After spending a good, long while out on Discovery Pier, enjoying a beautiful summer afternoon after a busy driving day, I headed inland a few kilometers to check out this new bridge, built by BC Hydro, to allow visitors to walk down and get an up-close look at the powerful waterfall along the Elk River.
After following the well-marked path through the woods leading down to the bridge from the parking lot (the information center had closed for the day) I descended a long set of sturdy, metal stairs to arrive at the bridge.
From the platform on the other side of the bridge, this was the view looking left towards the river taking water to the main fall.
I then crossed back over the bridge and went down yet another set of sturdy, metal stairs to a viewing platform very close to the main fall. You can see the mist rising from the water after it dropped to the rocks below.
And the “natural” part of this attraction – the main fall itself.
Once the water has fallen it travels on to its ultimate destination, as seen from the extension bridge:
When I walked back up to the parking lot I took this “photo of a photo” which was on an information board explaining the bridge project, and the ongoing construction of yet another dam to back-up the water supply to Campbell River. It shows everything I just described from high above.
(Photo credit: BC Hydro)
My Airbnb host in Campbell River explained that BC Hydro ran a new set of pipes VERY far underground to channel water to the town (and others, I’m sure). This whole area sits atop a major fault line which runs up and down the west coast and their house, built 8 years ago, had to meet strict earthquake-proof standards. The fear is that if an earthquake occurs, the current water supply may get cut off.
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