Hiking in Quarry Rock

I have been looking for an easy hike that I have never done before to do with my girlfriend who is a newbie hiker. I chose Quarry Rock because it is easily accessible by public transportation (don't feel like driving) and classified as "EASY." And duh, I later realized that it is the first leg of the Baden Powell trail, which of course, I have just completed recently.

It is less than 4 km and has one of those fantastic views for destination. It has been an interesting hike going with her because she lets me see with new eyes things that I may not consider. For instance, a person who has never gone hiking before may find it a challenge to be constantly watching out for numerous (endless really) protruding roots, loose rocks and constant uphills and downhills in loose surfaces.

I am questioning the rating system for hiking trails. While it is true that Quarry Rock is an easy hike for hikers, it may not be so easy for non-hikers. Just sayin...

Baden Powell: Part 2: Grouse Mountain to Horseshoe Bay

Eagle Bluffs

Wow, despite being more difficult, I have enjoyed this hike (according to the West Van website, ... "The hiking time from Cleveland Dam to Horseshoe Bay is more than 12 hours commencing with a fairly steep climb for the first 45 minutes out of the Capilano Valley and through the upper British Properties") a lot better than the first part of Baden Powell (the absence of rain and thunderstorm most likely helped plus the much more streamlined backpack). We started at 8:15 am just a little off Grouse Mountain at Cleveland Dam and were having a very cold hefeweizen in Deep Cove by the next day at around 2pm.

One of the cabins along Cypress

Warming lodge in Cypress

There's still snow on some areas

Cleveland Dam to Cypress Mountain (11 km) was a reasonable hike. We rewarded ourselves with an ice tea at the chalet, rested our feet for a bit and just enjoyed the sun. We started again at 3:30pm and began the seemingly unending ascent, knowing what we know now, though, it was nothing compared to what was coming up towards the end. We were quite rested and were feeling pretty good at this time, we were prepared to hike for several more hours intending to stay overnight at Eagle Bluffs. But there were so many beautiful lakes along the way at the Black Mountain area that we were enticed to stay and ended up setting up camp in one of them at around 5pm. Each lake was more beautiful than the next. If you don't mind the cold water, they are swimmable. We would have gone in if it was earlier in the day with the sun a blazing, but because it was already late, we didn't want to be cold and wet for the evening. We started our camp fire and had our pad thai dinner and just enjoyed the peace and the view of the lake with the occasional swoop of a crane (I think, it's a crane, but I'm not sure).

Owen Lake

The next day, we started our fire at around 7am and were soon having our porridge and coffee. We were packed and ready at 8:15.  We knew that what was ahead will be the hard part -- and it was. But first, Eagle Bluffs -- this place is what BC is all about. It is breathtaking. It is beautiful. This is the place where you would contemplate on how lucky we are to live in such a place.


Now, the fun part, the descent!!!  Rocks, rocks and more rocks -- sometimes boulders, sometimes smaller, but a river of rocks to go down on. The most important thing I have brought on this hike were a pair of suede gloves, they enabled me to hang on to the often sharp rocks, allowing me to pull myself this way and that way. After  this, everything else was not as bad -- there was still another river of smaller rocks, a few logs to cross (think scene from The Lion King when Pumba,Timon and Simba are crossing the log), and many many steep places with roots and yet more rocks to impede you.

I'm not sure why there is this massive explosive
along the way, I sure hope it's not working.

giant 'shroom

I knew I was enjoying my hike when I noticed that after each difficult section, I would sing to myself (and sometimes a little louder) ...





I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin?for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there’s nothin?but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin?but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Deep Cove

Baden-Powell Trail: Northshore

Baden Powell entrance to the hike in Deep Cove

Despite all the news lately about bears in the North Shore, I embarked on my very first overnight hiking expedition. The Baden-Powell trail is not meant to be done as one continuous hike but as a series of smaller ones. It is 42 km/ 25 miles, some trails are easy to moderate, but there are areas that are considered advance. I would have really liked to finish the entire thing, but due to time constraints, it is just not possible. We parked our car in Deep Cove, and loaded with our overnight gear of tent, sleeping bags, food and change of clothes, we begin. It's a pretty easy/moderate beginning. It must have started to rain about 3-4 hours into the hike, initially we put on our plastic ponchos, but it got so hot because you are sweating so much, so we were wet from the rain, and we were wet from the inside of our ponchos from sweat. I figured I couldn't be wetter anyways, so I just took off the plastic poncho and just wrapped my pack with it (it would be nice to have dry tent and sleeping bags). Our first stop was Lynn Canyon, it's only 12 km from Deep Cove, but it takes about 5 hours because of the difficulty of the terrain.We continued our hike for 3 more hours after that. The one thing I really disliked about this particular trail are the neighbourhood areas, I felt like a derelict with my wet hair and my huge backpack walking through the neighbourhood of Lynn Valley. We soon found our trail in the bushes again but I just didn't have much energy to go on, we set up camp. It was pretty early in the evening, but I was just exhausted plus there are mosquitoes a plenty -- so we went to bed early after eating our yummy jerky and boiled eggs. It was really nice of mother nature to entertain us with a show of thunder and lightning.

The next day, we woke up thankfully sans rain. We were grateful to have change of dry clothes. Our destination was Grouse Mountain. Wow, this day started out hard right away. Continuously and endlessly uphill. Ugghhh!! Some of the areas were just rocks and ravines, with logs to cross over. Up down, up down with our heavy backpacks. The scariest part for me is being thrown off balance with my pack, I'm just not used to it yet. I just didn't want to end up toppling back like a turtle on the steep areas. It was just before noon when we got to Grouse Mountain. Thank God for the Starbucks there.

We then walked to Cleveland Damn after and decided to end our hike there. This is where we will start our next hike in order to finish the entire thing. The trail here will take us to Cypress, through the Black Mountain area, then to Horseshoe bay. This part of the hike is supposed to be the hardest and steepest! Yikes, can't wait.

We then take the bus back to Deep Cove to get our car. We reward ourselves with fish and chips and a very cold one each.