Wrong Turn

Sunday Drive - March 19, 2017

A drive on a sunny day was most rewarding especially when the Sun is out.

Stopped on the way at a lookout point on #3 close to Osoyoos.

We took High #3 through Similkameen Valley to Keremeos.

Hedley, Keremeos, Cawston TOP 10 EXPERIENCES

• Sip, swirl, and sniff your way through the Similkameen Wine region on your own or by a guided tour.
• Explore the region's history on a tour of the Snazalst Discovery Centre and Mascot Mines in Hedley.
• Float or paddle the Similkameen River from the Red Bridge in Keremeos to Pine Park or all the way to Kobau Park in Cawston.
• Taste your way through our signature events including the Similkameen BBQ King and the Similkameen Sizzle.
• Take in a summer concert beneath the stars, tour the gardens or watch the wheat being ground at the Grist Mill and Gardens in Keremeos, the last heritage mill of its kind in BC.
• Shop for homemade jerky and handcrafted sausage at famed Doug's Homestead near Hedley.
• Travel the Red Bridge near Keremeos, your gateway to mountain hiking adventures at Cathedral Lakes.
• Shop for locally grown and organic produce at our fruit stands and farm markets of Cawston - Canada's organic farming capital, and in Keremeos - the fruit stand capital of Canada.
• Have an angling adventure as you catch mountain whitefish and trout in the Similkameen and Ashnola Rivers or at Yellow Lake.

We drove on the Keremos,back roads around the orchards in the valley

The Similkameen River still had ice along it's banks and was running well.

We stopped in down town Keremeos for fish and chips at the Pub Style Restaurant called the Wrong Turn Tavern.

The proprietor, Liza Needham, told us that her great grandfather had moved the 1908 building from another location to main street. She is now running a very active business in the tavern.

Spotted Lake was on our way back and is richly concentrated with various minerals. It contains dense deposits of magnesium sulfate, calcium and sodium sulphates. It also contains high concentrations of eight other minerals and lower amounts of silver and titanium.

Most of the water in the lake evaporates over the summer, revealing colorful mineral deposits. Large “spots” on the lake appear and are colored according to the mineral composition and seasonal amount of precipitation. Magnesium sulfate, which crystallizes in the summer, is a major contributor to spot color. In the summer, remaining minerals in the lake harden to form natural “walkways” around and between the spots.
Originally known to the First Nations of the Okanagan Valley as Kliluk, Spotted Lake was for centuries and remains revered as a sacred site thought to provide therapeutic waters. During World War I, the minerals of Spotted Lake were used in manufacturing ammunition.

Later, the area came under the control of the Ernest Smith Family for a term of about 40 years. In 1979, Smith attempted to create interest in a spa at the lake. The First Nations responded with an effort to buy the lake, then in October 2001, struck a deal by purchasing 22 hectares of land for a total of $720,000, and contributed about 20% of the cost. The Indian Affairs Department paid the remainder.

So until next time remember to "Descover It and Live It".