No Travel Plan

No Travel Plan 2014

Summerland, BC

Winter Village in Nepal

No Travel Plan began in 2009 following a three-week trek in Nepal. During our trip we produced an award-winning TV news series and took hundreds of photographs. That experience inspired us to create No Travel Plan as a way of sharing our adventures with fellow travellers like you.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Tilicho Lake, Nepal

In 2011, we relocated to the Okanagan Valley from Vancouver Island. We also started a communications company called ET2media. We also try to incorporate some of our adventures into our work.

Penticton, BC

Whether we're hiking in the mountains or visiting small towns, we love exploring new places.

Blairmore, Alberta

Near BC-Alberta Border

Cathedral Provincial Park

Mount Arrowsmith, Vancouver Island

Nelson, BC

Our favourite adventures take us deep into the wilderness where we can take a break from social media and reconnect with nature.

Bowen Island, BC

Strathcona Provincial Park

You can check out our photoblogs on our website:

http://www.et2media.com

You can also connect with us via Twitter and YouTube:

https://twitter.com/notravelplan

http://www.youtube.com/notravelplan

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers,

Erin & Erick

Manning Provincial Park

Snowshoe Hare and a Bare Bum Scare

Winter Critter: Snowshoe Hare at Apex Mountain

PENTICTON – What do a hare, a fire and a fall all have in common? I saw, built and experienced all during an eventful afternoon snowshoeing at Apex Mountain. The latter involved a naked bum flying high in the air. I’ll explain, first the setup.

After a mild December, winter finally arrived in the Okanagan, and we decided to hit the slopes – on snowshoes. I like snowshoeing so much that I decided to sell my snowboard and save for my own pair of snowshoes. At the ripe old age of 29, I’m not in the mood for wiping out on compact runs or competing with the pros. With snowshoeing, the terrain is yours to explore, minus the egos. Plus, running downhill on snowshoes through a foot of fresh powder can be just as exhilarating as skiing or snowboarding.

For this excursion, we ventured out with our friend Dino, who is a snowshoe guide and member of Penticton Search & Rescue. I like him because he’s not afraid to challenge us. We began our trek near Apex Village and headed up a nearby mountain. After an hour of climbing in below zero temperatures, we reached an exposed meadow. We fought a stiff wind and drifting snow as we hurried up to a grove of trees to catch our breath. My hair formed a massive knot of ice and tangles. But on a good note, my toes had thawed. Heart pumping and nose running, I stopped to look behind me. The snow clouds parted briefly, revealing a stunning panoramic view of Apex Mountain.

As we continued through the forest, Lorna, another friend in our group, loudly whispered, “STOP.” A beautiful white Snowshoe hare with black-tipped ears appeared just metres ahead of us. This animal gets its name because of its large hind feet, which allow it to hop without sinking into the snow. We stood absolutely still. He watched us with one eye, and then quickly turned his head, starring us down with the other. Seconds later, he was gone, blending seamlessly into his winter wonderland. Clearly the feeling of “awe” was not mutual.

Now it was time for some serious downhill. Always checking for the possibility of avalanches, Dino instructed us to proceed one at a time. “I highly doubt the snow will let go, but you never know.” And with that, he took off, snow flying and snowshoes flipping. Lorna followed. Then it was my turn. I picked up speed – and then woooosh – I was down. “Lift your knees, Erin, LIFT YOUR KNEES, loosen up!” coached Dino. I got back up quickly and found my rhythm. Lift, lift, lift. Before I knew it, I’d broken a sweat and reached the bottom.

After more bushwhacking, we found a sheltered area for lunch. With the confidence of Survivorman’s Les Stroud, Dino built a roaring fire in minutes. Using a base of small sticks, he added twigs, tree moss and small cubes of fire starter. Short of jumping into the fire and burning our mitts to keep warm, we sipped tea and dined on mashed sandwiches, nuts and chocolate. Who knew we were in the midst of a snowstorm?

