Sun Aug 25 2013 North Cacades

Sun Aug 25 2013

The North Cascade national park is mainly
an area of 3 dams and reservoirs, close to each other.

Gorge dam and powerhouse 1961, 300 ft, 175 MW.
As pictured yesterday.


Diablo dam 1929, 389 ft, 159 MW.
You can drive over the dam, and this is the reservoir
with Bakers peak in the distance.
(Another park I missed, need to come back....)

Ross dam 1969, 540 ft, 450 MW

Washington pass and mountains
Above the 5400 ft.

Finally, made another good hike.
Up to Pyramid lake and mountain, about 11 km,
from 307 meter to 1,131 meter. Was planning to
go to the peak, but see now that I would have
needed several more hours....
Good that a turned around after 2 hours, especially
when the terrain become to steep to be save.

Ended in Wintrop.
And the local "old schoolhouse brewery". Wooh.
Amazing what they have, the smooth weath,
the 'Ruud Awakening' and 'Imperial IPA'  are a must.
This is the culprit of no blog update, last night.

Sat Aug 24 2013 North Cascade

Sat Aug 24 2013

Crossed the border to the US.
3 minutes to enter Canada (so long, mainly due to a
bad internet connection), and 1 hour and 25 minutes
waiting time and 2 minutes inspection to enter
the US again.

After the city, back to the mountains.
To the North Cascade National park.

The first dam of a series, is Gorge dam and powerhouse

Stayed for camping, as long as the weather was good and dry.

Fri Aug 23 2013 Vancouver

Fri Aug 23 2013


Vancouver

Just wandering around.
Enjoyed much the chinese garden. The ying and yang,
very interesting guide, the explain the details
of the garden. (Just went a little but bit overboard
the say that all Japanse gardens and culture was just
a blind copy of the Chinese culture).

The Chinese garden has a special nomination by
national geograhic, and a can not compete with there
pictures.

The rest of the day, wandering around in Chinatown

wandering around the harbor, Stanley park, 
the iron gate bridge, took the ferry ....

And just stopped all my tracks when a saw the LaChouffe glass.
Needed to try a fresh tapped one, and a duvel, and a
Karmeliet.

Back to the hotel showed the problems of the big city.
Hard drugs, heroine, plain visible and close to the main street,
small trading of (stolen) goods and woman offering services...

Thu Aug 22 2013 Vancouver

Thu Aug 22 2013

Vancouver

Downtown, a good simple dinner, with a live
jazz music band performing.

Close to Chinatown, Gastown, the steamclock,
and Cauldron, the olympic flame.
Too many pictures to show

The busy float plane terminal, In the middle of 'downtown'.

Whale watching tour, aka Orca hunt
Where lucky to see a group of about 12
killer whales, playing in the water

Or waving his tail

Wed Aug 21 2013 Wistler Vancouver

Wed Aug 21 2013

Wistler
Vancouver

Wistler, the 2010 winter Olympic park,
was extremely busy. All ski lifts where
open, with large waiting lines.
Each other chair lift was replaced by a
mountain bike rack. And down hill mountain
biking was the big think.

Also the city is preparing for the Iron-man
this Sunday.

Continues on the Sky to the Sea road.
Lakes, waterfalls, mountains,...

Passed so many hiking trails (such as Garibalbi,
thanks for the tip).
Have a lot of reasons to pass by again.

Tue Aug 20 2013 The Sky to the Sea Hwy.

Tue Aug 20 2013
The Sky to the Sea Hwy.

Passing several lakes, and driving surrounded
by big mountains.

Any suggestions for Vancouver ?

Mon Aug 19 2013 Clearwater.

Mon Aug 19 2013
Clearwater.

Started with a road block. A few miles on the off
road way to Trophy mountain, the road was blocked
by a large fallen tree. Good that I'm prepared,
and with a good ax, and some help from the next
car, 20 minutes later the road was cleared.

Up to the meadows and Sheila lake.

Passing the small hut where John Ronacker lived for 20 years.
Looks poetic on a nice summer day

And of coarse the waterfalls in clearwater are the
main attractions.
One of son many pictures of the Dawson falls

Or you prefer the Helmcken falls
Remark the rainbow effect just left of the big fall.

And yes, the Chinook Slamon still try to jump the Bailey's chute.
No need to upload new jumps, I suppose.