Hello from northern British Columbia

[areaeleven]

Hello all

After much time lurking I thought I'd introduce myself, here goes!

My name is Chris and I'm a web designer/developer currently based in northern British Columbia, Canada. Even though my days are spent and my rent is paid using computers, there's something about digital photography that doesn't quite sit right with me. Perhaps I like the processing to be done with my head, heart and hands and not with a CPU. Having said that though, I'm still stuck with scanning my negatives instead of printing with an enlarger. One day...

I have been developing my own film for about a year now, so i'm still as green as they come. Some days the only thing that keeps me sane is the belief that anything you care about deeply is worth doing right, and learning to do so is a lifelong process. Right now I'm engrossed with my tank-like Mamiya C33 Professional I bought about six months ago. No meter, no batteries, no auto wind. Just love and perseverance.

Enough rambling. I just wanted to say hello and thank everyone for their knowledge and dedication and for sharing it. Your kind words, sage advice and gentle nudges are appreciated more than you know.

Cheers!

 

[roteague]

Welcome Chris from Hawaii!! I'm sure you will find a lot to your liking here. Welcome aboard.

 

[NikoSperi]

Chris,
Welcome! That's one very nice website with some very nice photos... I'm probably even more wet behind the ears than you, if not in time since started then in terms of photos.

 

[Peter Schrager]

Welcome

Welcome to APUG Chris. You will be very welcome here. Have a good time.
Peter

 

[MattKing]

Welcome to APUG Chris from Delta (near Vancouver) BC.

I like your work, and enjoy your site!

I am sure you will enjoy your visits here.

Matt

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Hi Chris - welcome aboard APUG!

Finally, another APUG'er in my neck of the woods I'm about a 7 hour drive west of you, in Kitimat.

Jump right in and start asking questions as they arise...there's a wealth of knowledge and experience here, and many willing to help.

Murray

P.S. Has your winter been weird in P.G.? I got hit in the face by a bug a couple days ago, bulbs are sprouting against south facing walls, the squirrels are all out, I haven't seen seagulls by the hundreds flying over town every morning on their way to the dump and flying back down the channel every night like they do every winter, and I saw a spider web today. I miss snow...

 

[areaeleven]

Murray

Winter has definitely been weird here in PG. It's hovering around the freezing mark, it should be 25 degrees colder! Here in town winter is barely hanging on, we have snow, but very little, and it's the dirty crusty kind. The closest skiing is either out your way in Smithers or two hours north in the Pine Pass. I miss the fresh snow too, at the moment I'm thinking of driving about 70km north this weekend just to get to some to shoot. At the end of a nice hike there's a warm spring that keeps the vegetation green even in January, but I'll be wearing boots and gaitors, not skis or snowshoes. Let's hope the snow comes, it looks SO GOOD in black and white

 

[Earl Dunbar]

Chris: You have some very nice work on your website ... welcome here from a Leafs fan!

I haven't been out west in many years, but when I do I'd love to look you up and have a coffee. They do have Tim's in PG, right?

Earl

 

[areaeleven]

Hey Earl

Thank you so much for the kind words, they are much appreciated. And as a transplanted suburban-Torontonian, go Leafs go! They sure do have Tim's here in PG, they are licences to print money those things. People mainline that stuff around here. If you ever do make it out this way, PG is a good place to start, but the city itself isn't too scenic. Maybe I've lived here too long, I don't know, but luckily the surrounding area, in any direction, really is God's country.

Cheers!

 

[Earl Dunbar]

Tim's and then surrounding area ho!

Earl

 

[MurrayMinchin]

...but the city itself isn't too scenic.

Hey, that's pretty much what I say about Kitimat...the town sucks, but it's perched on the edge of paradise

It's finally snowing here! All the signs say at least a foot tonight because there's high level, moist clouds coming off the Pacific and cold outflow winds from inland. If this storm has enough gas, you should wake up tomorrow with fresh snow to brighten things up.

Sorry Earl...no Tim-Bits in Kitimat

Murray

 

[areaeleven]

Murray, don't tease me with a fresh blanket of snow for the weekend! I hope it makes its way all the way here, we (OK, I) really need it.

