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Ladner, BC
Canada
1176 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2007 : 3:19 PM
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July 14-15, 2007
For over 2 years, Dana has been getting me to go to Sechelt where her parents live. "Lot's of hiking there!", she would say enticingly. Further motivation came from her mother, "The Tetrahedron is in our backyard, and there are cabins, lakes, and lot's of hiking". I researched this information with my personal mountain resource (dad), and he assured me it's up there and that he went on a nice ACC ski trip there long ago (he recommended the winter).
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After about 15 trips to Sechelt, I had still not been on these elusive trails. "They're up there.", they would say pointing behind them, "We worked on some of the trails several years ago.". Meanwhile, I had done a lot of painting indoors and outdoors. Don't get me wrong i'm not complaining (hehe). It's beautiful up there, and sometimes I get to use the outdoor hottub on the waterfront!
I did have an opportunity to hike on one trip to Sechelt, unfortunately, I had the extra time off due to surgery and so I wasn't supposed to do any "real" hiking. http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17934
I'm proud to announce that I finally made it up to Tetrahedron Park. As short a trip as it was, i'm glad I made it. I had convinced Dana that she needed to get used to her new backpacking gear before we head down to California later this summer. ...It also helped that she had errands to run in town that weekend.
Similar to quirkygals trip we had a later start of ~3pm. http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22441, I made a wrong turn on the logging road and got into some "iffy" terrain for my little Suby. Dana doesn't like it when I tell her, "I think it's this way.", so we headed back down and SHE asked for directions from a nice local woman that knew the directions very well. "Stay on the main road, turn left at the memorial cross fork, continue on the main road, (I noticed a small X-cntry sign at a later fork on the right side...where I turned left before), over a bridge and follow.
A few waterbars, easily handled, and we made it to the lower parking lot. Need higher clearance or a supershort wheel base to get to the upper parking lot hehe.
Hiking up the road with a full pack (I was carrying lot's of extras as this was her first time backpacking and I wanted to have more comfort stuff), was a grunt. ~40lbs for me, ~25lbs for her. We quickly reached flatter terrain and cruised on to Edwards Lake and the cabin. (about 1hr 40minutes)
 
Dana is sporting her new Gregory Jade50 http://tinyurl.com/36hx2u
Much like her Deuter day pack, it has space behind your back. My back was soaking, hers was dry and comfortable... A good size and weight for her.
 
We put on bugnets near the lake. We were VERY VERY glad we brought them!
The parking lot... empty, the cabin...empty...on a sunny weekend!! ... then it started to rain a bit...during the night and at dawn the rain was coming down pretty hard. I wanted her to practice tenting but cabins can be really nice sometimes =) . We filtered and treated some water from the creek up the trail but didn't really need to. We also had a book each to read....nice luxury in a cabin. (Angels and Demons, Dan Brown, I recommend it! Same with Deception point). I heard mice at night but I didn't tell her for fear that she wouldn't be able to sleep. It ended up that she did have trouble sleeping. Why? My new BigAgnes, insulation filled sleeping pad was the NOISIEST thing i've ever slept on!! The thickness was comfortable but because it's rounded, the width is actually narrower than flat ones. I'd like a light, wider, regular length, decent thickness pad, know of any? MEC didn't have any I liked. The BigAgnes will be returned. Dana's new "pink" thermarest looked comfy and it was QUIET. It also weighed the same as the BAgnes. (~680g)
It turned out that I didn't need to bring a lot of extras because Dana had no problem sharing a pan so we didn't get another dirty. This was great news, all I need for BP trips with her is an extra spork. (I always have extra food so I'm used to that part).
We had really good juicy peaches on the trail up, 2 packs of pasta (well, we shared the first one and the 2nd one was all mine), and small salad for dinner. We had granola bars and shared an apple for brekky.
During a little bit of digestion time, I parused the log book and saw the recent CT entries, quirkygals group and burnabyhikers group, and added our own. We donned the bug nets and headed out.
 We finally met another hiker. He was from Gibson's and I lent him the bugspray. I offered it to him as I knew it got worse in the trees but he was ok. He had a nice Lexus Hybrid http://www.lexus.com/models/RXh/ that made it to the upper parking lot. Nice to see someone actually using their luxury SUV closer to it's potential hehe. Dana told me to keep going while I stood there admiring it.
I have the simple spring bug net bought at MEC...it does the job...and it's light and small.
http://www.outdoorresearch.com/home/style/home/headware/bug_protection/80105
Dana has a full shirt net from 3Vets. (Bug Blocker Ultralight Jacket) Now I want one...it's lighter than most i've seen and is more comfortable than mine.
 
