Wildfires and Parks Updates 2022

wildfire and park updates

September 8, 2022: The trails that were closed September 7th have reopened.

September 7, 2022: There will be temporary closures for some trails as of now. These closures were requested by BC Wildfire Services to allow helicopters to take water from Lightning Lakes. We urge everyone to keep away from the below-mentioned closure areas for your safety. If the pilots see anyone close to this area, they will have to stop until it is clear.

The temporary trail closures are as follows:

– The trail from the East side of the Lightning Lake Day Use Parking to the trailhead of Mount Frosty. This is the dam area.
– The North side of Lightning Lake Loop Trail from the trailhead of Mount Frosty to Rainbow Bridge.
– Mount Frosty Trail

These closures are temporary and only for fire suppression. There is no risk of fire in this area. Once these trails are re-opened, we will provide an update. 

September 3, 2022: BC Parks has implemented partial trail closures on the south side of HWY #3 within E.C. Manning Provincial Park as a result of the Heather Lake wildfire.

THE FOLLOWING AREAS ARE OPEN:

Manning Park Resort

The resort is fully open and operating as normal. This includes our accommodations, Loon Lagoon, Boathouse, Pinewoods Dining Room, Country Store and full-resort facilities. It is currently under evacuation alert.

Trails South of HWY #3 Now Open

All trails south of HWY#3 are open for use.

Trails under evacuation alert

  • Lightning Lake Chain Trail
  • Canyon Nature Trail
  • Rein Orchid Trail
  • Skyline I (Lightning Lake to Despair Pass)
  • Skyline I (Shadow Lake to Despair Pass)

Trails outside the evacuation alert

  • Skyline II Trail
  • Hozameen Ridge Trail
  • Similkameen Trail
  • South Gibson Trail
  • North Gibson Trail
  • Poland Lake Trail
  • Three Falls Trail
  • Memaloose Trail
  • Silver Daisy Trail
  • Skagit River Trail
  • Steamboat Trail
  • Beaver Pond Trail
  • Bonnevier Trail
  • Upper Hope Pass (past Grainger Creek)
  • Nicomen Lake Trail (north of Nicomen Lake)
  • Whipsaw Rd (in the Park; outside of the Park is covered by an area closure)

The Dewdney and Whatcom Trails and facilities West of the Cascade Parking Area also remain open at this time.

Front-Country Campgrounds

Hampton and Mule Deer Campground and Hampton are closed. All other front-country campgrounds are open and operating as normal. This includes Lightning Lake, Coldspring, Headwaters Horse Corral, and Lone Duck 1 & 2.

The campgrounds are currently under evacuation alert.

Cascade Lookout & Blackwall Road

Cascade Lookout and Blackwall Road will operate as normal and remain open.

BC PARKS PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES HAVE RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING CLOSURES:

These trails are under Evacuation Order

Trail Closures

The following trails remain closed as a precautionary measure:

  • Monument 78 Trail (Castle Creek Trail)
  • Monument 83 Trail
  • Pacific Crest Trail (PCT Camp to Monument 78 Camp)
  • Mt Frosty Loop (Similkameen Trail to Frosty Mt Peak)
  • Windy Joe Trail (Mt Frosty Loop to Windy Joe lookout)
  • Mt Frosty Loop (Lightning Lake Day Use to Frosty Mt Peak)

Evacuation Order vs. Evacuation Alert

Many wildfires in B.C. occur far from cities and towns, but sometimes they threaten homes, businesses and infrastructure. If a wildfire ends up threatening property or infrastructure, an Evacuation Alert or Order may be issued. What’s the difference?

Evacuation Alert

There is no immediate danger to those under an evacuation alert. This is the time to get prepared to leave your home on short notice. Get your grab-and-go bags ready (which should include several days of clothing, toiletries and medications), your emergency plan, copies of important documents and important mementos.

Listen to local emergency officials for further information on the situation.

