South Thompson Silt Cliffs
Silt cliffs rise over both sides of the South Thompson River from Dallas through to Valleyview. These features are the remnants of glacial lakes formed 10 000 to 13000 years ago. The rivers backed up to form long ribbon-like lakes that backed up the valley. As the lakes filled, silts and sediments were deposited on the lake floor each summer. The silt cliffs were formed as layers of silt deposits built up over thousands of years. When the ice dam broke, the river scoured out the river valley, eroding away the silts and sediments in the river valley, but the banks of the glacial lake remain, still eroding, marking the ancient lake floor 550 feet the river.
cont Above the silt cliffs are sloping terraces of glacial silts, lying below rocky hills.
Hiking into the silt cliffs is difficult because they are steep, but also because of access, but this restriction provides a good place for bighorn sheep to graze safely in the hidden gullies.
The best place to hike in the silt cliffs is in Valleyview Nature Park, but there are several challenging points of access elsewhere too. Some exploration is required, but respecting signage and private property comes first, even for photographers. By hiking some longer circuitous routes we have been able to get a few Silt Cliff Perspectives.
