In the morning I began my day in North Thompson River Provincial Park, where I set out on the North Thompson River Long Loop. The path led me through dense forest, sprinkled with patches of sunlight, and soon I reached the banks of the North Thompson River. The broad, calm waters moved steadily along, and I felt myself falling into the river’s gentle rhythm as I followed the loop. The trail wound alternately through woodland and riverside, offering me new perspectives at every turn. Eventually I completed the loop, leaving with a sense of peace and harmony with nature.
After this first hike, I continued to the Wells Gray Provincial Park, home to some of British Columbia’s most impressive waterfalls. My first stop was the Spahats Falls, also called Spahats Creek Falls. With a height of about 75 m and a width of 8 m, the waterfall drops gracefully into the deep canyon, the white water breaking into mist as it hits the bottom.
From there I moved on to the Shaden Viewpoint, where a wide panorama opened before me, stretching far across the forested valley and showing the vast scale of this park.
Next I reached the Dawson Falls, where the Murtle River plunges over a broad front of around 95 m in width and 18 m in height. The thunder of the water could be heard from afar, and as I approached I felt the full force of the river. On average, around 107 m³ of water per second flow over the falls – an immense amount of water cascading across its full width.
Finally, I came to the highlight of the day, the Helmcken Falls, where the water crashes down an impressive 141 m. Before this mighty sight I stood for a long time, taking in its grandeur, before deciding to follow the river downstream.
I walked along the Murtle River until it flowed into the Clearwater River. The path kept close to the water, and after each bend a new and even more beautiful panorama appeared.
Sometimes it was the flow of the Murtle merging into the larger river, sometimes the broad waters of the Clearwater stretching outward. Step by step, the confluence became clearer, and I took my time to enjoy this spectacle. Then I continued a little way upstream along the Clearwater River, where the banks shifted in shape and offered new scenes at every turn.
At 2:45 p.m. I started the return journey. The trail now seemed familiar, yet in reverse it revealed different impressions. At last, at 3:30 p.m., I reached my car again – filled with the beauty of a day that had taken me to so many wild and impressive places.