On their last day of climbing, the group spent a half-day on the rock, and then the leaders had a surprise for them. The whole time the group had been climbing, they had been looking up at this huge rock called “The Chief.” The Chief is a 2,297 ft monolith (one monstrous rock) that is a legendary climb that climbers all over the world talk about. Luckily, their trip leaders had done a little research, and there was a hiking trail that took them all the way up the back of the rock face. The hike was steep and altogether challenging, but the group had their eyes set on a prize. The top.
At the top, the view was spectacular. On this particularly sunny day, the water was so clear and blue that it could have been mistaken for tropical water. The group sat out on top for a while, breathed the crisp, clean air of Squamish deep into their lungs, and enjoyed the view. With their cameras full, the group headed down to the vans.
The next day was a travel day. The group took their time waking up, and they made a big breakfast. They headed down through the city of Vancouver to their ferry, and hopped aboard. The ferry was like a cruise ship with big comfy seats and a gorgeous view. It was a welcomed change from riding in the vans, and was a relaxing hour and a half.
Yesterday morning was an early one. They woke up around 6am to start packing their backpacks for the day’s mileage. They are going on a 5-day, 4-night backpacking trip, so the planning involved in this trip is crucial. They needed to make sure that they had all of their food, cooking gear, and sleeping gear for everything they will encounter over the next 5 days. It is a great exercise in being part of a group, and carrying your share of weight.
While they were at the trail-head of the Juan de Fuca marine trail, they learned about proper walking techniques, and how your backpack should feel on your shoulders and your hips. These little hints can be the key to a great backpacking trip, and their leaders have plenty of them. When everyone was set to go, they headed off into the Canadian wilderness hootin and hollerin with goofy enthusiasm. The forcast here is sunny and warm for the next few days, so it looks like smooth sailing for these Vancouver adventurers!
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