Part deux, West side to the Gang Ranch

It should be noted, even though the destination wasn't planned my vehicle was prepared, Armed with tools, plenty of food and water (usually a two week supply) extra fuel (in this case 25litres the minimum  ever carried on board) and air pump capable of sixty PSI.  Off road maps both paper and GPS, lantern, high powered flashlight, knife hiking accessories, axe portable camping supplies.  You never know when you need to leave the vehicle, carrying portable equipment may make a three or four day hike out the difference, be prepared.

Anyway, off we went.  Additional information: The use of "we" is confusing, I refer, of course, to my camper, it's an extension of me yet stand alone, we have travelled may miles together so...  Once again, heading in a Northerly direction it was my intention to pass Port Douglas at the head of the Lake and camp out at the Hot Springs north of PD, on the In Shuck forestry road.

The road, Harrison - Lillooet forestry road to be specific is very rough.  With 4x4 portions that were driven in low gear 1st or 2nd.  It took me several hours at walking pace to cover the most difficult portion, literally crawling over large boulders, down deep dips, on more than one occasion I had to back up to allow oncoming vehicles and one extreme section made a fellow oncoming  traveller drive in reverse for more than a kilometre, it was impossible for me do do so.  However, both the challenge and the scenery were worthwhile, passed bears, countless deer and even a Roosevelt Elk spotted from a distance.

Sometime around noon I came upon a huge area where they are constructing a new dam and roadway, I assume it's an extension of the Carpenter Lake dam northwest of Lillooet near Braelorne.  Amazing to see such huge undergoing but at the time didn't realize the In Shuck road was so accessible from the Pemberton direction.  Not far from the dam (damn?) road, I saw Port Douglas,  now a small predominately Native Community, it was once the riverboat connection from New Westminster around 1856.  There the gold seekers walked to Lillooet and onward to the gold properties of the Fraser River and ultimately Barkerville.  Prior to entering Port Douglas passing a logging operation scarring the otherwise pristine valley.  Nothing to see of historical value remains in PD, but after reading of its significance a hundred a fifty years ago, felt a kinship with the miners of old.

From there travelled the now wide gravel road to a sign where we once again drove a bumpy trail to the Hot Springs.  It's now a Forestry pay site, for 13.00 bucks I was shown to a numbered campsite and advised by Alistair the camp supervisor, generators were forbidden.  After showing him he couldn't hear the genny from thirty metres and, since we were the only two inhabitants in the entire site he relinquished and allowed usage, thank you Alistair ( a fellow scot whom i teased with my own fine public school Edinburgh accent...

The Springs are very natural, the source is visible and since alone, hopped in the pools sans clothing.  There's a river alongside the springs, they provide a natural setting unlike any other Hot Spring I've come across, a must see stop over on the trail - even if you have to spend the camping fee...

Campsite on the lake, ahhh, roughing it camper style!

 Deer on the road, Harrison - Lillooet FSR, 58km

 One of the nicer portions of the FSR, walked up to catch a pic of a Roosevelt Elk...

 Logging site south of Port douglas.

 Crossing one of the many bridges on the FSR, fantastic scenery throughout.

 One of the hot spring pools, in the background is the river/

 Hot spring pool, it was a Wednesday in late June, earlier a couple of adventure riders were there but after they headed onward to Pemberton I remained as the only camper on site.

 More of the beautiful BC scenery, one does become a bit jaded by all the greenery but friends in South America rave about the natural beauty and uninhabited land.

Finally made it to PD, not much to see but historically significant nevertheless...