One of the main reasons we moved to the Robson Valley was to be in the mountains. Sadly, I rarely make myself get up in to the alpine, the place I really love to be. Yesterday I had a chance to do it and I did it. The Ozalenka Alpine Club had organized a hike up on McBride Peak and I was determined to go.
I admit I was a bit scared at the prospect. Last year I didn’t do any significant hiking. I didn’t get up into to the alpine once, which made me feel really bad at that wasted year, all winter long. Winter was spent without much physical exertion, and again this spring and summer about the only exercise I got was walking the dog and mowing the yard, which didn’t even make me break into a sweat.
Hiking up slopes is a lot of work and I really began to wonder if my old body was still up to the challenge. Fortunately, it was. Oh, I came home with all of the usual aches and pains after the ordeal, but my old muscles survived the hike, and it wasn’t any different than my previous alpine hikes.
To get up to McBride Peak first requires a very bumpy ride up the steep, rocky, and curvy McBride Peak Forest Road. After 11 kilometers (7 miles) of jerking and bumping around on the truck seat, you get to the parking area. Day packs are put on and adjusted and then the slogging through the sub-alpine, up to the old forestry lookout begins. The dwarfed trees slowly disappear with the climb in elevation, and the open alpine slowly takes over
Once at the lookout, you can look down at the Robson Valley, and McBride townsite spreading out far below you. It is a spectacular view of the Valley, highlighted by Horseshoe Lake and the meandering Fraser River. I am always struck by how quiet it is up there. Below is a photo looking east from the lookout.
View my paintings: davidmarchant.ca
No comments:
Post a Comment