Mt. Nusatsum

Mt. Nusatsum

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween

It was a very nice Halloween for all the kids to get out and about tonight in the Bella Coola Valley.  A nice evening temperature of 5 C, a few small spits of rain and later in the evening I saw a few stars.  Mrs. Grizzly had to phone a couple neighbors to make sure we got a few trick or treaters to stop around our rural neighborhood.  Grizzly will have to eat the leftovers. Grizzly

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Weather Flip Flop

That was a good 25 mm of rain from late yesterday and into mid morning this morning.  But then it stopped and the rest of the day had a few blue patches, minor showers and just grey.  The Bella Coola River is in good shape though - hardly noticeable that there was an inch of rain overnight, but that's because the snow level is creeping down and all the moisture came down as snow in the mountains.  Grizzly

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Squirrel Cache

I wondered what has been keeping a squirrel so busy over in one corner of our yard for the last few weeks.   Today I checked it out and was suprised to see the sizeable cache of Red Alder tree seed cones.  I hope it's not an omen for winter. 

The weather today in the Bella Coola Valley was pretty decent until about 2 PM, then the rain moved in and it was a light rain for the afternoon, but tonight as I post this it's a little bit more on the downpour side.  Grizzly

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Feels Like Snow

Environment Canada is forecasting pretty stormy weather at least for the outer Central Coast, with lots of wind hitting the coast (or using the Global TV weather forecasters terminology, it's going to 'slam' the coast tonight).  In the Bella Coola Valley today it was dead calm.  We actually had some weak sun coming through high thin clouds.  This evening it's cool and feels like snow, but that's next week's forecast.  Grizzly

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Hagensborg View

Sometimes the view driving through Hagensborg is so eye catching. Today was one of those days with the white cap on Mount Nusatsum gradually getting larger every day.  Grizzly

Monday, October 24, 2011

More Mushroom Weather

Sunday and Monday were a little less damp in the Bella Coola Valley than Saturday was, but still pretty damp and humid feeling late October days.  I've posted a better picture of the same Pine Mushroom as the one last week, gives a better view of what a #5 (lowest price) looks like.  Grizzly

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Late Day Rays


It took until after 5 PM today to catch a few rays of sun, before that -- just rain all day.  When the sun did come out briefly it was bright and made for some nice but brief views of the mountains with the ever lowering snow line.  Grizzly

Friday, October 21, 2011

Wet and Cold

As predicted today was not so nice in the Bella Coola Valley.  Mostly cold rain all day, with lots of low fog and the occasional glimpse of snow creeping down the mountains. Grizzly

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Inviting

Inviting is how the Bella Coola River looked today - nearly perfect October conditions.  Partially sunny, cool and the water way down and getting lower every day.   Just before we are forecast to get more coastal weather and some rain for a few days, nothing major in the forecast though.  Grizzly

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Mushrooms


Pine mushroom from the Bella Coola Valley.

 
No time to pick any this year, but there are a few around according to some of the pickers.  Grizzly

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Light Drizzle to Mainly Sun

Environment Canada had us starting out with a light drizzle which was actually a fairly thick mid level fog and by mid afternoon had turned into full warm sun with a high of 14 C.  It was very nice feeling and a very decent day in the Bella Coola Valley.  Still quite a few trucks and machines working along various sections of Highway 20 reinforcing banks against the river and repairing shoulder and minor damage, all good things to do when the weather is cooperating like today.  Grizzly

Monday, October 17, 2011

Slightly Rainy

Late last evening a little bit of rain started in the Bella Coola Valley and it more or less was rainy all day today.  Just a nice October rain, not hard, a few breaks, but cool and damp feeling.  Pretty typical of wet October weather.  Today's photo is the fall colours of the large Devil's Club plant leaves (Oplopanox horridus).  Grizzly

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Still and Quiet

Today wasn't as sunny as Saturday in the Bella Coola Valley, but it seemed unusually still and quiet.  There was no wind, the river is low so there was very little back ground water noise from it or the various waterfalls off the mountains which are all low as well.  The air was still most of the day with the only noises being the traffic and my own tools or the occasional neighbor using a tool or machine.  Another bonus day and a bonus weekend.  Now if we can squeak one more good weekend then the last of the garden can be harvested (carrots, beets and a few cabbage).  Grizzly

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Thunder Mountain


Another nice day in the Bella Coola Valley.  After the morning cloud cleared out we reached an afternoon high of 11 C.  It was basically a really nice October day.  Thunder Mountain is in the distance in today's photo.  Grizzly

Friday, October 14, 2011

River Days


With the clear weather we have had this week and the cool nights, the Bella Coola River has dropped each day this week.  When you have a nearly cloudless day like today and low water then like the fishermen in this picture it's never too late get out and try for a fall coho.  The October days like today are special days.  Grizzly

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Good October Weather

We enjoyed a fine Bella Coola October day today with clearing in the morning and sun most of the day.  The sunny areas of the valley are getting smaller as the sun angle gets lower behind the mountains earlier each day.  The mountains are capped with fresh snow as well and the Bella Coola River is dropping rapidly as things tighten up in the high altitude glaciers.  Grizzly

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Coho


Someone  posted a comment inquiring about the coho fishing in the Bella Coola River.  I haven't been out myself, but my observations are that after the flood on September 24th the Bella Coola was unfishable for a long time and while it looks nice today, there are not many people out fishing.  A lot of people left after the flood and one report I did hear was that it has been pretty slow fishing after the flood.  Grizzly

Monday, October 10, 2011

Grey Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving day (in Canada).  Hopefully you enjoyed a relaxing day and a good meal amongst friends and family.  It wasn't a spectacular day for weather in the Bella Coola Valley, with occasional sprinkles of rain, no wind and low cloud.  Whenever the clouds lifted the mountain tops had fresh snow which was mostly from the fog and water in the clouds hitting the tops.  All in all a good weekend.  Grizzly

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Mediocre Fall Colour

The Bella Coola Valley is not known for brilliant fall colours such as eastern Canada or parts of BC with vast stands of poplar and cottonwood, but on some years our two main fall colour trees, the paper birch and the extensive black cottonwood stands can become very showy, like last fall.  It happens when we have had a hot summer and dry early fall, but it simply isn't going to happen this year.  The cottonwoods are looking very drab and somewhat 'coastal' in their fall dressing as their big leaves drift to the ground with golden spots or at best only half golden.  It's just been that kind of wet summer and fall and can only hope for something better next year.   Grizzly

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Back

Grizzly was gone on a hunting trip last week with his son.   I'll get back to regular postings about the Bella Coola Valley and Chilcotin again.

While I was gone the weather in the Bella Coola Valley was a range of sunny days to mixed days, but apparently pretty typical October weather.  Looking ahead this week we are likely to see some good mushroom weather, wet and a few periods of not so wet.


The Bella Coola River has improved in colour and the level come down to something typical of October weather.  Grizzly