Jun 21, 2017
June 21 (Baden Powell 45km/8,507ft cummulative gain) For summer solstice, the longest day of the year I have a tradition of doing the longest trail of the year and that's the Baden Powell from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove. In the morning I made sure to linger and take in all the views from Eagle Bluffs and Black Mountain and appreciate all the sights, smells, and sounds of summer. Let's be real now, I knew I wasn't going to be appreciating much after 40km or wanting to linger! So I said "hi" to blooming flowers, little lizards, chipmunks, mushrooms, macro-life, and even did a sun salutation :) And then 100m later I had to laugh because summer this year still meant a trail full of snow. In fact, I was shocked to see the upper ponds still freezing overnight! Yes, still freezing. It made the snow pack up there nice and hard and fast to move on but again be careful cause it is collapsing in places. The cross over from Cypress to Hollyburn was of concern before I went but thankfully it was patchy snow, easily overcome, and the creeks weren't running so high I couldn't cross. I was surprised at how much snow is still left on Hollyburn and how low it goes there...down to 700m basically below the warming hut, below the Doghouse! The British properties were blooming with flowers and it was quick easy moving to Grouse. There I took a nice solid 1hr break, ate brunch, cleaned the mud off my legs and shoes, changed to fresh socks and shoes and then it was off again to the finish. At the End of the Line general store I stopped for ice cream, cause that was just civilized and then it was off to the Lynn Headwaters suspension bridge. I love this section cause it's so fast moving and nice with all the board walks. I think I repressed the memory of just how much the climb up to Seymour Parkway sucks. You're tired, feet hurt, and you just have rolly rocks and up to contend with - blah. I amused myself with the names of mountain biking trails like Severed Dick, ouch, and in my mind as I suffered and wanted it to be over I decided it was okay to hate (with admiration of course) the folks that do this damn trail back and forth (yes you Van100) - cause one way isn't hard enough. Sigh. Suffer, limp, suffer, thank god I have poles or I might not make it...oh my god I finally see water! Shoes off, shoes off...OFFFFFF, now! Water, dip, oh blessed cold water....ahhhhhh :D
Reads:462 Comments:3 Likes:9
fullscreen