Western Canada Wilderness Committee

Big Trees, Blueberries and Flies

Massive mountains, immense glaciers, raging rivers, lava cliffs, deep canyons, endless rainforest, towering ancient trees, dense blueberries, flies, noseeums and mosquitos. Wow. The Upper Elaho Valley truly is an awe inspiring place. Everything is big up there. Beautiful too. I just got back from a week of hiking. Joe and I and four other great volunteers were spending time up there before our upcoming 25th Anniversary Campout. It was an amazing time. At night when I closed my eyes to sleep, all I could see were blueberry bushes. So many blueberries up there, and what a feast we had. In the mornings and evenings we relaxed in camp, ate great food, shared stories and got to know each other. It is such a privilege to be able to spend so many days in an amazing wilderness area and really start to get to know it.

One day, towards the end of our trip up there, we went on a hike up to Eagle Bluffs. It was our longest day, as we kept pushing, on and on, up and up, it always seemed like we were almost there. At one point we broke out of the damp rainforest onto a bouldery talus slope surrounded by big rocky bluffs where the sun beat down on us. We must be almost there, I thought. But after more than an hour, we entered back again into the forest. It was a beautiful grove of lush forest, big trees and a pond; a pocket oasis between the surrounding dry exposed rocky cliffs. It felt like an enchanted forest. It gave me motivation, but boy, soon the blueberries and rhododendron thickened. But finally, after 7pm, we broke out of the dense rainforest onto rock. We made it. What a reward it was at the end of a long day. When we got on top of the rock, we looked north ahead of us. Spreading out around us, was a huge forest! A massive carpet of green stretching far up the huge valley. The largest expanse of undisturbed forest I have ever seen. No signs of clearcuts or roads or any human disturbance or development. What lay before us was an awesome view of the Upper Elaho Valley. The largest remaining 'undeveloped' temperate rainforest valley (including the bottom) in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia! It left me speechless and humbled and happy. Happy that the roads and chainsaws have not left their marks in the valley.

For the past 5 years, Interfor has stopped road building and clearcutting up this magnificent valley. They have respected the wishes of the Squamish Nation (and environmentalists). So far, so good, but the valley is not 'permanently' protected. The upper Elaho Valley is one of 7 Squamish Nation Wild Spirit Places and Sensitive Areas that they have designated in their land use plan. Please check out one of our latest publications 'Wild Spirit Places' on our website for more information. Please read the publication and make sure to write a letter to the premier urging the provincial government to recognize the Squamish Nation's land use plan and Wild Spirit Places (including the Upper Elaho Valley), such that these areas receive some sort of legislated designation protecting them from industrial development. Also be sure to send a copy of your letter to Chief Bill Williams of the Squamish Nation.

Thanks!