June 3,2023
I had the opportunity to walk the Galena Trail from Three Forks (near Sandon, BC) down to New Denver this past Saturday. This trail is located on the old bed of the historic Nakusp and Slocan Railway, completed in 1895 to service the mines in the area. I started out with a group of friends, exploring some of the old mine and homestead sites, and we came upon this western toad hopping along the side of the trail.
After our explorations, the rest of the group returned to the vehicles at Three Forks and I carried on down the trail after crossing Carpenter Creek on the cable car installed by the North Slocan Trails Society.
This area is on the southern edge of the wet belt to the north, and has many wet belt characteristics, especially in the shady valley along the stream. There was plenty of devil's club, which thrives in these moist forests.
The devil's club was in bloom, its large clusters of green flowers attracting bugs of various types.
I found a wide variety of lovely and interesting flowers along the trail, including some new ones for me. The pictures that follow are of large-leaved avens, striped coralroot orchid, mountain ladyslipper orchid and fingecup, complete with a wee spider.
Some of the other flowers along the way were thimbleberry, queen's cup and dwarf dogwood, among others.
Carpenter Creek funnels into a narrow canyon at one point, and this boardwalk was constructed to skirt a cliff face. A cluster of spotted saxifrage overlooks the scene.
There is a scramble down from the main trail to a ledge overlooking the gorge, with a view of this spectacular cascade.
As I approached the village of New Denver, I was greeted with several lovely meadows of queen's cup flowers - a perfect ending to a great hike.
Nice pics. Karl of your Galena hiking trail!.............and your ride on the cable car.....exciting!.....Along with all the mountain flowers and the green flowers on the Devils tree!.....Ending up at the gorge in New Denver! You have to love your mountains!