Baden-Powell Trail to the Snowline - May 2013

A Journey from the Sublime to the Ridiculous & Dangerous

Wanting to make the most of the beautiful spring-like weather we have been enjoying in Vancouver recently, on Friday, May 10th, I hiked up the Baden-Powell Trail on Hollyburn Ridge with the intent of getting as far as Blue Gentian Lake. In the end it was a journey from the sublime to the ridiculous and ultimately dangerous. 

Above the power line cut, the journey was sublime because of the pleasing sights, sounds & scents emanating from the lush forest. 

Later on, when fallen trees began to block the path, it became ridiculous because I refused to turn back and ignored that little voice in my head that whispered, “Thing are only going to get worse!” 

Finally, it became dangerous. At a point high on the Ridge, the way forward looked easy. A snow-covered meadow marked by old footprints stretched before me. After taking a photo, I took one step, broke through a thin crust of snow, and fell about five feet, landing solidly on a muddy floor. 

A massive tree trunk lay beside me. It took some time to extract myself and regain solid ground. 
On the way down the mountain, a thought came to me, “What if that had been the den of a hibernating bear?!"