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Fiddle River

Whitecourt, Venturers

Day 2- Fiddle River Backpack
June 29,2002
Trailhead to Slide Creek Campground

Morning began with a harsh wake up call at the inhuman hour of 7 am. Sure we had agreed that we would need to get up at that time, but it still seemed cruel of our advisor to wake us at such an early time. Thomas and Sofianos demonstrated their superior cooking ability by boiling the water needed to cook the instant oatmeal that had become a favorite on all camp breakfasts. Perhaps its virtues such as weight, ease of preparation, and definite lack of mess made up for the downside: the taste. Dried fruit complemented the oatmeal and left us feeling full and ready to hit the trail. Meanwhile everyone was busy packing their bags, and insuring that all the unnecessary items were left in vehicles. (After the trip it was commonly agreed that a whole lot more stuff could be left in the vehicles). Then after packing had occurred everyone cleaned up and said good-bye to our first nights’ campsite: Pocahontas. We piled into the “Beast”, (Vickie’s Van”, and Bob’s truck. Twenty minutes later after traversing the narrow winding road, we arrived at Miette Hotsprings, the staging area for our trip. We all made a few last minute adjustments after parking at the trailend. Greg rigged up a tent pole onto his frame pack that supported the “Jolly Rogers”. Duct tape it should be noted saw its first use here. After a rousing photo, everyone determined that it wasn’t a good time to be photogenic, so early in the morning and all. Thus we all headed off into the wilderness, northwest of Sulphur mountain. The voyage of the land pirates had begun, to go and take a glimpse a nature off the beaten path. Within the first few kilometers a gentle grade carried us up to the junction of Shuey pass and the Sulphur Skyline trail. The in betweens amounted to the breaking open of the first aid kit and the first usage of moleskin on the trip, which Derek heartily took credit for, and the conclusion that Scott’s pack was much to large for him. At the junction everyone made a decision. Those feeling up to the challenge opted to drop their packs for a side trip to Sulphur summit. Vickie and Bob, the less energetic decided it was teatime, and stopped for a break. They agreed to meet us down along the Shuey pass at the next junction. All the rest of us headed up the steep-switch backing trail for the summit. Scott, obviously compelled by his British heritage headed back down the mountain about one-third of the way up to join Vickie and Bob for tea. Sofi, Thomas, Hans, Darren, Greg, Joel, and Derek all continued upwards towards the peak. Derek, and Greg were the only hardy enough to reach the peak. Upon it they sat, trying to hide from the gusts of chilling wind. The chipmunks didn’t provide a whole lot of wind blockage! After a couple of photos and speculations on where the fiddle river trail intersected Shuey pass, the two headed downwards. A glimpse towards Miette Hotsprings beheld a magnificent rainbow suspended in the grey-blue sky above Ashlar ridge. Sofi, Thomas, Joel, Hans, and Darren’s journey had ended at the tree-line. Hans and Darren remained towards the top of the tree-line to seek shelter and to build some interesting cairns. Sofi, Thomas, and Joel had previously continued down the switchbacks and had continued along the Shuey pass trail in order to find Vickie and Bob. Darren, Hans, Greg, and Derek continued down together, passing many tourists on the way up the popular trail. Soon every one met for lunch just before the descent towards the fiddle river, along the Shuey pass trail. Pita’s which consisted of tomatoes, ham, cheese, and lettuce were made to serve (self-service only L). Peanut butter lumps served as a suitable snack for along the way. After lunch we descended towards the fiddle river. A few moments of exploration and then we decided to continue on our way. Our original plan was to head northeast into Shuey pass, but somehow we unknowingly messed up. It seemed there was no trail that way, so we took a trail that lead us Southwest. A sign that read “Not Advisable” with a symbolic hiker and equestrian soon greeted us. We had expected our trail to be in poor shape so we headed along this trail anyway. Soon we were in a narrow canyon that followed the Fiddle river. Our first ford occurred when a cliff cut off our trail. We all took off our hiking boots and donned sandals and water shoes. Thomas tested the depth first without his pack and found the frigid water to be nearly waste-deep. We hauled out a rope and used Vickie and Greg as anchors on either side to help support people crossing the river. What was a waste-deep river for most of us was more like shoulder deep for Scott (just kidding), so Derek carried Scott’s pack over so it wouldn’t get wet. Stopping in the middle, Derek jokingly threatened to dunk Scott’s pack if his current non-existent wage was not raised. Eventually though everyone got over safely enough. Everyone except Bob remained in their river-crossing footwear. Bob soon found the folly of his ways as not more than two hundred meters down the trail the second river crossing occurred. Three crossings later the first mishap occurred. Confident enough without the rope assist everyone, crossed safely except for Vickie. She had slipped in the shallow water and Bob had to come to her aid from a rock bar in the middle, which he was standing on. Her pack was soaked, but all together she was just a little chilled. Derek had been convinced they were still on the right trail, when he found a junction. The only problem is that the sign had read Utopia Creek campground instead of Slide Creek campground. Bob meanwhile had searched for higher ground to get a GPS reading. He had thus figured we were a mountain away from our intended trail. One last river crossing led us to the Fiddle River Trail 2 kms away from Utopia Creek Campground. Unfortunately, Vickie must have thought falling in the river was fun the previous time, and decided to do it again. (The current swept her feet from under her). Luckily Derek was close by and prevented her from floating downstream while she managed to get up. Once across everyone was okay. Vickie was a little shaken up, and chilled, but safe and sound. A few donations of dry clothing to the “Vickie Fund”, and she was good to go. After about 2 kilometers with about 7 fords, we had finished the voyage along the canyon floor. Everyone traveled the next two kilometers in groups, until we all met up at Utopia Creek Campground for a rest and to evaluate our situation. There was about seven more kilometers to go along the fiddle river valley to go. We set off in groups that held a near consistent pace with one another. The fiddle river trail snaked throughout the valley, closing in on the river at times, and climbing through dense coniferous forests at times. Along the way we found a pile of snow perhaps 10 meters high, that had slide down the mountain as an avalanche. While resting along the river Derek, Greg, Vickie, and Scott met up with the park ranger for the area. He informed us that the trail we had taken was a path he only kept open for occasional horse travel by himself. He then informed us that the campsite was only about “1 hour” away from our current location, and that we had to climb a “little slide” to get to it. In truth it turned out to be closer to two hours for us to reach the campsite. Bob, in a most convincing manner assured Thomas, Sofianos, and Joel that there was only about 1 km left, and that was about 4 kms away at the time. I guess he felt they needed the motivation. Meanwhile Greg and Derek assured themselves that each ridge they walked over was the slide the ranger was talking about. After four or so of these ridges of hope, they starting to despair, and the “over the next ridge” saying no longer held much promise. About two more ridges though and the campground appeared with Bob, Sofi, Thomas, and Joel already taking up residence. Since everyone but Vickie had arrived, progress on supper began. Greg, and Hans cooked a fine supper of CheesyBacoSpuds, and apple crisp to follow. The rest of us set up our tents in the meantime, and stored our gear. Vickie came in an hour after the first party, but not at all in bad shape. She was after all on her “own schedule”. Well after clean up and a sit around the fire, everyone was so exhausted that they headed off to bed. So ends our hiking adventure for the first day.


