Season Pass?

If you haven't already purchased your season pass, head on over to the BMR website, current price ends soon. 

New USA fire south of Midway

Update

 

After the 2021 burn

Several years ago, I read an article about the burn area from 2021. Some was harvested, and some was left untouched. There were plots to be studied. Today, Castanet has an article on the large replant project that we have watched this year.

One of the OIB foresters stated that areas were not regenerating on their own, and a large replant project included conifers, deciduous, and native plant material. Local seed were used in the propagation of the new plants.

Article is here:

https://www.castanet.net/news/Oliver-Osoyoos/625549/More-than-900K-trees-planted-on-Osoyoos-Indian-Band-land-so-far-this-year 

Know before you go, drivebc.ca

Hwy 3 currently closed between Sunshine Valley and Manning Park due to wildfire. 

Consideration Appreciated

Thank-you to the various vehicles involved in construction - your slow speed and consideration is appreciated.

Project down the road

 

Tuesday

6:00pm Oliver  39C, 40 minutes later at home, 25C.

One cannot see Baldy from Oliver, there is a whole lot of particulate out there somewhere, but I cannot smell smoke at either location.

In the green up here, but the forest fuels down lower are looking scary. 

Campfire Ban

Campfire ban in Southeast Fire Centre (us), starts at noon Thursday. 

Greenwood Founders Day

I went with members of the Rockhound club, but managed to talk to several connections about things relating to Baldy.

The spacing down the road is a strip along the roadside about 75m deep, and like the initial project further down, it involves crown land only, not private property. This activity went ahead because the timber covers the cost. There are efforts underway to try and get FESBC money to pay for clean up, which could leave the forest floor looking more like the earlier project.

There are prescriptions in hand that are ready to go as soon as there is FESBC funding.

The pulp mill in Castlegar will be closing shortly. I'm told that their sort yard in OK Falls, and the log lot in Castlegar are already closed. The chipping company in Midway is supplying chips as they wind down.

Don't get excited about the logs in the Midway yard - the mill is not reopening.

 

Friday evening update

 Smoke started moving in around 6:30pm

Still quite breatheable here...........

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/625167/Air-quality-warning-in-effect-for-Thompson-Okanagan-region

I heard from a friend in Osoyoos that it is quite smoky down there.

Turkeys

I've seen a few this week - a large flock of wild ones holding up traffic on Hwy 33 on Tuesday - near where the old S and O Sawmill was located a long time ago.

I saw a packaged turkey being carried along Porcupine by a daughter and three grandkids - all part of a family gathering to celebrate one of our Snowshoe Guides. Cheryl turned 70 last month, and all her kids and grandkids are here. 

Wapiti Creek FSR

 Appears to be tree spacing along the Baldy Road, not deeper into Wapiti.

Thursday Update

Supper hour 37C in Oliver, 26C at Baldy.

GC and I saw smoke heading down #3 to the valley, assuming it was from the older fire. I guess it was a new start, as is the one near Idabel Lake.

Nothing super close, but hot and dry. 

Our storm early this morning

I was wakened by thunder at 5:22am, and have no idea of the length or severity of the storm, but thankfully everything is wet this morning. 

Oliver - deluge, downpour, hail this afternoon along with a lot of thunder.........

I'm told that Osoyoos did not get the moisture, and it doesn't look like Baldy did either. I was sitting under a friend's gazebo in Oliver until the hail started coming in sideways, and we couldn't hear each other talk. 

"Take a break from the lake..."

Snacks and ice cream at the "Roundhouse" aka Kiosk

Open every Friday & Saturday from 9am-3pm

 

BC Wildfire concern with weather event coming through - lightning and dry conditions

 https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/624667/Lightning-storms-on-the-way-to-tinder-dry-B-C-

Wildfire on Anarchist Mountain

3:55pm update, fire now classified as "being held"

Currently posted at 1.7 hectares, out of control. 

Flightaware showing Bird Dog and Tanker overhead.

"directly across from the rest area, ( north east of it ) they're hitting it hard with 4 fire departments and 3 planes "

Sign is on Baldy Road, Trees Down on Wapiti FSR

 

ER Closure Sunday Night

 https://www.castanet.net/news/Oliver-Osoyoos/624381/South-Okanagan-General-Hospital-ER-closing-Sunday-overnight

Trails Grant

Next volunteer work days are August 2nd and September 6th. The grant obtained by the BMCA requires volunteer hours. Here are examples of some of the colour coded trail markers that will be put up on the next work party. Missing Bryce and his stilts, but there isn't enough money to fly him out from Ontario for the task...😜

Wylee supervised photos.

Wapiti FSR - Active Logging

 

Thanks Rod for the photo.

Active logging on Wapiti FSR. I'm not going in there now, but whatever they do will be an improvement for BMR and OOSAR to locate out of bounds skiers/riders.

Fire Bans

• Southeast Fire Centre - campfires still allowed, no large burning. (Us)
• Kamloops Fire Centre - campfires banned 

Amber Alert continues for Alberta Boy

https://www.castanet.net/news/Alberta/624108/Amber-Alert-for-six-year-old-Alberta-boy-expands-to-all-of-B-C-most-of-N-W-T- 

Top Photo

The top photo is not from Baldy, but a beautiful place to camp, that was very hot . The "Fantastic Fan" in my trailer does a quick air change, but that does not help when it draws in campfire smoke....

I could camp all summer long, but it is time to cool off, and get more home chores done.

New Beginnings

Dave has been dismantling and salvaging memorabilia from the legendary Hospes cabin on Whiskey Jack.

Today the shell was taken down by machine.

Coming soon - a foundation then a new cabin for more generations to enjoy.

Please stay clear of the site as posted.

 https://davewear.com/

Tuesday Overnight ER Closure

 https://www.castanet.net/news/Oliver-Osoyoos/623650/South-Okanagan-General-Hospital-ER-to-close-overnight-Tuesday#623650

OIB Forestry, and Elder Jane Stelkia

https://www.castanet.net/news/Oliver-Osoyoos/623572/OIB-Forestry-event-highlights-partnerships-jobs-and-stewardship 

Monday

• transfer station dumpster exchange is usually Tuesday - dumpster would not have been over flowing if a few people used some wrist action to toss their bags to the back
• who parks directly behind the dumpster - not in the shade - concealed from the road, but not from the station area - newer vehicle - on the phone.
• progress on construction and more fuels being removed.

Fees

 

Dump fees for this load at Rock Creek, $4.00.  Go towards Westbridge for a cinnamon bun, or to the Prospector for lunch, and the drive doesn't seem too bad.

If you are looking for something to do on Canada Day

I'm old enough:

• I went when it was still called the Cherry Carnival
• I did not like the name change and the movement behind it
• I rode on Osoyoos Hardware and Baldy floats, and walked in the kiddie parade
• I marched in the Osoyoos Elementary Junior Secondary School Band
• I was present when the packinghouse crew (plant where the Watermark is now) would vote on having 2 hour lunch so they could watch the parade, or keep on working.
• I watched the Fireworks many times - often from my boat floating on the far side of the lake
• After I sold the boat, I went a couple of times on foot. but the crowds were too much
• If you are up on the mountain tonight - you will hear the Osoyoos Fireworks off in the distance, and see some light.