Sloquet May 2009

[Sanne Lambert]

As of May 6th, 2009.
A nice 2 night trip May3-5th.
Roads:
Lillooet West is quite rough because of the use it received from the Kiewett (sp?) camp this past year. It is 2WD passable with care.
We came back on In-Shuck-Ch and this is also 2WD OK with care. It has been graded and sanded. (yah!)
Harrison West is open from Harrison Mills to the Kiewett Camp. (4WD)
Sloquette FSR is fair for first 4k or so and then becomes rough. Carefully 2WD. There is active work occuring with a 'Run of the River' Hydro project. Always use headlights and yield to work vehicles. Spring entrance is at 9k.
Pools, Sources &Camp:
In excellent shape. We opened up some of the upper ones so flow through would occur on the lower ones and enjoyed wonderful soaks in all. The temperature at sources (I counted 7) are lower at this time of year but still very hot. I estimate about 125F at waterfall and about 140F at one slightly upriver of waterfall.
The camp wasn't in bad shape. I did a major clean of the main outhouse and picked up quite a bit of garbage lying around, but I wasn't the only one.
Improvements:
Some kind soul built a handrail on the log access at the bottom of the trail!
Suggestions:
I didn't think of this, but it would be cool if someone brought a brush to scrub out some of the rocks.
What about some pools on the other side from the main pools (upper) near the river?
Question: I STILL did not find the other hot waterfall. WHERE is the old bridge?
Happy soaking!
sl
Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/venusandmars/tags/2009/

[Bulldozer]

Sanne Lambert,

Some years back I tried to make another pool in the sandbar close to the hot waterfall but on the otherside of the log crossing/near the river. The sand was way to loose/porous, kept filling with river water also. I didn't want to spoil the small beach head with a layer of tarp and left it the way it was. I think it would make a nice pool area, a little more open air feel to it. That section gets hit more often by floods and may not last long if a pool was built. Then we would be faced with trying to remove a shredded tarp from the river bank. Some years the main pools get filled in with silt from the flooding Sloquet creek. Is one more pool really needed I wonder. I also once brought a section of PVC pipe and attached a perforated coffee can to the end. I then placed the pipe in the source stream above the waterfall for a redneck shower at the bottom of the waterfall. It didn't take long for the PVC to soften and the pipe wilted along with my silly grin. Worked for a little while.
If you mentioned to me of the "Old Bridge" I'd say it was in the same place as the new cement bridge, thats the only bridge I can recall.

[Sanne Lambert]

Hey.. Yes, you're probably right! Is the bridge you refering to the one on the access road?
cheers!
sl

[Bulldozer]

Yes one and the same bridge, now a cement bridge.

[trevor_n_jane]

Just got back from Sloquet, took both the East Lillooet and the West Lilloet roads, found the East side less busy but the West side wider and better going for the most part (its maintained by the logging outfit). Explored the various other seeps up the bank of Sloquet and found that much of the area has had remnants of concrete work done on it at some time (anyone have pictures from 20-30 years ago of what this must have looked like?). It would appear that the bank has been reinforced by concrete at some point in its history over the existing pools, in addition to the upstream seeps from the cliffs falling into remnants of concrete pools. Some amazing seeps (not soakable but worth a look) beyond the brush and halfway down the bank (from the open area with the sand hole, hike down). First afternoon there (Tuesday), all but four of the small pools right next to the river were scalding hot and there were about a dozen people packed into them. Second morning, one upper large pool was soakable and only another couple was there. Was tempted to start digging on the waterfall side (previously mentioned) but with the steep hike, plentiful black flies and intense heat, we decided to move somewhere with cooler soaking temperatures.

[dammit79]

I was wondering if there is fee for sloquet?
haven't read it anywhere..in forum..

according to this...
http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/recst/recstId ... ID=REC0023

It looks like there is fee..
anyone know?

[trevor_n_jane]

We didn't pay a fee, there was no one but the fire marshall who came through the camp, but we we're there on Tuesday and Wednesday, they may come on the weekend to collect fees from campers. There is a garbage there that is emptied regularily which speaks of maintenance (and usually fees associated with that) but not sure.

[soaksdata]

Last time I was there armed law enforcement came up with a member of the tribe to walk down to the springs and back.
Then he collected fees ($5 or $10) from campers only, he said day use was free.

[benjaminstarr]

So I'm headed to Sloquet for the first time in late October with friends from Brazil. Anyone have any random predictions regarding the road conditions (ie snow?) around the last week of October? I'm about to book our rental car and need to know if we need 4WD!

Happy soaking!