Day 3- Fiddle River Backpack
June 30,2002
Slide Creek Campground to Trailend

Morning started off with another harsh wakeup from Vickie (codenamed: early riser). Soon everyone was up and ready to face the day…except Hans and Darren. After many warnings, Vickie decided to pull the plug or more rather the poles from the tent. I guess our new motto for Darren and Hans is “early to bed, late to rise, makes a man troubled, hungry and despised. Anyways everyone agreed that the night’s sleep had been very good, although Derek and Joel were the only ones who thought they heard it heavily raining. Everyone got suited up, and Derek and Greg placed large patches of their “improved moleskin” on their feet (Duct Tape). Everyone took off and headed towards Utopia creek campsite. Familiar with the trail from the previous day, travel was quick and unhindered. On the way we met with the ranger again on his way down the trail with his horses. He wished us luck and we carried our feet along the path again. At utopia creek we had lunch, which consisted of peanut butter and jam bagels, beef jerky, and dried fruit. Most of us agreed that mixing jam and peanut butter in those squeeze tubes was a bad idea, since it looked like something you might find on the trail. Otherwise taste wasn’t an issue, we were all that hungry. Since Hans and Darren somehow arrived first at Utopia Creek even after leaving last at slide creek they opted for a siesta as they hauled out their sleeping bags. Greg and Derek on the more adventurous side choose to have a polar dip in the Fiddle River. Polar indeed! Well after the swim and the food, and the snooze Vickie comes strolling into camp. Darn just when we thought we’d gotten rid of her. Soon everyone was ready for the last leg of the journey. We walked for the first couple of kilometers on a rocky path near Fiddle. After we came to the junction where we come out the day before. Humor and good memories do justice to that trail. Our trail it seemed wound its way up the saddle in between two tree covered summits. Bob had commented that there was a little hill before the end. Little must be relative in this instance. About this time Scott was running a marathon up the mountain and quickly passed the aged Greg and Derek, who insisted on frequent stops to explore the woodland slopes. It was not that the climb was notoriously steep, it was just that it seemed to drag on and on with no defined max point. Near the top, or what was to be made of it Greg and Derek found a scree slope and decided it was due time to stop to make some inventive Cairns. Greg chose the traditional design, while Derek put his efforts towards making the “tower of doom”. Later during the construction process it began to hail so they decided that the tower should be renamed the tower of hope. About then Vickie came strolling in. Conveniently that was the end of the day.