Looking forward to a morning of bright white powder.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Hi Chris,

Have you ever been out this way? The drive from Smithers to Prince Rupert is something you have to see. Unfortunately, I've only stopped overnight in PG on my way to Calgary or Vancouver...PG is 1/2 the way to both from Kitimat.

Murray

 

[areaeleven]

Murray

Yeah, about six or seven years ago I made the trip out that way. I loved it. I could not believe the scenery. I'm driving east, a couple hours outside of Prince Rupert, and all of a sudden a bald eagle decides to guide me down the highway, flying maybe 15 metres in front of the truck. I was speechless. I've always wanted to go back and take the ferry over to the Haida Gwaii. The north coast of BC has some of the most stunningly rugged, wild and awe inspring landscapes. Besides that, Smiles cafe in Cow Bay has one of the best fresh shrimp club sandwiches I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. : ) And the drive along the Skeena River is insane. I attended the Kispiox music festival a few years ago, I could've skipped the music and stared at the fog shrouded mountains all weekend. Northwest BC is so underrated.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Chris,

Next time you come this way let me know - I may be able to let you in on some "local knowledge", like trails to hike, tributaries on the Skeena to paddle up, etc.

My Prince Rupert / bald eagle memory is equally as vivid. We were having lunch at the Crest Hotel with its huge windows on the harbour, and below us a cannery worker periodically threw out buckets of fish parts. This attracted about 50 eagles that would dive and grab the fish from the water. Between feedings they would fight over who got to perch at the top of a tall hemlock tree just outside the window. As one eagle settled on the top of the tree, another would glide in behind it and knock it off the perch with its talons...there were tufts of eagle down slowly drifting by on a light breeze. Zipping between the fighting eagles were barn swallows grabbing the eagle down for their nests - magic!

Murray

 

[johnnywalker]

Hi Chris,
Welcome from Eagle Bay (near Salmon Arm) - although I've spent the last six months living in the Ramada in Prince George.
I'm sure you'll enjoy it here, as I enjoyed your pictures.

 

[KarenB]

Welcome! I love BC. A few years ago we drove through Prince George on our way to Prince Rupert to board the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry with our camper. We spent two nights on the Stellako River, and met some wonderful locals as we were flyfishing there. We watched some First Nations fisherman taking Salmon from the Skeena with long poles and hooks. What a site! We had to stop in Smithers when we had trouble with our truck and the shop manager there was like an old friend by the end of the day. Wonderful people in your neck of the woods, and the scenery! We hope to return again one day, and take more time to explore.

Nice website! Thanks for sharing.

Karen

 

[areaeleven]

johnnywalker, i spend my days at city hall about a block from the ramada. i'm the web admin for the city of prince george .

karen, we'd love to have you back! thanks for the kind words.

we got about 10cm of snow last night and i'm dying to get out this weekend, shoot the spruce hanging heavy with it. i have to go borrow a set of snowshoes...

 

[Earl Dunbar]

Murray: I'll come visit you anyway... sounds like there are way better places to eat anyway, not to mention great places surrounding. I have a custom-built cedar/canvas canoe, so I'll bring it out and I'll explore some of those waterways!

Earl

 

[MurrayMinchin]

we got about 10cm of snow last night...

You're welcome

Murray

 

[MurrayMinchin]

I have a custom-built cedar/canvas canoe, so I'll bring it out and I'll explore some of those waterways!

Here's a tip for Earl, Chris, or anybody else following this thread who has a canoe or kayak and will be traveling the highway from Terrace to Prince Rupert.

Traveling west from Terrace at about the halfway point there's a campground called Exchamsiks Park. The next valley west of Exchamsiks is called the Kasiks River Valley...you must check it out! There are cliffs galore, waterfalls, and there are so many avalanches during winter and spring I've seen snow outwash fans lasting until late August. Beware though...the beauty does come at a cost, which will be about a litre of blood donated to the valleys mosquitoes.

Just keep a lookout for the boat launch sign on the right hand side of the road, just before a bridge. When the Skeena River is high the Kasiks backs up like a lake and you can paddle in about 8 miles without fighting a current. Another warning though...all those avalnaches mean avalanche alders rule most of the valley floor - a truly heinous species to hike through!

Murray