A few snapshots of a lovely Middle Sister summit in July with the fantastic Chemeketans.
Middle Sister in all her Summer Glory
West Coast Trail: Vancouver Island
First Step On The Beach
The West Coast Trail (WCT) of Vancouver Island is regarded as one of the more challenging hikes in all of Canada. It spans 75km (48 miles) of remote and beautiful coastal wilderness. My solo journey was extremely rewarding. I was challenged to remain present and focused on the task at hand throughout the majority of the hike. Oftentimes I find myself daydreaming as I keep one foot moving in front of the other, whether it be on the mountain or a regular trail. This was not the case for the WCT. It felt like a nearly week long obstacle course in some regards. Terrain changed frequently, perhaps more-so then any other trail I’ve hiked in recent memory. Stretches varied in distance, but around the next corner generally revealed the next obstacle. Among them: nearly knee high mud, twisted tree roots, slippery boardwalks, ladders, narrow logs to cross, cable cars, creeks to wade through, sinking sand, slippery sandstone tidal shelves, moss, overgrown paths, bear/cougar threats, etc. And of course, how can I forget: weather. What would a hike in the coastal temperate rain forest be without rain? To put it bluntly, this was no walk in the park.
Mt. Washington: Olympic Range
Had another great climb with the Mazamas last Saturday. On the menu was Mt. Washington, a 6,255 foot peak in the glorious Olympic Range of Washington. Got up to the area the night before, for a relaxed, but still early wake up call the next day. Though the day was mostly overcast, our team of 12 kept the spirits and energy up with great conversation and laughs. I find it quite fun to meet a bunch of new people, from varied backgrounds, but with a unifying goal. It was a long uphill climb, with a couple fixed line traverses set up before we reached the top around noon. Here are a few shots, some courtesy of climb team member Cigdem Milobinski:
Mt. Washington Summit, Through The Clouds