Ben in Dallas

[Sanne Lambert]

There isn't usually snow until November. Rent the 4by4. It makes things easier and fun! Will you be going to Meager and St. Agnes, too?

[Sanne Lambert]

BTW Fees are usually collected on weekends in summer and usually for overnight camping. It's nice to hear that they are collecting garbage, but personally I follow the pack it in pack it out morale. Also, I bring an extra bag to collect OP's garbage and dispose of it in the city, where we have regular services..
cheers!

[Bulldozer]

Ben are you camping at Sloquet or day use?

Yeah the average temp. in late Oct. for the Pemberton area(about the same altitude) is -3c overnight to a balmy +12 during the day.
The farmers almanac is calling for a wetter than usual winter/fall. I would think with all the traffic up in that area these dayz from the micro-hydro, run of river projects the main road should be O.K. Snow line usually has not crept down that far in late Oct., like Sanne Lambert says late November. Fee collection if happening at all usually ends late September as I recall.

[benjaminstarr]

Thanks for the great info!

We WILL be camping at Sloquet. We probably won't visit St. Agnes...I'm allergic to pools that aren't made of natural stone. Heh heh heh... We WILL try to visit Meager...I've always wanted to see it.

[Sanne Lambert]

You might want to check out St. Agnes on your way down. It IS a beautiful setting!

[Bulldozer]

I agree, can't pass up Skookumchuck/St Agnes just because... By October Mike Sato should have a good handle on things at Meager and St Agnes. Already seeing improvements back in late June/09. But do expect a fee for St Agnes and Meager day use.

[Springhunter]

"By October Mike Sato should have a good handle on things at Meager and St Agnes. Already seeing improvements back in late June/09. But do expect a fee for St Agnes and Meager day use."

I'm curious what "Improvements" you've seen?

Springhunter

[Kim_S]

Springhunter, welcome to soakersforum!

[Bulldozer]

Well seeing as we are in the "Sloquet postings" I'll keep it short... Kinda.
Meagers trail was in much better shape than past years, pools much cleaner than previous years, the undercut of the riverside pool was being worked on last time I was in there,campsites not piled with litter and broken bottles, shotgun shells and 2 nice guyz caring for the grounds...
Skookumchuck; Again grounds in good shape,clean, outhouses had been attended too, new toilets waiting on hold to be placed, no rowdy pick up trucks parked in the stream with speakers blaring, going back to Trev_n_Janes posting @ Skookumchuck in Aug., new pool(picture) and repaired main pool.
Concidering some of the "FLAK" mail I've been getting regarding Mike Sato and his attempts to better situations at the hotsprings he's got governance over I hesitate to say much more. I've got my likes and dislikes of the process, but it was inevitable.
I don't like paying fees either but I've always put in a voluntary fee to help out in the past. I don't like being stomped on by some lunatic who claims he's/she's "Been coming here for 20 years and I DON'T LIKE WHAT THIS MIKE SATO IS DOING". Sitting in a hot tub begrudging the doings of one persons good work is ..... or commenting behind someones back and undermining the inevitable. Put it to paper or speak to those who do have a say in the process.
Example, Clear creek hot springs, no control, no upkeep and in the past couple years a down turn in quality time spent soaking.
Sorry I'm ranting again.
To each their own, whats happening was along time coming.
Peace,Love and Understanding...

[Bulldozer]

Well, I was into Sloquet a couple days ago, Oct. 6th/09. WHAT A MESS, I've never seen the pool area in such a mess, beer bottles, cans of beer, hard liquer bottles. It took the whole visit to locate all of the little tea candles that floated around the pools. I had been warned a day before that it maybe a mess but didn't expect that much of a mess at the pools. The warning was from a couple of girls who had been in to Sloquet on the Saturday or Sunday, they mentioned it was crawling with 16 y/o loud, rambuntious youth. It's amazing the amount of clothing that gets left behind, even a nice pair of boots, steal toes and all.
The camp area wasn't all that bad, I've seen it worse. But after all those forest fires we just went through you'd think people would put out their campfires completely. I managed to fill and carry out one large garbage bag full of bottles and cans and a small bag of those stupid tea candles.

[benjaminstarr]

Well, I had planned on visiting Sloquet for the first time tomorrow, but after reading this, perhaps I shouldn't?

I left my HS of Western Canada book at home, stupidly, so I'm without directions to Sloquet. I know I head down the east Lillooet Lake Road to the bridge just before Sloquet Creek and turn right, but does anyone happen to have the mileage to that point?

I'll be sure to take lots of trash bags. It'll be a day trip from Vancouver, so we won't be camping.