Evacuation Order

Leave the area immediately. Follow the directions of local emergency officials and evacuate using the route(s) they’ve identified. Do not return home until you’ve been advised that the Evacuation Order has been rescinded. For those needing additional support, an Emergency Support Services Reception Centre may be opened.

As always, the safety of our guests, community, and staff is our top priority. We are in daily communication with BC Parks and BC Wildfire regarding the status of local wildfires. Should any changes in the current situation arise, we will update the public immediately.

Just an additional reminder that no campfires are permitted as the entire park is under a campfire ban. Please always be responsible as any heat source can start a fire. For example: vehicle exhaust pipes, cigarette butts, etc.

For current wildfire information, visit: BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), and the Regional District.

For current highway information, visit: Drive BC

Skyview RV Campground Is Now Open

BC Parks has just announced that Skyview RV Campground is now open. 

This new BC Parks RV Campground is located on Gibson Pass Road in Manning Park Resort 4 km off Hwy #3. This year-round RV Campground is next to the Lightning Lake Day Use Area. With over 90 sites in the summer and 60 sites in the winter, this year-round location is sure to be an immediate favourite with all visitors of E.C Manning Park.

The RV Campground features large pull-through and back-in sites. All winter sites offer full services with 50-amp power, water, and sewer. The 32 summer use sites have 30-amp power, water and sewer. A large, bright modern washhouse is available year-round.

Rates and Reservations

There are nightly sites, weekly sites, and long-stay monthly sites available. Rates can be found on our website.
Reservations for the winter season are now open.

For more information and to reserve your stay, visit https://www.manningpark.com/skyview/ or www.bcparks.ca.

 

The campground offers a great location and access to all of Manning Park Resort’s winter activities. Once ski season is open, there will be a daily shuttle that will take you from Skyview to the ski area and lodge area throughout the day.

The cross-country trail from the Nordic Center at Manning Park Resort goes right through the campground in the winter, taking cross-country skiers to the higher elevations. The proximity to Lightning Lake also offers great snowshoeing access. A shovel is recommended as it does snow!

As the name of the RV campground suggests, the location offers great views of the sky, with very limited surrounding lights. Bringing a camping chair is suggested for evening stargazing.

In summer, a large new playground has been built for kids, and hiking trails, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming at Lightning Lake are just a few steps away.

We look forward to seeing you and your family at Skyview RV Campground this winter!

 

Make Your Reservation at Skyview RV Campground!

Manning Park Resort has officially resumed operations!

Manning Park Resort has officially resumed operations! The Resort, as well as many of the Provincial campgrounds are ready to welcome guests back, with increased precautions, cleaning and protocols surrounding COVID-19.

The Resort’s accommodations with its newest Premium cabins, lodge rooms, Standard cabins and chalets are open for reservations. Food service is available at the Pinewoods Dining Room and the outdoor patio for dine-in and take-out; as well as the Country Store.

Open for Family Getaways

“We think our guests are going to be really excited to get out and explore their local area this spring and summer,” says General Manager, Vern Schram, “Manning Park Resort offers a great opportunity to get some exercise and fresh air while staying comfortably either in the Resort or camping. Our cabin facilities are perfect for a family getaway, and we have a lot more availability for this summer, as most of our group and wedding reservations have postponed their events into the future.”

To comply with stringent housekeeping processes, some availability in the Resort is altered, and the Loon Lagoon Pool and Last Resort group facility are not open. We are hoping to resume operations in the Bear’s Den July 1.
“We hope that guests will see the increased precautions for COVID-19 in place and feel confident that we’re making our guest and staff safety our priority,” says Schram.

Provincial Park is Open

The trails are open for hiking and mountain biking and the boathouse has opened seven days a week for canoe, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals. With over 300km of hiking trails, it’s easy to stay naturally socially distant, while finding space to connect with your family. More trail information can be found at the Visitor Centre which is open weekends in June.

