BY CHANCE: FORT NELSON, BC TO LIARD HOT SPRINGS, BC

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

FORT NELSON, BC TO LIARD HOT SPRINGS, BC

The first of several Black Bear sightings.

The drive from Fort Nelson to Liard Hot Springs, through the Canadian Rockies, is one of the most scenic stretches of the Alaska Hwy. When we pulled out of Fort Nelson, the sun was shinning, it was warm, and I knew the sights ahead would be memorable. When we pulled into Liard Hot Springs, I was a little surprised to find that it wasn't very crowded, and we had room to park where we usually do, near the boardwalk entrance to the Hot Springs. Last time we parked here in 2007, the cost was $10. This time it was $21. We had no Internet, no TV, and no phone at Liard, so this post is being done from our destination today - Watson Lake. I'll post tomorrow on the drive from Liard to Watson Lake. I was able to load more pictures than I usually do, so I'll let them speak for themselves.

The cinnamon buns at Tetsa River are too die for! Not cheap @ $5 each, they're worth every penny.

Glad we didn't need to fill up here. $1.79 per litre = $6.81 a gallon.

Stone sheep just before we got to Muncho Lake.

Muncho Lake is the classic turquoise color of many north country lakes and rivers.

These Bison are almost always near the Liard River Bridge.

The Liard River suspension bridge was originally built during the initial phase of the Alaska Hwy project during WWII.

When Gracie our four legged feline began to act very strange around the bottom of the recliner, Patty said "she's after a mouse". I thought she meant her toy mouse that always seems to end up under something. When I looked under the chair to retrieve her playtoy, I was face to face with the real thing, and it was still alive! It must have been shell shocked by Gracie's attention, as I easily picked it up by the tail, and released it in the woods. The phrase "catch & release" gained new meaning, as the cute little critter was still kicking when I let it go. Where in the heck this hitchhiker got on board, is anybody's guess.

Liard Hot Springs, a little over 100 miles south of Watson Lake, is a must stop for anyone traveling the Alaska Hwy. This visit was somewhere around our 11th time we put our bodies in the soothing 100-120 temperature natural hot springs. Since our last stop in 2007, the deck, stairways into the pool, and the changing rooms have all been redone. It was good before, and it's even better now with the improvements. After we soaked for awhile, we walked back to the motor homes, where I BBQ'd some pork tenderloins for dinner. When we were finished, we all walked back to the pool, but I was the only one who went back into the water for a second time. If you like natural hot springs, it doesn't get much better than Liard.