Monday morning, bright and early, I hustled over to Stewart’s Lodge, and found that Duncan Stewart, the owner of the Lodge and the Air Service, had arranged for me to fly with a group of 4 people - 2 couples - who were to be dropped off at Lonesome Lake to visit an old hermit there. This sounded great. Not only get to fly in the Beaver bush plane, but get to make a landing and take-off at a remote mountain lake, to boot. The morning, at 8:00 AM was crystal clear - the answer to a dream. By 9:00 AM, the mountain tops were clouding up. Uh Oh. We were all introduced, and the group started loading their gear into the plane. Pilot Dale Leekie is checking the floats……….

Then we taxi-ed out to a clear area of the lake, and hit the power. That Beaver is some hot-rod. In seconds we were on the step, then it leaped into the air, and we were on our way. This was exciting…………

To reach the mountains, we flew over miles of marshy forest. This would be a soggy, brushy, mosquito ridden mess to try to hike thru. Don’t think I’d want to try it. The old timers who settled this country must’ve been tougher than nails……….

Finally, we did reach the mountains, tho’, and even with the building clouds, it was a beautiful flight. Looks cooooold down thar…………

We flew by the edge of the Monarch Ice Field, but the possibility of “Granite Clouds” made it too dangerous to approach closer. Now, I’ve got something to aim for next year. As if I need an excuse………….

In this shot, Turner Lake, last of the chain of lakes popular with fly-in canoe-ists (-ers ??) is right under the wingtip. Mighty Hunlen Falls is at the bottom edge of it, and falls to the valley and lake below. Lonesome Lake, our destination is at the very far end of the long lake at the left……….

Hunlen Falls. What a sight…………

Now……..the story can pick up at the page I sent of “Lonesome Lake.” This is one of the few times when things actually worked out. The socked in weather at Seton Lake brought me to Nimpo Lake a day early, which allowed this flight. We flew on Monday, and Tuesday - our scheduled ride - was socked in solid and blowing and raining again. I drove into Chilko Lake on Tuesday and had more adventures, but that’s another story.                          Lar.

Larry Bourne
Santa Fe, NM
www.gogittum.com

Posted: May 25th, 2008 under 07 British Columbia, 07-6-17 Nimpo Lake.
Comments: 1