Interpretive programs are scheduled to go ahead as planned, with some minor changes to group size and schedule. These free programs that introduce people of all ages to the flora and fauna in the park, will begin in July.

The EC Manning Provincial campgrounds are starting to open in the park, with Coldspring and Mule Deer campgrounds open for reservations, and for first come, first serve walk-ins. Lightning Lake and the first loop of Hampton campgrounds are scheduled to open later this month. Parts of Hampton will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to an excessive amount of hazard trees.

Top 5 Things to Do in Fall at Manning Park

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Top 5 Things to Do in Fall at Manning Park

The ground squirrels may have gone to bed, and you may be heading back to the daily grind after a long, luxurious summer away, but don’t count out a few cheeky weekend trips away, and some great activities to do in fall at Manning Park.

My favourite things about fall in Manning Park – less bugs, no campfire bans, incredible colours and quiet hikes!
The vine maples have been changing colour already and are showing their full display of autumn foliage.

Here’s our top 5 for your list this Fall:

1. Larch Trees

On Mt. Frosty, we have a forest of the only coniferous, deciduous trees – the larch. This means the needles on this tree change colour seasonally and fall off. At the end of September – early October, they turn electric yellow and are truly a sight to behold! Keep an eye on our Facebook page and website, we will let you know when they start changing.
Mt. Frosty is a solid hike: 22.2 km from Lightning Lake to summit and return, 1150m elevation gain & 9-11 hours. See more info here: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/ecmanning/frosty.html

2. Biking

Cooler weather means those uphills don’t make you sweat so bad! We recommend Poland Lake or Windy Joe for a longer trip and the more adventurous, although cruising North Gibson and South Gibson are always worth the ride. See our updated mountain bike info on our webpage here. 

3. Canoeing or kayaking

The Boathouse stays open weekends until Thanksgiving, but boat rentals are available throughout the week as well from our Front Desk. Pop by to pick up your paddles, life jacket and the key to a canoe, kayak or a SUP (if you’re not too scared of the cooler waters!)

4. Sample some vino.

Have you checked out our wine menu lately? We are proud to offer all local wines from the Similkameen Valley and Okanagan areas. Wine tastes great no matter what the weather is doing outside!

5. Stargazing

Our newest fall activity has been here the whole time – just look up! The cool, crisp days of autumn are a great time for stargazing. See more information about stargazing on our Manning Park Dark Sky page. Learn about our fall Dark Sky Discount by signing up for our mailing list, and don’t miss our first Astronomy Weekend from October 12-14th.

 

It’s just a quick weekend away in your backyard, with great accommodation rates and some great activities to do. Book your accommodation now! 

Check out our new packages available with your lodge room:

Bed & Breakfast Package

Romance Package

Wildflower Display in Sub-Alpine Meadows

The wildflowers are out!  

Pockets of glorious subalpine flowers are out in the meadows!  Look for places with a bit of moisture and hit the backcountry searching for those beautiful flowers.

The peak bloom of the wildflowers in the sub-alpine meadows is typically around this time. Due to hot, dry conditions and very little rain in the past few weeks, we are anticipating that the display is likely approaching it’s peak. If there is no rain, it is likely that it will be a quick bloom, so make sure to drive up for a hike on one of the popular wildflower hikes!

Wildflower walks are scheduled weekly from Friday-Monday & Wednesday at 11am. Meet at the Naturalist hut in upper parking lot on Blackwall Peak Road.

See more: http://summer.manningpark.com/wildflowers/

Remember to stay on the path: This is particularly important in the Alpine meadows where rare and delicate plants struggle to survive in this harsh and extremely fragile ecosystem. Straying off designated paths destroys these sensitive plants. Please help us protect these Alpine meadows and the photo opportunities they provide for generations to come!

(July 30, 2018)

6 Ways to Beat the Heat

Looking for some respite from the 30+ degree weather? Find some solace in the cooler alpine temperatures at Manning Park! We’ve got lots of adventurous ways to cool off and cold treats for every taste!

