Highway 20 (also known as the Chilcotin Hwy and the Alexander McKenzie Hwy) was our route today from Redstone to Tweedsmuir ParkLodge. Hwy 20 is a mixture of flat stretches, windy areas, an unpaved portion of about 60 km
and finally the famous Precipice or as many simply call it “The Hill”. The Hill begins at Heckman Pass (5000 ft) drops down the back of the Chilcotin Range 43 km to about 300 ft above sea level, in at times a 18% grade, complete with switch backs and hairpin turns, as well as one lane traffic in parts. The one lane traffic was generally around no-see um hairpin turns. As the road is used by logging trucks transporting pine beetle killed timber out of the area, paying attention is critical and guard rails of any kind are conspicuously missing. “Interesting” today, one can hardly imagine it in winter 😳.
A relatively flat paved road at the bottom of the summit was greeting with relief and within in minutes we arrived at Tweedsmuir lodge.
The lodge is nestled in between the Chilcotin Range
and the Coast Mountains – the most prominent being Mt Stupendous and that it is. The staff here are first class and we were quickly checked into our cabin. Our first event today was a Grizzly Bear 101 orientation. Our lovely guide Karla familiarized us with the property and took us on two short walks. We saw lots of grizzly footprints and grizzly droppings which smelled like salmon – imagine that 😂. Tomorrow we have a river drift in the morning where we hope to see our first bears.
Travels with Anne 