Pebble/Keyhole Hotspring

[Bulldozer]

Tried to get into Pebble/Keyhole H/s, last week, May 28th/08 after being kicked out of Meager H/s by the Forestry Rangers. The road was blocked at the 41 Klm. mark by 3 fallen trees, a pile of snow and dirt avalanche. Attempted to clear the trees but the more I tried the worse things got so I left it for the people that carry chainsaws and winches. Pictures coming soon.

Here you go a few pictures... http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff317/Vancouverite1/Pebble%20Creek%20Hotsprings/

[Jeff Allen]

I don't know why but I love the hanging pools...

[Bulldozer]

Yeah Jeff, You have to see it to appreciate it truly. The way you hang out over the river. I think the person who did this musta been a swallow at heart the way it was built. I was so disappointed at not making it to Pebble H/s this trip.

[Kim_S]

Tom. your videos of your recent trip are great! Of the three that you hit, which one is your most favorite?

[Bulldozer]

Ohhhh Yeah hit me with probably the hardest question to answer...
Wow really it's a hard question, I would say the best one for me would be Sloquet H/s of those three. But really the other two have their own "Good" qualities also.
Meager H/s was my earliest recollection of a natural H/s, I would stay there for a week or more at times. It does have the trouble with the road being washed away and the Whistler crowds, for awhile to the extreme, heck I guess I was one of them in the beginning if I think about it. Meager has a nice open air about it. If you get too hot saunter on down to the creek for a nice cool breeze, lay out on a rock, you'll need the breeze to keep the zancudo(mosquito) away. There is a cold water spring along the road if you didn't bring enough water. Day trip out to Pebble H/s, from the designated campground, both are about the same distance apart from the campground. Clean-up is just now happening at Meager H/s and the campground so give it a month or so.
Skookumchuck/St Agnes is a constant, it always seems to be open, 99.9% of the time. Because of the school at the First Nations Village of Skookumchuck priority to the road is maintained. First Nations now have control of the H/s and from what I saw of the last trip in, regular patrols. I'd like to see what kinda crowd control/security is in place on a busy week-end. In previous visits over the years drunkin stupidness really put a bummer on a expected goodtime.(Think trucks,booze,loud music,guns,fires...) But mid week if your able to swing that can be super relaxing, clean the tubs yourself if your not sure. They refill in minutes almost, by the time you walk back to your camp and get a towel and return, full tub. Skookumchuck has nice level campsites, lotsa trees to string your tarp/s. A covered tub for those really bad dayz and nights of constant rain. Anyone who knows about the Pacific Northwest knows to bring an umbrella, sitting under a umbrella in the rain soaking in hot water, I kinda like it.
Sloquet H/s, very natural, some tarp use at the pools. I've tried without plastic and tarps to rebuild a pool, makes for a long fruitless time. But you can see by the pictures and video's that it was done good. Since they opened the new cement bridge into Sloquet H/s, the traffic has increased alot. Even for mid-week I was surprised,(not disappointed), by the amount of people coming throughout the day.

[Kim_S]

Indded Tom that is always a hard question to answer...I'd have trouble answering that myself.. I guess that's why I asked it . If I ever get back to B.C. I'd like to hit those.

Have you been to Dewar Hot Springs?

[Bulldozer]

The nice thing about the Skookumchuck-Sloquet H/s tour is it's a circle tour. You go up from Vancouver through Whistler come back Via Harrison or reverse of that. 4x4 recommended or at least good clearance.

[Bulldozer]

(Bump)
Just got back, you should now be able to see video's of Pebble/Keyhole at the same link above. I was abit worried, I was in at Meagher H/s and a fello there told me Pebble had been crushed by a landslide. The next day I went anyway and was happy to see it was still intact. The upper most pool on the cliff wall had been hit by a rock but the remaining pools where still intact. Someone has attempted to build another pool next to the river level, I could not get this one to hold water. Maybe I should have stripped one of the left behind towels into shreads and stuffed those into the cracks in the pool wall. The natural pebble/rock sand and mud thing didn't work. It was a scorcher of a day in the gorge, hot sun, hot water I ended my stay at Pebble by falling asleep in the hammock overlooking the river below. A crash in the bush awoke me 30 minutes in, never did see what caused it, but does anybody hear when a tree falls in the forest? By the time I climbed out of the gorge I was ready to soak at Meagher as a clean-up. I had an hour and a half to make it too Meagher H/s before closing time. Got there just as Mac the caretaker was getting there, he allowed me a quick soak in the pre-soak(washdown)pool and a 20 minute soak under the waterfall.

[scotief]

I am wanting to go to pebble/keyhole HS around the end of April. I tried to find it once before but no luck. If anyone could give me info on how to find it would be great. I'm going to buy the hots prings of western canada also to help find it. Is April a bad time to hit them up. I have heard that the river may be to high and hide them. thanks

[Bulldozer]

Hey there Scotief,
Welcome to the board,
This picture was taken on May 28th/08..



