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.
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| One of the cabins along Cypress |
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| Warming lodge in Cypress |
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| 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).
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| 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.
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I'm not sure why there is this massive explosive
along the way, I sure hope it's not working. |
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| 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.
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| Deep Cove |
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.
