A Guide to B.C.’s North Cascade Mountains and Nicola Valley

New Edition—Fully Updated and Revised (2007)

Murphy Shewchuk

Review by Ron Dart

 

           Coquihalla Trips & Trails has evolved from Exploring the Nicola Valley, originally

           published in 1981, and its successor, Coquihalla Country, first published in 1990.

           As I retraced the backroads and trails that I have travelled since my arrival in the

           Nicola Valley in 1975, I discovered a great many changes and a wealth of new

           information about the past and present. The previous books were to become

           merely a foundation for a book that would go beyond anything I had ever done

           before. What began as a simple summer project quickly grew into a major effort

           requiring thousands of kilometers of travel: by vehicle, bicycle and on foot, and

           hundreds of hours at the computer keyboard working with GPS data, digital maps

           and new online services such as Google Earth.              

                                                                                      Murphy Shewchuk (Acknowledgements) 

The Coquihalla mountain region is often ignored as a trips and trails trekking area, but there is much missed in BC when the Coquihalla is bypassed. Murphy Shewchuk has, since the initial publication in 1997 of this ever growing tome, been the go to guy for opening up and pointing the way to all sorts of paths to ramble on and sights to see in the Coquihalla area.

Coquihalla Trips and Trails is, obviously not, a book about climbing or scrambling, but the leads offered are worth the following. There are many fine maps, black-white photographs, 66 chapters replete with trails information-destinations and a compact conclusion and summing up on the land, wildlife and history of the Coquihalla region.

The Coquihalla Freeway opened in 1986, and since then the highway has provided, for the curious and keen, some excellent and well trod trails. This book is just not for hikers, though. Bikers can also use this handy guide book to take to places that many bikers have not gone. And then there are those who are held by the fishing passion. Shewchuk is good on the delivery again. And, winter ski trips in the Coquihalla are a must do. Coquihalla Trips and Trails is a friendly guide for beginners who enjoy winter white with the ancient sentinels. There is also a fine chapter on ‘Bird Watching Site Guide ‘(52) and some excellent lakes and parks more than worth the seeing. Those who are more inclined to do loop road trips by car will not be disappointed by Shewchuk’s pointers also.

Coquihalla Trips and Trails is a comprehensive and well researched book on the Canadian North Cascade Mountains and Nicola Valley. Many a fond memory will dwell within those who both purchase the book and take to the terrain illuminated and described by Shewchuk.