I left Jasper by Via Rail, catching the train from Jasper to Kamloops, which is about halfway between Edmonton and Vancouver, a little north of the Okanagan Valley in the lesser-known Thompson Valley. While the train ride was a little disappointing, that part of BC was quite beautiful. The Okanagan is essentially a desert, with sagebrush, tumbleweed and all of that. Kamloops lies on the edge of the desert-like bioregion, with more typical BC landscapes further north.
Kathryn met me in Kamloops, and we drove north to Wells Grey provincial park for some hiking and waterfall viewing. It’s a huge park, and looks like it’d be great for canoeing or longer hikes. We saw some nice alpine meadows on our dayhike, and just basked in the beautiful quietness.
On the second day, we drove south to the Okanagan, intent on getting some winery and orchard tours. We settled on the Mission Hill winery. Their estate winery was beautiful, and quite a pleasant way to spend a sunny afternoon. It really felt surprisingly European; you’d never guess that nearby Kelowna was such a sprawling, boring town. From there, we drove up to one of the orchards, and did a quick self-tour through the apple groves.
Finally, we drove back to our Kamloops hostel and caught a bus back, enjoying the scenery through Merritt and Hope along the way. Quite a good time, all told. Check out the photos too. There are even a few shots of me, sans hair.