Copyright © 2021 by Steve Tersmette
First Edition
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Cataloguing data available from Library and Archives Canada
ISBN 9781771604277 (paperback)
ISBN 9781771604284 (electronic)
All photographs are by Steve Tersmette unless otherwise noted.
We would like to also take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories upon which we live and work. In Calgary, Alberta, we acknowledge the Niitsítapi (Blackfoot) and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikuni, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Stoney Nakoda First Nations, including Chiniki, Bearpaw, and Wesley First Nations. The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. In Victoria, British Columbia, we acknowledge the traditional territories of the Lkwungen (Esquimalt, and Songhees), Malahat, Pacheedaht, Scia’new, T’Sou-ke and WSÁNEĆ (Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum) peoples.
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We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and of the province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.
DISCLAIMER
The actions described in this book may be considered inherently dangerous activities. Individuals undertake these activities at their own risk. The information put forth in this guide has been collected from a variety of sources and is not guaranteed to be completely accurate or reliable. Many conditions and some information may change owing to weather and numerous other factors beyond the control of the authors and publishers. Individuals or groups must determine the risks, use their own judgment, and take full responsibility for their actions. Do not depend on any information found in this book for your own personal safety. Your safety depends on your own good judgment based on your skills, education, and experience.
It is up to the users of this guidebook to acquire the necessary skills for safe experiences and to exercise caution in potentially hazardous areas. The authors and publishers of this guide accept no responsibility for your actions or the results that occur from another’s actions, choices, or judgments. If you have any doubt as to your safety or your ability to attempt anything described in this guidebook, do not attempt it.
For Hanna and Jasper
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
CHAPTER 1 East Kootenay
CHAPTER 2 West Kootenay
CHAPTER 3 Trans-Canada Corridor / Columbia
CHAPTER 4 Okanagan & Boundary
CHAPTER 5 More To Explore
Author’s Picks
Notes & Resources
Index of Waterfalls
Foreword
I met Steve Tersmette on a backpacking trip along the Rockwall Trail in Kootenay National Park back in 2018. We talked about many things during the drive to the trailhead, including our mutual love and admiration of waterfalls. I had never witnessed a real waterfall in person until my first drive along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge when I moved to Portland 15 years ago. I became instantly enamored. Beyond the allure for the senses of hearing and sight, cascades draw us to them on a primal level. Something deep within us knows that a waterfall is a potential source of food and water. And depending on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go, there are claims that the negative ions produced by the crashing water act as a mood boost when we breathe in the air that surrounds them. It wasn’t long after that first trip that the Columbia River Gorge became my favourite place in the world.
So when we passed Columbia Lake, the headwaters of the namesake river and gorge I so covet, I was giddy. As we drove by I mentioned to Steve how excited I was to be seeing it. Steve then informed me that Dutch Creek is the longest stream that feeds Columbia Lake. He had traced Dutch Creek to its primary feeder stream and followed that to its source – a muddy trickle from a remnant glacier on the northeast face of Trikootenay Peak, high in the Purcell Mountains – simply to see the very origin of the Columbia River. At that moment, eyes wide and mouth agape, I knew that Steve Tersmette was a fella I wanted to know. He sees the natural world with a fascination and reverence that very few possess.
I picked his brain almost ceaselessly over the next five days in an attempt to learn as much about the wilderness of British Columbia as I possibly could. And he happily obliged, providing information with uncommonly thoughtful and balanced insight. At the time, Steve was just getting his feet wet with writing about the outdoors, and I recognized it was only a matter of time before he would get one of those feet into a major door. And here we are. It’s an honor to introduce Steve Tersmette to the guidebook-reading public. I’m sure you’ll enjoy his knowledge, writing and photography as much as I do.
—Adam Sawyer, professional gentleman of leisure, author of Hiking Waterfalls Oregon and Hiking Waterfalls Idaho; co-author of Hiking Waterfalls Washington
Introduction
I was that kid: pressed against the back window of the family van searching for roadside cascades as we made our way west for an annual summer camping trip. Every single little stream that poured out of the mountains gave rise to a backseat celebration before we reset our eyes, hoping to catch another fleeting glimpse of the next waterfall. Not much has changed. I am still that kid, although now, as the driver, it is slightly more dangerous to be on the lookout for waterfalls while negotiating the Formula One racetrack that the Trans-Canada Highway has become.