This is the low point on the road before the pull out/parking area, roughly 4 klm from the Meager turn off. I had already dug past a smaller snow avalanche and came upon this one. I pulled one tree away only to have another tree fall in it's place. Before I expended anymore energy I walked a bit further down the road. I saw 2 more small avalanches past this one.

As for the pools, occasionally the lowest pools do get washed away. The last few years, (5 years) the pools hangin from the cliff have survived the torrents. Lower pools get filled with silt and require digging out.

I hope that link works for the picture, otherwise see the link posted above.

[/url]

[scotief]

thanks bulldozer, Just a question if i do find or am able to get there. Should it take my tent and stuff and camp at the springs at night. Is there a spot to do that or is it mainly hike in soak then hike back out. I just want to be prepared for everything lol

[Bulldozer]

Scotief;
At Keyhole/Pebble there is a nice camp area above the pools. Table, bear stash(with rickity ladder), rough outhouse(tarp) some tools and a fire pit, Hammock strung between tree. I have one picture on the second(2nd) page of the PhotoBucket link posted above, shows table. Remember what you carry down needs to be carried out, It is a easy hike down....Going back up is a different story. For my aging legs it takes less than 30 minutes to go down and over an hour to get back up. Fairly steep. Luckily we have Meager H/s just down the road to rinse off the grim after a hike outta there. Just a FYI, camping at the pools at Meager are not permitted any longer.
Ummm, I'm kinda on the fence about getting in there come April. I have a link to webcams for Pemberton somewhere, can't seem to locate it at the moment, but do have a weather link for you.http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cabc0216
Keep an eye on the weather, the road up skirts the river close and often floods, pools themselves are on the river.
If all else fails head for Skookumchuck and/or Sloquet H/s.

[Bulldozer]

Found that webcam for Pemberton airport...
http://www.weatheroffice.pyr.ec.gc.ca/RVAS/default_e.html?section=wpn. I think the airport is closed for winter, the sate is wrong on the picture.

Also has other webcams of interest, Callaghan Valley would be a good indicator of conditions as it's just over the hill to Meager.

[Sanne Lambert]

I have the Pebble Creek parking marked at kilometre 43.5.
There is a running creek and you can park on either side of it depending on your clearance.
If you drive through park on your left and you will see the trail head there.
If you park on the other side of the creek walk through it and up the hill to the trail head (and parking) on your left. This method is much more direct than parking 3 k down the river and trevassing (sp?) beside it !!!
Head straight down and when you get to the camp head to your right and straight down again.
I would not suggest spring season because of the brutal climb. I think summer and fall are better.
Question: Has anyone been to the other spring that is supposed be on a trail to the right of the camp and above the cliff pools in the forest? I have looked for it twice, but was unable to find it.
Bulldozer: My husband and I built the bottom pool in Sept. 08, perhaps it has been improved by now..
cheers!
sl

[Bulldozer]

Question: Has anyone been to the other spring that is supposed be on a trail to the right of the camp and above the cliff pools in the forest? I have looked for it twice, but was unable to find it.
Bulldozer: My husband and I built the bottom pool in Sept. 08, perhaps it has been improved by now..
cheers!
sl

I stumbled through the bush looking for that other pool above the cliff also. I have a picture of it from the web(nice lookin) but never did find it. When I got home I took another look at the picture and think I was searching to low. That pool if it is there would be nicer on a hot sunny day when the heat in the gorge becomes unbearable. I wondered if the other pool was on a faint fork I saw on the trail part way(3/4) down.
The bottom most pool at river level, last time I was there would not hold water. Would have been most inviting as the buckets for cooling the hotwater pools were gone. I did find a big old towel that someone had discarded, thought of plugging the holes with that but I had already used it to tote garbage.

[Sanne Lambert]

I'll have to bring a liner when I go later in this year. I think the temp would be good in a bottom pool. I found an old map from a video some locals made years ago. I will try it again with the map and let you know if I ever find anything re the upper pool. I also think I looked too low. Apparently it has a cool and hot spring at that local...
sl
ps: I think you might be right about the fork...

[dammit79]

Went to pebble on May 30 weekend.

2 upper tub are in good condition.
Mid tub was really hot..may need some cold water source.

Lower one is flooded with river..got worse at night with rising water level.



Road condition was great..
Saw old 90's volvo sedan was driving by meagar..

Trail is really STEEP..but I think it's worth try it..
Really liked it....

[Bulldozer]

Wow that water level really is high, Thanx Dammit79.

If the water level continues to rise the forestry people may close access to Meager H/s.. May 30th was at the height of the heat wave we had If I recall, things should be slowing down for the next few dayz. A week into the 30' C after that and now coming back to normal temps., normal snow melt rate.

[dammit79]

Been Meagar for a quick soak...after...
Meagar H/S was totally fine..with that water level.
there was care taker..and lots of people..

[Bulldozer]

Was in at Pebble/Keyhole on June 16th, still as pictured. Lowest pool flooded over, remaining pools HOT required water from the river(that was not far away).