I just issued my latest press release which talks about addresses team building and the challenges we continue to face. Basically, if we want to be happy in our job, it’s really up to us. Please check out http://www.beyondthetour.com/documents/There%20is%20an%20I%20in%20Team.htm for details.
Yesterday I had a truly wonderful experience snowshoeing on Dog Mountain by Mount Seymour, British Columbia. The weather here on the coast of Vancouver has been a bit of a damper (no pun intended) this year and we are finally getting a well deserved stretch of awesome sunshine. Last night was a great time to take advantage of it. As the sun was setting, our journey began. Dog Mountain is a trail that is not too technical and doesn’t take a full day to complete. A few hours is all you need.
The trail itself has some ups and downs through the beautiful BC wildernerss. A few narrow log “bridges” make the trip quite interesting. The beauty of the snow, the setting sun and the rising moon make a late afternoon excursion up to Dog Mountain worth every minute. The sweat made me feel good as well.
After about an hour, we made it to the patch on Dog Mountain that provides views of the lower mainland, Grouse Mountain, Vancouver Island and as far south and east that your eyes can see. Looking northward to the mountain tops was a thing of beauty with the snow capped mountains reflecting the pristine moonlight. ..not too mention the twinkle of the city lights and the stars above. It’s magical.
Bring your headlamp! It gets dark quickly. Remember, cell phone service on Seymour is sporadic.
See you on Seymour!
November was a very interesting for millions of residents in Vancouver’s lower mainland. We had wind storms, tons of rain, and a very unusual snowfall. In a city where palm trees and tropical plants, thrive, snow is not something we see too often unless we are on the mountains. The 30 – 50 cm’s of snow was the icing on the cake. During the early wind storms, millions of people lost power due to down power lines. I for one, had no power for 6 days! All the rain created a boil water advisory for many Vancouver residents which lasted a couple of weeks. After that, SNOW….and lots of it. The homeless in Vancouver had to deal with temperatures as low as -20 degrees celcius (Wind Chill). Finally the snow is melting! The nice thing is, the ski resorts and snow shoeing activities have comer early!
On Sunday, November 5th, two teenagers got lost on the North Shore mountains (Close to the Lions). Being part of Lions Bay Search and Rescue, I was involved in the search. Midnight hikes in the rain are not recommended ;>). This search goes to show you that it is vital that whenever you are hiking to make sure you are prepared for the worst. Here are some pointers I wanted to share:
- Make sure you always look for trail markers. If you don’t see any, turn around and look for them in the reverse direction.
- Always bring some sort of communication device. Even if you are lost, there may be some clues that will help searchers.
- Build a fire and shelter. Stay put. Moving onwards may make the situation worse.
- Be patient and listen and watch for searcher communication like flares, whistles, etc.
- Stay calm. Fear and anxiety may hamper survival.
- Don’t hike in areas that you are not comfortable in. Make sure you know your limits.
If you want details on this search, here is the link:
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article.jsp?content=20061106_230520_4532
I just found out this is a weekend to celebrate health. Here is a link with details. http://www.sfstation.com/world-wellness-weekend-e26115. All I can say is celebrate by taking a hike…We can finally enjoy our rain forests here in Vancouver as it was a very dry summe! :>)
Beyond the Tour just released our November newsletter of Beyond the Bend. Click on http://www.beyondthetour.com/newsletternov06.html to read it!
Welcome to my Blog! I’m excited to launch this and my goal is to be a site where hikers, businesses, and international visitors turn to for information on exploring British Columbia. I look forward to hearing your stories, top trails, and hiking highlights.
I recently attended a conference here in Vancouver. The highlight for me was a presentation from David Chalk. I took notes as what he said really struck accord with me. Have a look at the attached for a full write up.
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