6, ENTERTAINMENT, THE HERALD, Wed. Jan. 19,.1977

THE TRAIL
TO THE

MONKMAN PASS

by Lyn Hancock
To hike the Monkman
Trail is to walk in a
wilderness arden of
wildflowers and waterfalls.
Through parklands of pine

and spruce, up ridges to.

towering mountains, down
into dells of lush fernery,
alongside rushing rivers
everywhere you tread on
earpets of bluebells, scarlet
columbines and paintbrush,
yellow arnica, white
Solomon’s Seal, Queen’s cup
and the ubiquitous bun-
chberry, ‘And for a mile and
a haif on steeply canyoned
Monkman Creek as many as
eight waterfalls cascade
tempestuously from ledge te
ledge. Elsewhere the rivers

, are riddled with rapids.

. According to the latest
British Columbia road map,
the Monkman hinterland is
the emptiest area in the
whole province. East of the

- Hart Highway between

Prince George and Dawson
Creek the map merely

shows two names, the.

ROAM AT HOME,

A TRAVEL BRITISH COLUMBIA FEATURE

Murray River and the
Rocky Mountains. But do
not be perturbed. There are
two roads in to meet the
Monkman Trail. The better
known one leaves the
blacktop at Beaverlodge
about 79 miles (126
kilometres) southeast of
Dawson ‘Creek and turns
onto the Redwillow-Kinuseo
Road for a total distance of
176 miles (262 kilometres),
Those who regard rain-
rutted roads as a welcome
challenge may prefer the
shorter .route along the
British Columbia-Alberta
Boundary Road south of
Tupper, a total distance of.
120 miles (190 kilometres).

The road ends at the
Murray River campground
and the trail begins. Hacked
by hand during the sum-

" mers of 1973 and 1974 by

Vern Hopkins and his
forestry students, it covers
1? miles (27 kilometres)
between the campground
and Monkman Lake, a
rewarding week or weekend
adventure. For the first few
miles, the trail winds
through a pine and spruce

Invite Your Friends To }

’ Watch AGAPE — Canada’s Coast-1o-Coast Television Outreach

uvere CHAN: Channel 8
2:30pm . Sundays

The

Billy Graham
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Presents

Victonia = CHEK: Chanuet 6 Ss
300.4 am. Saturdays

ket gh
hin tnive:
planist — organist

' forest, sidles past the fast-

flowing Murray River and
gives glimpses of glaciered
mountains. At mile 4, the

Forest Service has recently .

installed a “flying fox” or
hand operated pulley
system to provide the hiker
with an exciting ride across
the Murray River. Pack-
dogs and packs can be roped
on to the board and swung
over the stream as easily as
self-propelled hikers. After
Mile 4, the trail climbs
steeply upstream along a
razor-backed ridge which
affords unobstructed views
of the river below and the
mountains above. Then it
continues on an undulating
route over the heavily
forested slopes between the
Monkman Creek and the

Murray River to Mile 7. For |

those who like to pace
themselves more liesurely,
Mile 7, marked by a sign
saying ‘‘Water”, provides a
goed place to camp over-
night,

Others who wish to press
on may fortify themselves
with lunch here, then con-
tinue to switchback the

wed

>,

ALL SEATS FREE

Terrace R.E.M. Lee Theatre

Thursday, Jan. 27th
. 7:30 p.m.
Everyone Welcome

ridges high baove the rapids
of the Monkman Creek.
Incessant rain may make
waterfalls at your feet but
the waterfalls from afar
squeezed between the
canyons of the snaking river
far below cali you closer.
Leave the trail about Mile

‘11 and, following the sound

of the falls, plunge down the
forested slopes by the
easiest ridges to spend a day
meéandering the many
cascades of the Monkman.
The waters gush through the
gorges ina myriad different
shapes — roaring down
chutes in long tongues,
sprawling on le

filmy. lace cloths, thrashing
over the drop-off like storm-
tossed oceans.

Climb back to the trail by
the stream near Mile 12 and
spend the night at the
Timberline Hiking Club
camp. Here some en-
thusiastic hikers have

constructed a rustic log

table, drying racks and fire

its. Someone has even

ekpacked in an old iron
w stove. To cross the
stream next day you have
two alternatives — wade
across and get wet or walk
over a handy log bridge by
the camp a few yards up-
stream from the main trail.

dges - like °

For the next three miles
(five kilometres) the trail
leaves the forest and opens
out onto a burn where

noramic views over. the

ionkman Pass to the south
more than compensate for
deadfalls obstructing the
swampy ground at your
feet. Monkman Lake with its
trout fishing, sunbaking and
mountain climbing

ssibilities is an excellent |

ase for a few days’ stay.

. The Forest Service has put

in a garbage well and a
triangular-shaped log
shelter with a cross on top.
His nota church but a biffy.

Beyond, the snow-capped
mountains beckon but the
trail becomes overgrown.
The pack trail across the
Dazaiko and McGregor
Mountains connects with a
similar trail commencing at
the Prince George end at
Hansard. Push on towards
Prince George if you wish or
wait until another com-
munity-conscious —en-
terprising hiker like Vern
Hopkins generates further
support to extend the
present excellent Monkman
Trail.

(This Roam at Home
story is one of a series
provided by Tourism British .
Columbia.)

4 .

the mighty Skeena

by David R. Erickson
Terrace, B.C,
iam the mighty Skeena
I've been here long before
The shooting of the shotgun
Or the logging up the Clore

bam the mighty Skeena
The strongest in the land

. The power of my current

‘Twas built by nature’s hand

1am the favorite of the gods
[am fhe spirit of their soul
And if their anger threatens
No one will control

For - the waters will start raging
Ripping trees and roads and rails
Crushing the ones that torment with my. friend
that brings the gales.

‘No one treads the Skeena

No one taps my ‘source

No one questions either

For my answer’s gruff and coarse.

Centurlons try their pleasure
Gladiators draw their ‘swords

So to you gallant soldiers

Ill smash you just like gourds

From the headqaters to the ocean
They’ve built towns along my banks

On occasion | remind them

‘Careful with my flanks‘

For | am the mighty Skeena
No one dares foretell .
Of the instant of my rising
Or the conscience of my spell

Just write poems

' Paint pictures If you will
But touch the canvas gently
| have been known to kil

about me, Mister.

1am the mighty Skeena

Take heed as’ you go by.

| am a proud bellever

In the fact Ill never die, |...