A wet and wild summer with rad friends and terrific weather.
Category: Adventure
Rainbow Lake – Whistler, BC
Summer has been magnificent so far with suns sparkling the forecast everyday and warm, pleasant temperatures reaching 30˚C each afternoon. Rain was needed and so it did for a couple of days, just enough to soak the dryness of the forest and revive the grass and trees of their pure lush greens.
It is wildflower season and it is the perfect time to undertake a hike. There are so many wonderful options here in the Sea-to-Sky corridor, from Squamish to D’arcy, from short easy hikes, to strenuous day hikes, to multi-day hikes. Unfortunately, most of them are part of provincial parks, like Garibaldi Park, or are drinking water supply areas so dogs are not allowed on the trails. There are also regulations for camping and swimming at certain spots. Make sure you read all signs and recommendations before you start your alpine excursion.
I called Claudel on Friday morning and see if she could come up from Squamish and meet me in Whistler. I haven’t seen her in a while and I missed her down-to-earth, calm and wise personality. She is also a huge nature lover and studies Fish, Wildlife and Recreation at BCIT. She is the perfect partner for this hiking mission. She agreed to meet me on Monday morning.
We decided to go to the Rainbow Lake Trail, a 16km round-trip hike reaching 850m in 8km. We also decided to bring the dogs, as you are allowed to do so until the intake and then you have to maintain them on leash (I would’ve felt guilty otherwise to sweat for 16km without my dogs).
We travelled up the trail through a forest of Western Red Cedars, Black Spruces, Lodgepole Pines, Douglas firs and Western Hemlocks, traversing wooden platforms over marshlands. The essence of nature was fresh and earthy. Claudel stopped here and there, picking up wild ginger from the soil and identifying some leaves and pieces of bark from the trees.
The well-marked trail was easy to follow and was also well-maintained. However, the mosquitos and flies kept sticking to our sudor as soon as we paused to catch our breath. So we continued moving at a steady pace (gosh I’m not in shape!).
We passed a beautiful waterfall where we stopped in the breeze and let our drinking water slide through our dehydrated throats. Half way there!
After perspiration, bug bites, heart pumping and thighs burning, we arrived to our destination. We have reached the summit and found the tranquil alpine lake peacefully resting in the middle of a garden of wildflowers, surrounded by mountains peeking through a baldachin forest.
We ended up spending 3 hours atop, laying in a bed of wildflowers sipping on rewarding mimosas between buzzes of bugs and bees. We conversed about life: the things we have accomplished, the things we want to achieve. Life surely goes by fast and there is so much left to undertake. And that Monday of late July we attained that summit.
Just like life, a little of determination, courage and commitment can bring you to the top. Keep pushing yourself, even if it itches. It’s never supposed to be easy. Don’t give up, because once you arrive on top, you know you have succeeded. And that feeling is unique to yourself, because only you know how hard you worked for it. Enjoy it. Embrace it. And don’t forget to smell the roses along way 😉
What to pack:
- Water bottle
- Lunch (sandwich, fruits, granola bar, nuts, etc.)
- Towel
- Bathing suit
- Sunscreen
- Mosquito repellent
- Flashlight
- Lighter
- Whistle
- Bear bells
* Don’t forget you only want to pack the necessary. It might be a long haul. However, always leave room for the sparkling 😉
What to wear:
- Good hiking shoes
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Comfortable clothes
Information websites and lists of trails in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor:
Happy trails everyone!
Wilderness Pleasures
It is a Monday in early May. A late peaceful afternoon. I am sitting in the boat, parked on its trailer in the driveway of my house, laptop on my thighs. My dog is laying on the bow. I watch cars pass by, kids on their bikes, cats tempting the grass. The air is warm and the smell is beautiful. My other dog attempts to chase a bird that keeps stealing her nuggets in her bowl. I sip on a local apple cider and contemplate life. I am inspired by my surroundings and I type. …Hold on, why am I sitting on the boat on a trailer in the driveway? Why not…
As excited wild campers, we went out camping at the lake for the first time of the year 2 weeks ago. It was a cold, windy, gusty, overcast and rainy late April weekend, but who cares? Certainly not me. I am a passionate traveller always striving for new adventures and this is why I chose the Canadian West Coast as my home. British Columbia has all what it needs to satisfy my spirit when I am not on the road overseas. From the mountains to the ocean, from the forests to the lakes, there is never a dull moment for all summer outdoor enthusiasts: ski the glacier, mountain bike down the gnarliest trail, hike to the peak of a mountain, wakeboard the glacier lakes, fish on the ocean, surf on the island, go camping… It is indeed, one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
We went out again last weekend, spending 3 days in the wilderness. The sun was hot, the water was a mirror. It was a premature summer weekend offering us a very revitalizing lake to freshen up between our sessions of Vitamin E. The weather was unusual for this time of the year, but much needed and very much enjoyed. The calm water was inviting. I strapped the wakeboard under my feet and carved my turns along the wave. I looked up high and felt the sun on my face. I looked around and admired the views of 9000′ mountain peaks reflecting perfectly on the pristine water. There is no where else I’d rather glide.
