Hiking Mt. Hope

The first day I was in Hope I hiked up to the mountain's lookout point. It was a pretty difficult hike for my first time and on my first day of arrival when I hadn't gotten used to the mountain air yet, but totally worth it! The view was great and there was a little old box with a guestbook inside. I signed my name and took a short break and then hiked back down.

Hope Memorial Park

Hope Clock

Fraser River

From the lookout

At the top of the lookout

Canada Day Celebrations

This year my roommate Jessica and I celebrated Canada Day (July 1st) by representing Hell's Gate at the Hope Canada Day Celebrations. Over the previous two months we had crafted bracelets to sell for charity to support the Fraser Canyon Hospice Society, Hell's Gate Airtram's charity of choice.
We had a table set up to display and sell all of our products. 100% of the money received went to the Hospice Society.

 After frying in the July sun all day, we took a trip down to the creek for a refreshing swim.

A perfect way to end a hot day in the sun.

And after that, we went to Harrison Hot Springs to enjoy the fireworks.

The hot springs themselves.

Beautiful Harrison Lake

The Canada Day fireworks.

Redo your vacations

I found this on PostSecret and thought it was quite fitting.

It's true. You don't get to do or see everything you want to do. The other person doesn't want to go down that mysterious alley, or hike up that steep trail, or go into that cheesecake boutique, and they certainly don't want to wait 5 minutes for you to get that perfect shot.

I can't say I've ever completely enjoyed going on a trip with someone else, because there's always somewhere or something I want to do, and the other person always holds me back. Or the other way around, where the other person wants to go somewhere and do something and you don't.

When you go by yourself, you rely on yourself and only yourself. The trip is only as good as you yourself make it, and without another person there keeping you from doing things you love, it's all up to you to make it the best it can be.

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast magazine guide

The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Travel & Touring Guide is another great resource for traveling around BC. There are detailed write-ups and maps featuring many places in BC and are accompanied by beautiful pictures of British Columbia. You can find the online version here.

Cover page for the magazine

Gold Country Thompson-Okanagan magazine guide

The Gold Country magazine is my BIBLE for traveling through the Thompson-Okanagan region of British Columbia. It has valuable information on everything about traveling in this region, from a handy map on the inside cover to detailed itineraries to make the most of your time. I never went on a trip without my Gold Country magazine, and oftentimes with the Gold Country Trail Guide and the Gold Rush Trail Guide as well.

The one and only Gold Country map.

If you see these signs every so often, you're going the right way!

The Canadian National train running through Lytton.

The meeting of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers in Lytton -- one of my BC favorites.

An osprey nest in Lytton. Note the two rivers merging together.

The Thompson River, north of Lytton.

Cache Creek's premier photo op.