The captivating force that attracts people to waterfalls is nothing less than magical. From small hypnotic cascades delicately bubbling over rocks and tree limbs to the deafening roar of a swollen river rocketing over a cliff, people go to great lengths to seek out these natural wonders. Waterfalls provide an escape, a solace for the mind while soothing the soul. And they are pretty things to photograph.
The purpose of this book is to provide a simple, family-friendly hiking guide as an aid in locating and accessing the spectacular waterfalls in southern British Columbia. This comprehensive guide details nearly a hundred waterfalls, encompassing the area south of the Trans-Canada corridor in the north, to the Alberta and US borders to the east and south, and to the Highway 97 corridor in the west.
First and foremost I want to thank my wife, Katie, and our two children, Hanna and Jasper, for being such great sports as we hunted waterfalls at every opportunity. I want to thank Adam Sawyer for inspiring me to get writing, for the idea of creating this guidebook and for ecstatically providing the foreword. To my good friend Robin and sister-in-law Tawny for reading, rereading and surgically editing draft after draft of this literary masterpiece. To my father for instilling in me a deep-seated and insatiable love for mountains, hiking and the outdoors. To my many climbing partners over the years who continue to fuel my passion and whose own accomplishments never cease to amaze. To Meghan Ward at Crowfoot Media for giving me a shot. And finally, to Don Gorman at Rocky Mountain Books for his excitement for this project; his guidance and professionalism have been critical in bringing the project to fruition.
Writing this book not only kept us hiking and exploring together as a family but also filled a much needed void in the guidebook genre: kid-friendly exploration. Oh, and did I mention? It’s about waterfalls!
Using the guidebook
This comprehensive, simple and family-friendly hiking guide will aid readers in locating and accessing the spectacular waterfalls of southern British Columbia. While every measure has been taken to ensure the accuracy of driving and hiking directions, even the most competent of writers have mashed buttons on their keyboard at some point. If you discover an error, please inform the author and publisher so that potential future printings can be updated.
Trail difficulty ratings
There are a variety of trails described herein, from five-minute walks out your car door, to destinations that may require a night out in a tent. Difficulty ratings are highly subjective and depend on the reader’s experience, comfort and fitness level. The trails are rated with a family in mind, including younger children who can walk on a hiking trail on their own. My kids were six and eight years old during the construction of this guidebook and therefore served as the measuring stick for hiking times and difficulty. Read trail descriptions carefully to assess whether a hike might or might not be within your wheelhouse.
Trail difficulty can vary depending on conditions, time of day, season, weather, precipitation and temperature. Hike at your own risk and make smart decisions based on your skill level and experience. Even hiking on well-used trails has its hazards, such as roots, rocks and mud. Another thing to keep in mind is that waterfalls tend to get things pretty wet. Spray can travel for dozens of metres, making the areas around waterfalls slippery and dangerous, even with good footwear.
•Easy Less than half a day. One-way distance of less than 3 km or 1 hour on well-defined and well-marked trails with relatively minor elevation gains.
•Moderate A half-day to a full-day hike. Between 3 and 5 km one way with modest elevation gains or undulating terrain. Might also include shorter hikes with sustained steep or narrow sections.
•Difficult Requires a long day or an overnight trip. Might have significant elevation gains. Potential hazards may include difficult-to-follow trails, creek crossings or steep terrain. Pay careful attention to trail descriptions.
Getting there
While many trails are readily accessible from a highway, some are approachable only by forestry service roads (FSRS). British Columbians are blessed with an abundance of this infrastructure. Some forestry roads are well maintained for industrial or recreational purposes, while others fall into disrepair or go years without the benefit of maintenance. Access difficulty is described for a two wheel drive vehicle. If a four wheel drive is recommended or required, this is noted in the driving directions and classified as difficult.
•Easy Access and parking via a paved road.
•Moderate Access and parking via well-maintained FSR or other unpaved road. No concerns with use of a two wheel drive vehicle.
