Thursday, April 15, 2010

Dewar Hot Springs (N49° 42.000 W 116° 22.000)

Located Near Mount Bonner west of Kimberley BC
APPROX unconfirmed coordinates N49° 42.000 W116° 22.000

Kimberley BC Weather

WEATHER REPORT

 


[HTSPDEWAR](Purcell Provincial Park near Kootenay Lake. )


WANTED: Photo and info. and confirmed coordinates.



Coords that I have. 49°57'16.21"N 116°30'58.40"W

From the BC Parks service

Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park and Protected Area

Dewar Hot Springs
One of the special features of the park is the Dewar Creek hot springs. Water flowing through fractures into the substrate is heated to temperatures above 100 C or boiling point. It rises to the surface carrying many minerals in solution especially calcium, magnesium and sulphur compounds. Hot water at the surface vents is above 80 C, too hot for bathing. Visitors to the springs have created a variety of pools over the years using both natural and man made materials. All except one small pool have been removed. BC Parks will continue to remove any new construction and request your cooperation. The intrinsic value of the springs for wildlife use far outweighs modification of the springs for recreational bathing. Far better, more accessible opportunities for hot spring soaking exist at other locations in the Kootenay’s.

The minerals brought to the surface by the hot mineral springs form critical licks for five species of ungulates: elk, goat, white tail deer, mule deer, and moose providing them with high concentrations of minerals and nutrients during May through July, the birthing seasons. Unfortunately increased human visitation to the springs has displaced many of these animals and as a result wildlife populations in the upper Dewar have decreased.

A number of rare vascular plants grow in the side hill bog immediately above the springs: Western St. John’s-wort, a yellowish orange flowered herb, Slender muhlenbergia, a small grass that occurs in dense mats close to the hot springs vents and Hot–springs Panicum another grass unique to hot springs ecosystems.

A red-listed damselfly Argia vivida commonly known as the ‘Vivid Dancer’ has been identified at Dewar hot springs. Blue in colour it is sometimes seen clinging to the rubble and boulders near the hot-springs.

The Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir (ESSF) zone around the springs is dominated by Engelmann Spruce and sub-alpine fir. False azlea, white-flowed rhododendron and huckleberry are common.
Dewar hot springs and adjacent Bugle Basin area are an intricate and interdependent ecosystem. Just as ungulates depend on the hot spring licks for nutrients predators such as grizzly bear, wolves and wolverine depend on productive ungulate populations.

This fragile and diverse area can be visited using an old outfitting trail. Drive west on the St. Mary’s forest service road 47 kilometers to the junction of the West Fork St. Mary’s road and the Dewar Creek road. Bear right and follow the Dewar Creek road to the end at the 27 km. There is a trail registry located at the beginning of the trail. After crossing Wesley Creek continue for about 1.5 hours till you drop down by the creek. If on horse the trail will soon cross the creek. If on foot scramble up onto the east bank and continue along a rough hiking trail that will rejoin the old outfitting trail, continue to the springs. About 3-4 hours total time.

At the springs the trail contours above the springs area and continues another .5 km to Bugle Basin, a huge slide area, where hiker camping is allowed. There is an established horse camping area across the creek to the west, follow the trail that crosses the Dewar Creek immediately after emerging from the forest. Follow up the left side of Bugle Basin about .5 km then follow the trail back into the hidden meadow where an established horse camp is located. Please do not horse camp on the east side of Bugle Basin.

Past visitors have trampled the side hill area above the springs and destroyed rare habitat. In an effort to allow these areas to regenerate do not camp above the springs or trample the bog area. To traverse the hot springs use the horse trail above the bogs or the rocks along the creek.

Please practice no impact camping and use established fire-rings.



The following link is from a fellow that visited the springs in July of 2007.
He has some great pictures of the trip in and the springs as well.

http://hallafamily.com/john/hiking/dewar_creek_jul2007/

 

Posted via web from GTL's Hot-Springs Lists

No comments: