Last Fall I won an amazing prize when the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce held its Gala Evening. Part of the prize was a 45-minute flight for two over Wells Gray Park donated by Fritz and Ursula Schaer who own Wells Gray Air Services.
This is an experience I recommend for every person in our valley. The Cessna 182 Skylane is a gem of an aircraft to ride in and Fritz, who has well over 2,000 flights over Wells Gray Park to his credit, is a gracious guide and professional pilot.
Fritz piloted the aircraft north along the Clearwater River to Clearwater Lake, turning west along Azure Lake then to the snowy mountains where on one side of the mountain the small high country lakes were still frozen and on the other side they were sparkling turquoise in the sunlight. We flew over Murtle Lake and down the Stillwater before arriving back home.
Although I had seen photos of many of the outstanding features of Wells Gray Park, it is hard to describe the feeling of actually seeing them all connected … It was sort of like when a jigsaw puzzle is put together and the beauty of the entire picture becomes evident.
And what an awe inspiring picture it is. This flight was indeed a wonderful and unique experience and I thank the Schaers for their generous gift. Indeed as their brochure says, “You’ll never forget.”
– Sandra Holmes