•Difficult Access via unmaintained backcountry roads. Four wheel drive may be recommended or even necessary. Pay close attention to driving directions and noted hazards.
It should be noted that our two family vehicles had minor discrepancies in their odometer readings between waypoints. This might result in slight variances in actual distance versus the information provided. As much as possible, a landmark or reference is provided with each distance to ensure access descriptions are as accurate as possible.
SAFETY ON RESOURCE ROADS
Forestry Service Roads are typically one- or two-lane gravel roads built for industrial purposes to access natural resources in remote areas. They are used primarily by vehicles engaged in forestry, mining, oil and gas or agriculture operations. In addition to industrial access, resource roads are used by the general public and commercial operators, such as backcountry skiing or hunting businesses and lodges or other accommodators. FSRS serve as crucial links for rural communities and access to recreational opportunities.
As they are not built or maintained to the same standards as public highways, resource roads can be rough with narrow gravel surfaces. There may be roadside brush limiting visibility, soft shoulders, more curves, tighter curves and much steeper grades than are encountered on public highways. These roads do not necessarily have signs or barriers identifying all hazards or dangers. Common dangers include large industrial vehicles; high traffic volume; poor visibility due to brush, alignment, dust, fog or smoke; passing or being passed on narrow roads; changing road surface conditions; weather; wildlife and so forth. A radio is recommended on resource roads that are actively being used for forestry or mining. It is also a good idea to drive with your headlights on to improve your own visibility.
Resource road users must drive with caution at all times!
Waterfall safety
Waterfalls are incredibly beautiful but can be incredibly dangerous. In the age of smart phones, social media and the selfie, more and more people are taking risks to get The Shot. Most of these safety tips should be common sense, but you know what they say about common sense!
1.Stay on established trails. Not only does deviating from trails destroy vegetation but undeveloped terrain can be highly unstable. Hiking off trail might also put others below you at risk, as soil or rocks can be knocked loose.
2.Don’t swim or cross creeks above waterfalls. One wrong step and a strong current can take you from the top of a waterfall to the bottom in a split second. Some locations have designated viewing areas or fencing to restrict access to dangerous or unstable terrain. These fences, guards and railings are in place for your safety.
3.Don’t. Jump. Off. Waterfalls. Period. There are so many factors to consider, including water depth, currents and rocks or debris below the surface. Pools can change from year to year, even season to season, with runoff carrying rocks, logs and debris downstream. Water levels change seasonally and can also be affected by rainfall. Never assume a pool is safe. People have died at some of the waterfalls described in this very book. Again: don’t jump off waterfalls.
4.Avoid rocks and climbing at the base of waterfalls. Spray and mist make rocks and trails slippery, especially near the pools at the base of falls.
5.Watch for streamflow advisories (usually posted during spring runoff). Water can rise up over established trails or creek crossings. The higher volume in spring creates fast-moving water, debris flows and bank erosion. Streamflow can increase by as much as 15 times the normal volume, especially during periods of rapid melting and high runoff.
6.Wear appropriate footwear. A good pair of light hikers is a must for most hikes. Trails may be slippery, especially as you approach waterfalls. If you need to cross a creek, best to have a pair of water shoes or a full-coverage sandal that can be secured to your foot at the top and back (read: flip-flops are not appropriate footwear).
Hiking with kids
One of the biggest hurdles we faced as new parents was to find a variety of short, easy hikes to take our kids on. Most of the hiking guides currently in print describe breathtaking vistas, shimmering mountain lakes and, without a doubt, some of the highest-value scenery in the world. Many are lengthy day hikes. Some involve backcountry camping. Most include substantial elevation gain. Like many parents we transitioned from baby wraps to kid carriers to holding hands or to simply carrying kids in our arms. Some days were hugely successful, others nothing short of torturous. The one thing we craved was to have more options to transition our kids from our backs to the trails.
As a father of two I can say my biggest fault was expecting too much from my kids at too young of an age. Fortunately, I did not completely break them. So, having learned the lesson myself, the most important wisdom I can pass along is this: be patient. When patience fails, however, here are a few tips to keep kids keen on hiking.