However, drinking too much tea meant I now had to pee. I found the perfect spot (with a view) on the edge of a sloping hill. Happily squatting and admiring the speed at which my pee melted the snow, I accidentally lost my balance. With my bare bum skyward, I rolled forward, spreading out into the ugliest of snow angels. My high-pitched screams had the group thinking I’d come face-to-face with a bear. Snow was in my every crevice – as well as my pants, mouth and boots, and down my shirt. I raced to fish out the melting snowballs. The worst part was that I still needed to pee, but I decided that could wait. This stuff never happens to men, right?

There are lots of how-to articles on snowshoeing out there. They’ll tell you how to dress, recommend safety tips and review the latest gear. And this is all useful, as Dino will tell you. But for me, it’s the adventures along the way that keep me coming back for more.

-erin

What the Heck? It's Bannock!

By Erin Trainer
WEST KELOWNA – “Don’t panic, we have bannock!” Bannock? There’s a good chance the last time you heard that word you were a kid sitting in your social studies class, or around a campfire. Sharon Bond, the owner of Kekuli Aboriginal Café in West Kelowna, has built her brand around those childhood memories. Her restaurant is one of a handful of eateries in B.C. that serves up bannock. It’s a tasty, versatile flat bread with cultural significance, and a flavour that compliments just about anything, or satisfies as a treat on its own.

When I read about Kekuli on Twitter, my interest was piqued. Sinking my teeth into my first piece of doughy goodness in more than 20 years, brought me back to my days as a Jerry’s Ranger at Golden Ears Provincial Park. On a dirty picnic table with sticky little hands, surrounded by nature, I learned to mix the five basic ingredients of flour, sugar, water, baking soda and salt into a gooey delight. Just like the First Nations, we wrapped our concoction around a stick and roasted it over an open fire.

Precious memories of bannock are one of the reasons Sharon decided to open Kekuli in 2007. Sharon is a member of the Nooaitch First Nation near Merritt. The aroma of her mother’s fresh bannock brings back feelings of comfort and happiness – the kind of good vibe she aims to recreate in her café. At Kekuli, she’s created a menu of homemade food that incorporates you guessed it - bannock.

For centuries, the bread has been a staple in the First Nations diet. Traditionally, they would make a more rustic version by grinding up available ingredients including roots or corn and mixing it with syrup (made from sap) and berries. Some rolled the dough in sand (to protect it from dirt), and cooked it in an open pit (brushing off the sand before eating it.) Others baked it in clay or rock ovens, or cooked it over a fire.

When the first Europeans arrived in North America, they brought their own styles of bannock, and introduced Aboriginal people to flour, cast-iron frying pans and leavening agents. Many of their recipes originated in Scotland, where bannock was made from oatmeal, barley or flour, and baked on a griddle. Today, First Nations bannock recipes are a blend of traditional and European influences. Sharon says the bread is served at family gatherings or potlatches, and is usually fried.

Every day, Kekuli staff mix enough dough to create between 300 and 600 pieces of bannock. By hand, they cut out each piece on a large maple wood board. The bannock then goes to into a deep fryer for a few minutes, before it cools and is ready to eat.

Kekuli’s bannock is made from the five basic ingredients with no preservatives or additives. Many customers enjoy bannock with their coffee because it contains less fat than most doughnuts and muffins. Sharon says just about anyone can make the bread – but it’s the right combination of flour, sugar, water, salt and baking soda that sets apart the good from the bad. After much trial and error, she’s developed her best tasting recipe – something her parents would be proud of.

Most of the bannock Kekuli sells is plain, but Sharon is always coming up with new toppings to delight her regulars. The most popular, and my favourite, is the cinnamon coating. The bannock is coated in sugar and spice moments after its deep fryer bath – creating the most mouth-watering combination of sweetness, steaminess and chewiness. Other toppings include Saskatoon berry, huckleberry cream cheese and maple nut. There are no rules. If there’s a jam in the cupboard or a spice on the rack, she’ll give it a try.