  1. Can you possibly get a more refreshing lake to swim in than Lightning Lake? This alpine lake is fed by snow run-off which means it stays cool and refreshing through the summer. We are not kidding – it’s cold! If you can’t take the dip, just getting out on the water by canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard or rowboat will cool you down!
  2. Chill your taste buds with ice cream. We sell ice cream treats at the Boathouse all day long, or get your favourite ice cream scooped at the Bistro. We also have iced coffee and milkshakes available at the Bistro.
  3. We are cooler just because of where we are! By virtue of being at a higher elevation, the temperatures are cooler than in the valleys, and the breeze is fresh. Our day temperatures are forecast to range between a comfortable 26-29 degrees in the next few days. Night temperatures drop down to a pleasant 13 degrees tonight. Ahhhhhhh. Enjoy!
  4. Hike to find the last patches of snow on Mt. Frosty. Climb the highest peak in Manning Park to get astounding views of the area, where snow still lies on the ground. You may get really hot on the way up, but once you find the snow, a snowball fight will cool you down!
  5. Embrace the sunshine and have an ice cold beer on the patio at the Pinewoods Dining Room. Relax under the shade of the umbrellas with a selection of your favourite brews from Old Yale Brewing, and great eats to accompany it!
  6. Take a cruise on the newly paved Highway #3! Whether you’re in a sportscar, on a motorcycle or using “4WD a/c” (Four windows down air conditioning), the smooth pavement is a delightful way to blow your hair back.

Air quality in the park is looking good and clear – check the Boathouse webcam to see what the conditions are like on the lake: http://summer.manningpark.com/webcam/ 

Tell us – what’s your favourite way to cool down in the heat?

Wherever you are at this weekend, travel safe, stay hydrated, don’t forget the sunscreen and have fun! 

 

Campfire Ban in effect & Smoke-Free Manning Park

July 18, 2018

A BC Parks Campfire ban is now in effect in all of E.C. Manning Park. This also includes Smoking Restrictions.

Please note the following, as per BC Wildfire:

“Effective at noon on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, all open burning (including campfires and Category 3 fires) will be prohibited within the Coastal Fire Centre’s jurisdiction, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and the area known as the fog zone.

These prohibitions do not apply to CSA-rated or ULC-rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, so long as the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

The following activities are also prohibited:

* open fires that burn woody debris in outdoor stoves

* the use of stoves and other portable campfire apparatuses that are not CSA-approved or ULC-approved”

As per BC Parks, 

“-The smoking restriction applies to all areas within a provincial park and protected area except in a designated, front country campsite. Cigarettes and other ignition sources must be extinguished and disposed of within the designated campsite.

-Smoking is restricted in all public areas of a park or protected area, however the restriction doesn’t apply to a park visitor’s private motor vehicle or recreational vehicle. Individuals must remain in their private vehicle or recreational vehicle while smoking and dispose of the ignition source within the vehicle. It is not acceptable to smoke outside of those vehicles, except when the vehicle is in a registered campsite or group campsite with a hardened surface.

-The smoking restriction applies to all types of smoking devices that contain an ignition source, whether it’s a flame, spark, mechanical spark, electronic spark or smoke.”

 

To support the BC Parks campfire ban, as well as our message of “Fresh Air Experiences”, we are moving towards creating a smoke-free environment at Manning Park Resort year-round.

While this helps create a Fresh Air Experience for everyone to enjoy, it also mitigates the risk of fire hazards in our increasingly hot and dry summer.

Designated smoking areas will be identified around Manning Park Resort, where it will be permitted to smoke. This will be a year-round implementation.

 

Designated areas at the Resort for Summer 2018 include:

-Cordoned off stall in front of Manning Park Lodge, near ‘Camping Info’ kiosk

-The covered pathway area at the back of the Lodge, to the west of the Lodge, towards the cabins.

 

Cigarette disposal will be available at these locations, and we ask that you use the receptacles provided, and ensure all cigarette butts are extinguished fully.

