Yellowhead Backtrack

While heading back up the Yellowhead Highway I manage a couple of hikes. The first was just outside of Prince Rupert called Butze Rapids. It's an impressive 6km trail that leads to some rather spectacular tidal rapids and continues around to the inlet.

The trail is flanked with skunk cabbage for much of the way. I don't think I've ever been in a place where there has been so much of it. Where we lived in Renton there was some by the creek, but nothing like this. It much be an indication of just how wet this area can be.

In looking at the current today, which wasn't that great, I can only imagine what the rapids must be like during some tidal extremes.

That evening I camped at a boat ramp next to the Exchamsiks River since the provincial park next door was still closed. From there it was a short hike to the Skeena River. To my delight, the sun came out and some of the mountains revealed themselves.

One of the things I enjoy is Geocaching. There's a link below that explains it. For me though, what I especially like about it, is how folks have placed caches in some remote, scenic and little known locations. I have driven, sailed, atv, bicycled and hiked to some of the most interesting little know places. Places, frankly, I would have never gone to with someone placing a geocache there. Before I left for this trip, I uploaded some interesting sounding ones to the GPS. Actually, the hike to Butze Rapids has a couple, but I would have probably hiked that trail anyway. Not so the hike to Watson Lake. There is nothing along the highway to even let you know that a trail is just up this short logging road. But some kind soul placed a cache there and described it on the internet. It was this wonderful hike up to a small lake with a waterfall that feeds into it with stunning mountains in the distance.

Watson Lake