Day 12: The Vau Des Hiking

Admittedly: Hiking is not one of our passions – unless you count 25,000 steps in various cities as hiking.

Today, however, we at least planned a short hike: the Helmcken Falls Rim Trail. First, we left our stunning resort at Hallamore Lake and drove back towards Clearwater. Then up into Wells Gray Provincial Park and to Dawson Falls.

From here, the trail led through the forest, always along the Murtle River. With each rapid, the river dropped a little lower beneath us until, after about 1 hour and 15 minutes of hiking, it plunged over the Helmcken Falls into the depths beside us. We stood at the edge of a rock wall approximately 140 meters deep over the river. Once again, just to my taste. But incredibly impressive.

After that, we took the same way back to the car, from where our journey would continue to Sun Peaks. The stay here was only meant as a stopover to make the route to Whistler more digestible. We also experienced mixed weather here for the first time: 9 degrees and drizzle. The kids, who were racing down the hill on their mountain bikes during the Peaks Pedal Fest, didn't seem to mind at all.

Tomorrow, the second stage toward Whistler begins.