Treaty 2 Territory- On September 16th my husband and I flew to Kamloops, British Columbia for a week of wellness and outdoor activities at the home of family located on Little Shuswap Lake. This area is the home of the Shuswap Band who are members of the Secwépemc (pronounced Sec-wep-mec) Nation. This nation is occupied by the Interior Salish-speaking people who traditionally occupied a vast area in the south-central part of what is now called British Columbia.
Our week started with a road trip to the Okanagan area. We traveled south along the west side Lake Shuspap, passing by Tappen, Okananagan Lake, Westbank and Peachland. On our trip back to Shuswap, we travelled along the East side, headed North from Kelowna to Predator Ridge, through Endeerby, past Armstrong and then to Herald Park. While at Herald Park in Salmon Arms, we hiked up to Margaret Falls and spent time there taking in the beaty and taking pictures.
Each day included hikes or boat rides as we explored this beautiful part of BC that is known for its annual salmon spawning and an abundance of Bald Eagles. The areas surrounding this part of the province, close to the town of Chase, has numerous hiking trails, waterways such as Adams River and a long history of logging.
One of most beautiful hikes we took, was along Adams River in Tsutswecw Provincial Park. The viewing Platform gave us an amazing view of the winding river, surrounded by majestic falls and Cedar trees. We hiked along Lowe Flume where logging historically took place, where logs were sent down the river via flumes. Flumes are man-built wood channels built to transport logs.
We also spent time golfing at the Talking Rock Resort and Golf Course which was built on rolling hills. The hotel portion of the resort burnt down last spring so there were construction machinery there, removing the remnants of the fire. Plans are to rebuild the hotel soon as the resort a favourite spot for vacations and weddings.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have the opportunity to see the salmon spawning as it was just starting but we did manage to see a few of the first salmon arrive. We hope to return one day soon as Shuswap is one of the most beautiful parts of Canada.
Submitted by Renée McGurry, Earth Lodge