We kindly request that you do not smoke outside of these areas.

In the wintertime, we are continuing this message by going smoke-free at the ski hill. Designated smoking areas at the Resort will remain in effect year-round.

 

Thank you for your support in these endeavours!

Wild Pacific Rhododendrons starting to bloom

May 26, 2018
Visit the rhododendrons at Rhododendron Flats, on a 10-minute loop walk through the forest. Lush carpets of moss keep the soil damp during the spring and early summer allowing the moisture loving rhododendron to be at its best when it flowers in June. (starting now!)

Rhododendron comes from the Greek word meaning ‘rose tree’ and indeed, the Pacific rhododendron could compete with even the showiest of the hybrid roses. Reaching a sprawling height of up to 8m, it surpasses many of its cultivated cousins.

Of the 600 different rhododendron species worldwide, only 27 varieties occur in North America.

Because of its rarity, the Pacific Rhododendron is protected by law in BC.

Where are all the others?

The Pacific rhododendron found at Rhododendron Flats and in the nearby Skagit Valley Provincial Park are an isolated population at the northern extent of their range. The nearest populations occur south of Mount Rainier and on the Olympic Peninsula. Two small isolated populations are also found on Vancouver Island near Nanaimo and Shawnigan Lake.

 

Why are the rhododendrons here? Studies have revealed that the Skagit Valley rhododendrons are very similar genetically to populations in Washington state. This indicates that the Skagit populations has only recently been isolated. Are they a relic of a population that was once more widely distributed or has their seed somehow found its way here from the southern populations?

Updates from BC Parks in E.C. Manning Park this year

 

There are some exciting updates from BC Parks planned for this year in E.C. Manning Provincial Park. We are happy to share some of the great news that BC Parks has announced:

Hampton Campground continues to get some incredible upgrades to complement the new wash houses that were installed last year. This May, plans are in motion to build a kid’s bike park as well as a playground. Now with expanded views, wash house and more sites, Hampton is proving to be a coveted camping spot!

Lone Duck group facility now has two beautiful, brand new shelters that were built last spring, as well as large wash sinks installed.  The final touches will be completed this spring completing this project.

Buckhorn backcountry camp is being looked at for an expansion, with an upgraded shelter, similar to that of the Lone Duck campsite.

BC Parks has also unrolled their Student Ranger Program. This program will bring 6 student rangers to Manning Park to assist with trail maintenance.

Lots of plans are in place for maintaining and renovating trails. We are excited and supportive of the great efforts of BC Parks, as well as the Friends of Manning Park group that volunteers an incredible amount of work in the park!

If you want to get involved and help out with some of the work bees planned for this summer, contact the Friends of Manning Park Facebook page for more information.

This Day in History: Dedication of E.C. Manning Park (Sept. 14, 1941)

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This day in history Sept. 14, 1941: “Elaborate celebrations planned for the dedication of the Ernest C. Manning Park.
Nearly 100 People Attend Despite Inclement Weather; Addresses Delivered by Notables”

“Among the visitors present were: Mrs. E.C. Manning, the Hon. the Minister of Lands, Mr. Wells Gray, C.D. Orchard, who succeeded Mr. Manning as the Chief Forester, C.H. Upper, MLA, W.E. McArthur and J. G. Acres, of Greenwood, E.C. Menninger, MLA; R. McLean and L.A. Mansfield of Grand Forks; A.C. Mackenzie, Thos. Daly and D. Miller of Penticton.

W. D. Seaman, President of the Princeton Board of Trade, was in charge of the proceedings, and after all present had joined in singing “O Canada”, he extended a cordial welcome to all who had come to honour the memory of the late Chief Forester.
Thereafter the band played, then E. E. Burr spoke on half of all the old-timers of Similkameen who had dreamed of such a park, and who had lived to see their dream come true.”

Special thanks to Kelley Cook Friends of Manning Park for providing this article.

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