Powder Creek Lodge

It’s not all work. Last week I had the pleasure to join a group of eleven friends up at Powder Creek Lodge in the Purcell Mountains northeast of Nelson. The idea was to spend a quaint week of ski touring with my good friend Graeme Marshall for his 40th birthday. What happened instead was a lot of drinking and shoveling while 170cm’s of snow fell outside in an insane burst of back-to-back storms. We kept it close to the lodge, which lived up to its name not to mention its reputation as a comfortable home-away-from-home. Thanks to Heather for the great hospitality. I would recommend this place to anyone interested in magnificent scenery (not a clearcut in site!) and great terrain for short or long tours. The lodge is very cozy and has all the comforts and more. I’m looking forward to heading back in the fall when the many larch trees will be blazing - a contrast to the white white white that was March 10-17, 2012- one for the record books!

(pretty nice to come across this “scotch pine” at the top of the skin track…)

Pink invasion

It’s not often that these birds can be found in urban areas, but plentiful mountain ash and crab apple fruits- not to mention the feeders in my backyard- have lured Pine Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls into Nelson. The former is a locally common montane forest species, while the Redpoll is a winter visitor from the north. It’s a treat to have both of these species (among others such as Bohemian Waxwings) up-close and visible. Who ever said that hot pink isn’t a natural hue?