We got back to Sechelt before lunch time and i got to row to check out the crab traps. No crabs but we did find this guy.
All weekend I was eyeing this new Tacoma.... looks like fun and great to reach trailheads. "Oh, and I can haul feed, buy drywall sheets and move furniture.", still not convincing enough for Dana though. hehe
 
I'll be back up to the Tet... blueberry season will be AWESOME (plenty of bear evidence), winter will be even better. Now I know Mt.Steel can be a decent day hike. Exploring the whole area on skis would be nice. Lot's of logging done around there but there's plenty of nicer parts to search for!
Cheers! |
Edited by - Lupin on 07/21/2007 3:22 PM
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New Westminster, BC
Canada
173 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2007 : 6:07 PM
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Thanks for the TR!
Was there any snow in the meadows near the lake? Or was the trail clear the whole way to the cabin? |
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Chilliwack, BC
561 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2007 : 7:26 PM
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You just made my "To do" list longer :) thanks for posting
Been thinking of getting a bug net and or a bug shirt- what are they like in hot weather? |
Edited by - seeking on 07/21/2007 7:29 PM |
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Ladner, BC
Canada
1176 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2007 : 11:26 PM
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Your welcomes!
quote:
Originally posted by Lorien
Was there any snow in the meadows near the lake? Or was the trail clear the whole way to the cabin?
We saw small patches of snow beside the trail, but I don't recall hiking on any. There was a "little" bit more snow just past the cabin towards the creek. Probably just more muddy spots now =P
quote:
Originally posted by seeking
Been thinking of getting a bug net and or a bug shirt- what are they like in hot weather?
My little ring net... I was sweating in it, but more because I was wearing a jacket and pants. Once I had the jacket off and just a longsleeve shirt I was fine.
Dana was a lot more comfortable with the full shirt netting. Short sleeve shirt underneath...and a backpack that barely touches the back.
It feels like I just bought my stuff but i'm already wanting the upgrades.... it's a love/hate relationship with gear whoring. =P
At any rate... the best feeling was putting on the net and not swatting around and getting agitated any longer. Well worth any bit of extra warmth. I see it as burning a few more calories so I can eat that chocolate bar.
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Edited by - Lupin on 07/21/2007 11:36 PM |
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 Fleece thong wearin, Buntzen Lurkin, mystic poet mountain man and international spokesman of the friends of the white squirrel society
Port Moody, B.C.
Canada
5910 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2007 : 04:06 AM
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quote:
Nice to see someone actually using their luxury SUV closer to it's potential hehe. Dana told me to keep going while I stood there admiring it.
quote:
All weekend I was eyeing this new Tacoma.... looks like fun and great to reach trailheads. "Oh, and I can haul feed, buy drywall sheets and move furniture.", still not convincing enough for Dana though. hehe
Some ladies just have no respect for the finer things in a mans life  
Good report & now that I see what this place looks like "without snow" I may check it out in the fall when the bugs die off a bit. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
631 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2007 : 7:41 PM
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| great job, Lupin! i hope dana enjoyed her inaugural backpacking trip and it's the first of many more. it looks like there's considerably less snow and the trail is much less muddy than a few weeks ago. the hot spell really must have dried the trail out. |
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Ladner, BC
Canada
1176 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2007 : 12:08 AM
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From the sounds of it she had a good time backpacking. She might not be into High clearance vehicles (yet) but she now appreciates "better" and "lighter" gear !! I can't ask for too much more =P
She just bought herself a Montbell UL,SS bag#3 http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=28&p_id=1121728
Mt.Whitney, here we come!
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13466 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2007 : 12:58 PM
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That looks like a great trip.
That netting looks pretty good on the wearer, perhaps I should get one too.
Regards |
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Two years to Tet-July 14-15,2007
