and closed. As of now, it's closed until further notice. But I did look at the wildfire map, http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/dmf-viewer/?siteid=5131184402955244847&ll=53.1917,-120.9056667&z=11 and there are 3 active fires in the park, all on the banks of Isaac Lake. Two are very small, but one at the bottom of the lake covers more than 2 square miles.

 

[southcove]

Too bad there was that big kerfuffle over keeping the old Martin Mars firebombers on contract a few years ago...man, those things can drop a HUGE load of fire retardant and water!

 

[yellowcanoe]

Yes but there are so many populated areas that need fires out that take priority over the park
We're approaching Jasper now and the haze is thick

 

[Paddlinhal]

The parks are closed until July 26 now, so I'm starting to get a little nervous.

 

[riverstrider]

The parks are closed until July 26 now, so I'm starting to get a little nervous.

STARTING to get a LITTLE nervous? I'd be a wreck by now, lol! I wouldn't be able to go 15 minutes without trying to get an update on line! I hope the weather patterns send some rain over there to take care of business for you.

-rs

 

[Paddlinhal]

STARTING to get a LITTLE nervous? I'd be a wreck by now, lol! I wouldn't be able to go 15 minutes without trying to get an update on line! I hope the weather patterns send some rain over there to take care of business for you.

-rs

OK, I'm officially nervous. 7 days until we leave and zero updates. If I spend 2 weeks of hard-earned vacation driving around in a mini van sightseeing and restaurant eating I will go stark raving berserk.

 

[Guest]

OK, I'm officially nervous. 7 days until we leave and zero updates. If I spend 2 weeks of hard-earned vacation driving around in a mini van sightseeing and restaurant eating I will go stark raving berserk.

No word/response from the guide/outfitter? That’s not good business communication. At this point I’d be expecting daily update e-mails, even if they were just vague “We’re still hoping it’s a go”.

I have only flown to a destination to paddle once, and that was to meet Joel; even if the entire State of Florida had been on fire I knew he’d figure something out. We might be in Georgia or Alabama, but we’d be paddling.

At $1800 a person I’d expect a guide/outfitter to have already come up with some alternate just-in-case proposal, even if that meant a trip 100 miles away. There’s a lot of dang water there, including a whole ocean and tidal rivers to the west.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed that at least it is a really nice mini-van, and fine dining.

 

[Paddlinhal]

Just opened the park. Woo Hoo!

 

[yellowcanoe]

The outfitter has posted what he knows on FB. Blame the BC government which would not give updates even weekly

The outfitter was furious too over the new BC regime failure to communicate.

Here I come too!

 

[Paddlinhal]

All's well that ends well I suppose. But this is one time I would appreciate a good soaking rain, just to make sure.

 

[Mihun09]

Rain would be a fine thing even here, preferably without the lightning that keeps starting new fires. 72 burning in Manitoba today. Last few days has been 100+F.

http://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/fire/Fire-Maps/fireview/fireview.html