First Real Mission of the Winter

Doug from Keystone told me about some natural hot springs in a valley on the west coast about 5 months ago.

Since then I’ve been doing some research and when I landed here 5 weeks ago I was keen as mustard to give it a touch up.  However, the west coast gets 17m of rain a year (if it fell as snow that would be 170m of snow) as such picking a 3 day fine weather window isn’t something to be rushed.  That window opened earlier this week.

Before we get to the hot springs I should share with you the drive up the west coast. Lets start with the beach (yes I am going hiking in the mountains but you have to go past the lakes and then the beach to get there- the entire drive is only 4hrs)….

I decided to go for a walk on the beach… wasn’t quite warm enuf for a swim but there weren’t many people about.

Now for sunset.  Up and down the beach not a person or even a footprint as far as I could see.  This is what I saw looking west……

Now 2 seconds later from the exact same spot… just looking east.

On the way to the beach I looked in the rear vision mirrow and saw this….

Incase you thought I was lying….

It takes 6-7hrs to get into the hot springs so I suppose they don’t want too many fat people doing it.  But being the PC society that we are you can’t put a sign up saying ‘No Fatties Past this Point’.  To get around this they put in these channels after a few of the early creek crossings….  This foto doesn’t do it justice but this channel is shoulder height, 20m long and about 2 inches wider than my hips.  If I had a bigger breakfast I’m not sure I would have made it.

Here is one of the swing bridges (these are super dodgy – ‘Maximum Load – 1 Person’ is what the sign on the top right says.  I suppose that is why they want to keep the fat people out)…..

And for 3 days (18hrs) of hiking with 20kgs on your back – this is the reward……

As if that wasn’t enuf eye candy – on the way home I was told to check out Thunder Falls….  Good recommendation.