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Located in Manning Provincial Park, about 2 1/3 to 3 hrs from Vancouver, the Heather Trail is an easy alpine trail accessed by a loooong, 15 km, road from Hwy 3 across from the park's resort area. Absolutely spectacular in mid-late July during peak alpine flower bloom, this trail boasts unending views and open, easy terrain. Because of its easy access, there can be hordes of people on it - but only for the first few km's. Past First Brother Mtn. the numbers decrease hugely as this is a popular day-hike. If you're going in any further you need to carry overnight gear.

Andre and I had planned to hike the Heather Trail to Nicomen Lake and down the Granger Creek Trail to a second vehicle left there with some friends. As usual they bailed (sorry guys - you always do!!), but we decided to go anyways and just hike in and out the same way.

Here is the little picture story of that weekend. (Drool S & D, drooooool!)

If you desire, click on the map link below to open a window with both an area map and trail map.
Day 1
We departed the parking lot at 11:00 along the lower Paintbrush trail, eventually connecting with the Heather trail before the first main campsite - Buckhorn camp.
The Paintbrush trail just past the parking lot.
Toward the end of the climb into the open alpine we met two women from North Vancouver. They took a few photos of us, and we took a few of them.
First class scenery and a "real" trail (highly unusual for us!). This is just past First Brother Mtn., the peak at right is Third Brother. Note the gully near left just under the eroded slope (more on that later).
Lupins, Lupins Everywhere!!

The meadows were blue with lupins as far as the eye could see. Many other alpine flowers were in bloom as well, but the sheer numbers of lupins was astounding. One of the ladies we'd met said it beat the lavender fields of Provence. (One of the two women was actually in tears at the intense beauty surrounding us)
Flower Girl! (I was veeeery careful not to crush any)
Evening

Around 4:15 we came to the second camp just below Fourth Brother - Kicking Horse Camp. We crashed out on one of the tent platforms and were immediately assaulted by armies of mosquitoes. Pulling out our topo maps, we had a look for possible alternate places to stake our base camp for the two nights. Around 5:00 we started to bushwhack toward a lake on the other side of Fourth Brother, but it was too far.

We hiked back along the trail to the gully below Third Brother, stepped off the trail and found a teensy pond in a clearing at the base of an eroded slope. This is just on the other side of the small pass visible in the larger photo above, facing the hills beyond Fourth Brother.
Hiking down to the tiny pond to set up our base for the two nights.
Water was very scarce in the alpine and at Kicking Horse Camp the trickle through the creek was virtually nonexistent. Here we were fortunate enough to have a small pond; though maybe only a foot deep it would suffice for a quick bath to get the dust and sweat off.

We carefully set our tent on a bare patch of ground (bare as in no plants - quite rocky), filtered water, cooked dinner on our stove and hung the food up in a tree.

As soon as the sun disappeared around the corner we had to layer on our warm clothing. Even though the days are hot, at 7,000 feet if the sun even goes behind a cloud it gets cold quick.
Day 2

In the morning we hiked up Third Brother Mtn. There's no trail, but it's all open terrain - pretty easy-going. From the peak we had amazing views. Only First Brother was preventing a full 360 degree splendor. We could see plumes of smoke billowing from the forest fire near Keremeos (on the US side), as well as thick smoke and haze from the fire on Anarchist Mtn. above Osyoos.
Passed out in sheer flower-bliss on the hike up Third Brother
Dr. Suess Plants

This is Western Anemone, also called Tow Headed Baby or Hippie Hair. Myself, all I think of is Dr. Suess when I see these crazy little fluff-heads. To tell you the truth, I am absolutely in love with these things. They just look so wild and fun. There were loads and loads of them, in thick clusters too and I kinda went bonkers in the presence of so many.

If I had to be a plant, I'd be Western Anemone.
At noon we returned to camp, gathered some food for a longer hike, quickly cooled off in the pool and slipped some lighter footwear on. Sturdy boots were hardly necessary for a day hike in this terrain. I had some heavy-duty traction, lightweight sandals, while Andre had his Holy Soles (seriously - that's what they're called!!) slippers. Yes, slippers.
The feet got kinda' dusty....
Not really intending to go anywhere in particular, we walked along the scenic trail in the direction of Nicomen Lake (10.5 km from our camp).
The lupins got pretty intense...
We just kept walking and walking and before we knew it we were on the high, narrow ridge above Nicomen Lake. It looked like such an oasis on this sweltering day, and even though it was getting late we hiked down the steep switchbacks to this little mountain jewel.
Nicomen Lake
Of course we went for a swim. I jumped in first, but Andre went in four separate times! I opted to save my energy and gather some strength for the long walk back.
The Holy Soles went for a swim too.
In case you're looking - and you probably are - I am wearing underwear. Sorry, you'll have to go elsewhere for a nudie-show.
We would have camped here at the small lake shore campsite this second night, had our friends made it, but at least we were able to visit the lake and look forward to camping here some other time.

Refreshed and relaxed, we departed Nicomen Lake for the long hike back just after 6:00 PM.
Hiking back to camp (marked by green dot below lowest hill). Third Brother Mtn. at left, First Brother in the middle.
Day 3

Not in any particular hurry to rush back to the city, we took our time packing down camp in the morning. We left around 10:00 am, just when the intense heat of the day was becoming noticeable. It seems like we hit a definite heat spell - it was easily low 30's up here at 7,000 feet (making us wonder what it would be down in the valley...).
Hiking along a low rocky saddle just past First Brother
Andre hiked out in his Holy Soles, and loved every second of it!! Though extremely lightweight, these slippers cushioned and supported this 6'3" guy and his pack over some pretty rocky ground.
We took a lunch break on a shady tent platfrom at Buckhorn Camp, 5 km's from the parking lot. The Whiskey Jacks got some lunch too.
We found the car covered in a thick layer of dust and the inside of it as hot as an oven. Thank God for air conditioning - though it was barely noticeable as we descended into the hot valley. Down at the lodge it was 40 degrees!! And that's still in the mountains!

To not go for a swim in the renowned cold water of Lightning Lake would have been crazy. We parked at the Spruce Bay lot and took a nice long swim just up from the Rainbow Bridge, finding the water to be actually warm!
On the way back to the car, a large deer casually crossed our path and I managed to get a quick photo before it disappeared into the bushes.