Sharon’s relationship with bannock benefits her in two ways. It allows her to raise awareness about her culture, and build a brand that sets her apart from others. The latter is incredibly important, especially when running a small business in a city monopolized by big box stores. Not to be deterred, Sharon has carved out a niche for her product, promoting her café as the place to get “bannock,” an affordable lunch, and friendly customer service. Authenticity is one thing those “big guys” can never replicate.

Kekuli Aboriginal Café – 505-3041 Louie Drive, West Kelowna, BC V4T 3E2

(250) 768-3555

You can find recipes for bannock at:
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/rsi/fnb/fnb.htm

Steadicam Merlin on the KVR

It's always fun testing new gear. I've spent the past couple of days working on getting my Canon XQ10 properly balanced. It's a bit tricky and takes patience. For my first outing I took the Steadicam Merlin on the Kettle Valley Steam Railway at night. It was a great way to experience how versatile this unit is. It's similar to the larger Steadicam used in movies but much smaller.

Canon XA10 mounted on Steadicam Merlin

Steadicam Merlin

"The Steadicam Merlin offers light, agile, seamless shooting for today's videogapher. Ultra-light and ultra-compact, the Steadicam Merlin allows you to keep up with the action more easily than ever.

Designed by Garrett Brown, the inventor of the original Steadicam Jr, the Merlin is the next generation hand held Steadicam system. The Steadicam Merlin is half the weight and four times as stable as the JR. Yet, it can move as smoothly as the big $60,000 rigs used in Hollywood.

The Merlin let's you "fly" wherever the scene takes you--up and down steps, indoors and outside, through crowds--almost anywhere, with precise, elegant control and ease. Its quick release mount lets you instantly swap camera connections between your Merlin and any tripod.

Merlin's design significantly reduces fatigue. So lightweight, it weighs less than a can of soda. With a compact DV, balanced and ready to go, the Merlin weighs about two pounds. Its rigid construction permits longer focal lengths than ever imaginable with a hand-held stabilizer.

Merlin's unique dual extended weight system greatly increases inertial stability. And its counterbalancing weight can be precisely adjusted to balance cameras from 0.5 to 5 lbs. The new patent-pending "Folding-Caliper"TM hinge allows instant fold-up, perfect for shoulder-mounted shooting, and just as quickly, returns precisely for hand-held camera work."

- Courtesy: Vistek

http://vistek.ca/

http://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/

There's Columns in Them Thar Hills

KEREMEOS, BC - When you read the word “column” – what image pops into your head? A supporting beam on a prestigious building? Something from Rome or Athens? How about naturally-formed rock structures in the hills above Keremeos?

I first visited the columns this week, but apparently they’ve been a popular hiking destination, especially with locals, for years. In 1931, the provincial government created Keremeos Columns Provincial Park. But funny enough, the columns themselves are not actually located within the 50-acre park boundary. A 1954 survey showed they were on private property adjacent to the park. Therefore, there are no marked trails showing you how to reach the columns, but you can find them by following a route that takes you up the mountain along an old dirt road.

Lucky for us, our hiking partners were experienced local outdoor enthusiasts, had been there before and knew where to park. If you’re driving south from Penticton along Highway 3A, just past Olalla, turn left on Liddicoat Rd. We parked our vehicles at the corner of Liddicoat Rd. and Pin Cushion Trail, in an area where there are several lots for sale. Parts of the route cross over private property, and you’re asked to call the owners beforehand to let them know you’ll be hiking in the area. (Wilson Clifton 250-499-5638 or Brad Clifton 250-499-5180)

From the parking area, you begin climbing the old dirt road that zigzags its way up the hill overlooking Keremeos. After about 45 minutes, you’ll pass several cell phone/radio towers on your left. Stay on the main road and continue up the hill. Behind you, on a clear day, you’ll have the view of the town as a reference point. For the most part, the area is quite exposed, and the landscape is covered in silvery-green sagebrush and golden grasses. Watch out for grazing cattle. About 90 minutes later, you’ll pass old equipment on your right, once used to gather water from a natural spring. Beyond a cluster of trees, you’ll find what you’ve been searching for!

When I first saw the columns, I couldn’t believe they were naturally formed. They look like huge tube-shaped structures of rock – rising about 30 metres high. They form a cliff about 100 metres wide. Between the cracks and crevasses, massive trees have managed to flourish, providing a cathedral-like space. The columns were created millions of years ago by slowly cooling lava. As the basalt rock cooled, it formed vertically-hexagonal shapes. Many of them have already crumbled, piling up at the base of the cliff. According to BC Parks, these columns share the same geological phenomenon status as the Giant Causeway in Northern Ireland and the Devil's Tower in Wyoming.

After exploring the columns, we traversed the hill to a lookout on the other side. Chunks of broken columns (deposited by glaciers) are scattered randomly along the way. Despite the low hanging cloud cover, we enjoyed a spectacular view. To the southeast is the town of Cawston. Further down the Similkameen Valley and just across the U.S. border is the town of Nighthawk. Keremeos is to the west.

The name Keremeos originated from the Similkameen dialect of the Okanagan language word "Keremeyeus" meaning "creek which cuts its way through the flats." This refers to Keremeos Creek, which flows down from the Upper Benchlands to the Similkameen River. Local legend claims the name also means "the meeting of the winds," because of the windy conditions often experienced in the valley.

We returned to our vehicle about five hours after we left, following the same route back down. If you’re hungry afterward, check out the Benja Thai Restaurant on Main Street in Keremeos. Great food!
-erin

A View Above the Rest

OLIVER, BC – It rises 300 vertical metres from the ground overlooking Highway 97 between the towns of Oliver and Okanagan Falls. Like a natural gateway through the South Okanagan, McIntyre Bluff is a magnificent land formation created millions of years ago through a combination of mountain building processes and several periods of glacier erosion.

After driving past it many times, naturally I had a desire to get to the top as I do with most unusual mountains or landforms I see. Our friend Dino knows the region well, so when he recommended we take a three-hour hike to the top and back, I was in. The bluff is located in the White Lake Grasslands Protected Area. According to BC Parks, the dry grasslands and open pine forests of the South Okanagan are one of the four most endangered ecosystems in Canada.

To understand how special the area is, both ecologically and historically, you have to experience it for yourself. The natural colours of the landscape - sages, browns, yellows and greens – set against the bright blue sky make for a photographer’s dream. And there’s a strong sense this land has been inhabited for hundreds of years. Many locals refer to the bluff as Indian Head, because they say that from the south, the rock resembles the profile of a man’s face. According to local First Nations, at one time the top of the bluff was the site of a battle between their people and invaders from the south. Legends tell of fighters forced off the bluff – falling to their death below. Fur traders also pushed through the area, travelling from the Fort Okanogan in Washington State along the famous Fur Brigade Trail on their way to Kamloops and beyond.

There are several ways to access trails in the area. We parked on adjacent property belonging to Covert Organic Farms (off Highway 97 at Seacrest Hill Rd.) You are welcome to start here as long as you let the owners know.

Mountain bikers use this area heavily in the summer, and there are markings along the route we took. Because you are fairly high up, it’s easy to find your bearings and make your way to the edge of the bluff. However, some of the trails can be confusing. We suggest bringing along a friend who knows the area, or carry a compass and map.

As we walked along the top of the plateau, I couldn’t help but imagine a fierce war where people were chased to the bluff’s edge. Did they know how close they were to the drop off? Was the attack planned? Today, the area is peaceful, providing a great place to soak up the winter sun and enjoy a fantastic view.
Once you’ve reached the bluff, you can look north to Okanagan Falls and Vaseux Lake and south to Oliver and Osoyoos. Keeping in mind this is a working valley, you’ll also get a bird’s-eye view of a small power station, cars and trucks zipping along, vineyards, orchards and a nearby mobile home park. (Exciting? I know!)

One more note: the Osoyoos Indian Band refers to the bluff as “Nie-ling-tin” or “storyteller.” Several pictographs mark the bottom corner face of the bluff, but we didn’t have time to see them. I’ll leave those for our next visit.

-erin