Chris in the Cornwall Hills:
“Allison, Cara and I ventured into the backcountry west of Ashcroft for a weekend of bushwhacking and bears. Though Hat Creek Road is marked as 4wd on the Backroads Map book, it turned out to be one of the best gravel roads I’ve driven on for at least 11.5 km and the last farm house. After this point, it was still pretty good to where we parked another 2 km along at the fork to Cornwall Hills PP (after this point, both roads are 4wd). We hiked up a draw to a set of aspen meadows that took us almost all the way to Bedard Lake (elevation 1400 m and snow-free). The area is well used by cows starting in June but right now it’s left to the bears (saw 2 black ones and heard about one very large cinnamon or grizzly) and elk. On the middle day, Cara and I bushwhacked to some hillside meadows to the north through undulating pine-kill forest (read: lots of deadfall, few lines of sight and pockets of snow). At 1700 m, there was 2+ feet of soft snow in the trees between meadows making travel slow. The meadows gave good views into Hat Creek Valley, to the Clear and Scarped Ranges and beyond. Excellent navigation skills and tools are required for this area.”