Anderson Lake is a recreational paradise located 1 hour north of Whistler. As religious campers, we make it our destination weekly, rain or shine. This weekend, our 3rd camping trip, had rain in the forecast. So we brought extra tarps and rain jackets.The spot we regularly attend to is a place we found a few years ago and decided to make our home. The boys built a rock wall and a fireplace, flatted some spots to put the tents, attached anchors for the boats, even created a landscape around to make it cozy. There is an outdoor ”kitchen”, an outdoor ” living room”, and room for 10 ”bedrooms”. Oh and the outdoor ”bathroom” is definitely the best seat in the house! It is a home, far away from home, far away from televisions and cellphones, where one connects to the other, where soul meets nature. If you want to look for adventure, there are a few waterfalls to hike to and enjoy the view. If you feel more like a rural exploration, you can boat to the village nearby and walk to the only pub in town. Seton Portage is a historic rural community located at the north of Anderson Lake. A few orchards, small farms, one pub. Indulge on a homemade poutine, sip on a bevy and play a game of pool or darts. Get some supplies if needed.
Of course, like everything else, camping is not an activity that everyone enjoys, however, you need to try it before refusing the offer. Myself, I like to get dirty and wash off in a cold lake, I like to fish for dinner, I like to share stories by a bonfire, I like to fall asleep under the stars, I like to wake up to the chanting of the birds, I like to peacefully admire the mountains reflecting symmetrically on the mirror waters, I like to feel the early sun shying behind the trees, I like to sit there for minutes, for hours, for days… Camping for me is a way to splurge into the moment.
Winter surely departed, leaving behind left over snow on the top of our dear rocky mountains. The sun has arrived and is not shy to shine. Sunny bright days and a glorious forecast to stay, might be the joy for all dreaming about summer glow and a sun-kissed tan. I am looking forward to biking the trails with the dogs, cruising the highway along the mountains window down, wind in the hair, or to go canoeing down a river with friends, but most of all, I am looking forward for the next retreat in the wilderness and escape the hustle and bustle of my little town.
If you ever feel stressed, tired or simply out of energy, consider a camping getaway. Connecting with nature will re-boost yourself and revitalize your senses. It might be all you need: a cure found in our beloved nature.
Life Inside A Snowglobe
Snowboarding powdered mountains, walking dogs by frozen lakes, snowmobiling the darkest trails, warming up by a fireplace.
♥ Home.
BC Backcountry
Step up
Lunch in the wilderness
A sea of heaven
Capturing images
I love my backyard
The crew
Must have in Canadian winter
Cabin on the mountain
Warming up by a fireplace
Winter raclette
Family Day Somewhere in the Mountains Far Away
We all left home years ago. Some with a backpack on their shoulders aboard a bus or a plane or in a car packed with all the belongings a teenager could have. We were young and innocent. We were hungry for wild adventures and unique experiences. We were searching for flexibility and freedom. We left a home, we left a family, we left all we knew to enter a journey into the unknown.
Years went by and stories we made. Experiences we created with friends that tagged all along. We built a family, far away from home. This is home now. And we are family.
Today is Family Day in British Columbia. The town is grey and the clouds are low. It doesn’t really matter how is the weather outside, as long as we are all together. After a warm breakfast and fresh mimosas, we pack our backpacks with some refreshments and hit the slopes.
As we slowly ascend on the chairlift, we find ourselves in the middle of a cold mist. We can barely see the chair in front of us. We are lost in the sky, floating across the frosty veil.
It is when we reach an elevation of approximately 1,800m that we exit the last layer of clouds and reach the blue sky. We leave behind a sea of clouds where only mountain peaks are visible to our eyes. The sky is blue, the sun is bright.
We go further up and hit the glacier where we settle up our afternoon camp on a dune of snow. We pop the 
bubbles, crack a cold one and cheer to a good life. The scenery is absolutely stunning. I look at my friends, I admire the mountains. There is no where else I’d rather be.
Whether your family is affiliated by blood or simply affinities, they are the people that shaped you and rode along with you. They accept you for who you are, they never judge. Treat them with respect and care. Protect the relationships. Give and forgive. Receive and remember. They are the people that will always be there for you.
A Day in the Backcountry
Snowmobiling at Seagram, Whistler backcountry.
Footloose Diary 