Category Archives: Bella Coola

Another Trip down the Bella Coola Hill

1 bearOur bear was still feeding beside the road when we made another trip down the Bella Coola Hill.  Once again, as soon as he saw us, he laid down.  I think their’s something wrong with him.  I sure hope that people have not been stupid enough to feed him.

At the bottom of the Hill, the road was flooded with spring runoff.

2 flood roadMy friends’ yard was full of Moccasin flowers – Lady Slipper Orchids.

3 orchids and house

4 orchidsWild roses were also in bloom down there.

5 wild roseThis was a day for visiting the sights of the Bella Coola Valley.  We first stopped at the Mortuary Pole.

6 mortuary poleThen we took a walk to see the big cedars on Walker Island.

7 big trees

8 knotty tree

9 big cedarI love the way the forest makes spotlights of the sunshine.

10 mossy tangleIt’s so Emily Carr-ish!

11 emily carr-ishThe small things on the forest floor were also lit by the fascinating light and shade. Thimbleberry.

12 thimbleberryQueen’s Cup

15 queenscupDevil’s Club

13 devils clubAnd this unusual millipede in a Devil’s Club flower. It was about 3 cms long!

14 millipedeNext we moved to Clayton Falls.

1 falls lookoutI was surprised that there wasn’t more water.

2 falls pattern 1I saw dippers flying in and out of this ledge.  They probably had a nest in there.

3 dipper's ledge

Nearby hemlocks were wearing their full lacy spring finery.

5 hemlockThe salmonberry was in flower.  The wind was blowing so hard it was difficult to take its picture.  But I kind of like the result!

6 salmonberryNext we visited the famous petroglyphs.

7 petroglyphs 1A little creek trickles past the carvings.  The skunk cabbage, which like wet feet,  was in full leaf – it still had a faint skunky aroma.

8 skunk cabbageI have visited the petroglyphs often, and never fail to be fascinated by the carving and plant relationships.

9 petroglyphs 2

10 petroglyphs 3

11 petroglyphs 4So a long and very beautiful day.  But we didn’t quite get home without one more adventure.  Near the top of the Bella Coola Hill we got a flat tire.  We were carrying a heater stove for my new neighbours.  It was extremely heavy, so we had to unload it.  The volunteers changed the tire very competently.

12 flatPopeye to the rescue!

13 popeye