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Lee Duquette drove the toad
on the Whiteswan Forestry Road up to the hot springs. The road was a
gravel / dirt logging road that had curves and was sometimes
narrow with a cliff instead of a shoulder. It is said to be accessible
during the summer season with almost any vehicle, however, the two RV
Gypsies hit a rock in the road that broke a bolt on the undercarriage
of their car and although they were able to drive back to the campground,
the car had to be towed to a repair place, and they had a big repair
bill. Accessibility to this road in the winter months is dependent on
snow depth, 4WD and chains required. Drivers beware. |
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It is a 17 km drive up the
road. The photos below show part of the narrow winding section climbing
up the Lussier Gorge towards the end of the drive. As it is a forestry
road, log trucks are sometimes hauling. The drive took Lee Duquette
about 40 minutes. |
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There is a parking lot with
two maintained pit toilets situated above the springs. Then there is
a 150 meter dirt trail down to the springs, and the trail back up feels
mighty steep. (Note that there is camping a bit further up the road,
but no spaces big enough for the two RV Gypsies' RV. They parked their
RV in Canal Flats). |
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The springs themselves are
made up of several rock pools with gravel bottoms. The hottest pool
is up to 43C, and then the water cools as it flows down through the
rocks into the other pool towards the Lussier River. The small, icy
river makes an excellent cold plunge, that only the daring attempt.
Karen Duquette put her feet in the river, but as usual, Lee Duquette
did not. |
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The first day the two RV Gypsies
arrived at Lussier Hot Springs, it was not full of people at first because
they must have gotten there when almost everyone had gone home to eat.
Many people returned later though. |
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Below: Karen
Duquette tried out the hottest area, while Lee Duquette took a few photos
from above. |
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After a bit, Karen Duquette
joined Lee Duquette in the cooler area, but she did not stay there that
long. She preferred the hotter area. |
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Below: The second day at
Lussier Hot Springs, there were a lot of people everywhere. |
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Below: Lee
Duquette found a nice little nook to enjoy in the cooler area of the
hot springs. (He seldom goes in hot springs) |
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Below: After a bit, Lee Duquette
drove a little way up the road from the hot springs, and found a picnic
area by the water. Then the two RV Gypsies returned to the hot tub. |
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Below: A little squirrel
provided the two RV Gypsies with lunch time entertainment. |
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 The
two RV Gypsies could not return here on the third day because Karen
Duquette got BIT by something at the hot springs and her right hand
swelled up. They went to the emergency room at the hospital BUT because
Karen was American, they wanted almost $1,000 up front, so they went
to a nearby walk-in clinic and it only cost Karen $75. She saw a doctor,
got medication (another $75) and it took several days for the swelling
to go down in her hand.
Lee Duquette had to rent a car because of the damage done to their
car on the road driving out of the hot springs. So even though there
was no charge to use the hot springs, it turned out to be an expensive
event. |
