Return to Litle Slocan Lake

[mbiraman]

For those of you missing the warm weather. Last fall while i was on a project i was escaping from my shop once and a while to clear my head out. After some running around i ended up at Little Slocan Lakes. I only go there about once a year as its a small lake and usually people on it but this day it was just right. I put in at the little beach.


I was heading up the upper reaches of the Little Slocan river as far as i could to Bannock and Burn Creek if possible.


As i was heading up the river i came upon a beaver dam.
I ran into about 6 other dams on my way up river but that was the only one i had to actually get out and back in.


This is prime bear habitat. Just one big salad bar. So i was paying attention to a few things so as not to surprise anyone including myself. The river gets real narrow in places upping my concern.


After a while i couldn't get any farther up as it was getting too shallow so i stopped and had lunch on a sand bar . There were Choke cherries all over.


and some nice views on the way down


Once i got back down to the lake the sun was illuminating everything.
All that grass you see growing use to be harvested 80 yrs ago by one of the two homesteading families back here. They would horse draw a barge loading 10 tons off grass .This would be for the cows for winter.


Now i had my camera on the wrong setting as it turns out so every time i faced towards the sun things got a little weird ,,but made for some interesting shots nevertheless.


If you fallow the river south of the lake it goes to those far mnts, turns left and passes my place after about another 8 miles.



More scenery


It was getting on in the afternoon and decide not to go down the river towards the other lakes and just pulled into a small bay at the south end of the upper lake for some tea.


Relaxing with my bush Buddy boiling up some water.



Just about that time the entertainment started. This little fella swam by towards its den which was over to my left.


He couldn't make up his mind and swam out and then back again.





Shows over and i pack up and head back to the upper part of the lake to the launch. It doesn't take long but the end of the day is coming.
One last look up the north end.


The end to a very nice relaxing day ,,,away from work and everything else.



enjoy
bill

[Bradley]

Once i got back down to the lake the sun was illuminating everything.
All that grass you see growing use to be harvested 80 yrs ago by one of the two homesteading families back here. They would horse draw a barge loading 10 tons off grass .This would be for the cows for winter.


bill

Hi Bill
Nice shots . . . thanks for it.

I was there a year or so ago with my girls, just for a look though it was all we had time for.

But when I got back to work the next week,
I was mentioning it to a girl on my route, and she said . . .

That one of the homesteaders was her Grand-parents.
Her Gr-ma and Gr-pa as young adults, or teens
were there at the same time and met.
Shortly after that they married and then chose that to be there home.

I haven't seen them but google shows the homesteads still being there.

[Callahan]

Great post Bill! Man, its got to be great to have lakes like that in your back yard! I was okay when I woke up this morning, but now I'm really missing summer!

Oh well, may try and go do a little snowshoeing later this afternoon.

Cheers

[mbiraman]

Hey Bradley; The Homestead your showing south of the lakes on the river is the Varney clan. They , and a bunch of other folks moved there in the thirties. After a year or so most left but the Varneys stayed. There isn't much there now. One of the original log cabin's is still standing and part of one of the hay barns. There was a big celebration there between a Tedesko and Varney about sixty yrs ago.There's a few pic's in Rita Moir's book "The Third Crop" that came out last summer. Interesting book. There's a pic of the horse drawn barge and a few of them slinging grass. Hard working days.I knew Chuck and Hazel Varney as they lived down the road from me. Their long gone now. One of their son's Ed still lives down the road and for years i had permission to go in and wander the property.Its one of the nicest pieces of property in the area and one of the only private pieces back in that whole area. The other homesteaders where just south of the Rec site on the upper lake. You've probably seen the plaque. Anderson's i think if i remember right. You might find "The Third Crop interesting. Its on the Slocan Valley. Glad to hear your gettin out with the kids

Ooops; I misread the google pic when i looked at it. That's the river section above the lakes where i was paddling. I don't know who was there and haven't heard about them Mmmmm. I wonder if the Girl was talking about the Varneys place??
bill