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| piika
Intermediate Member
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
734 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 9:15 PM
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Free time between backpacking trips + friends in Squamish needing someone to pet-sit = Squamish Holiday!...with a couple old pals of the canine and feline variety: Wille and Roo.
Wed = Brohm Lake:
After the Tuesday night storm and a mopy morning I decided that the so-so weather would be good for a stroll with Willie around Brohm Lake. I'd never really noticed nor thought much about this place before, but was pleasantly surprised at the nice, rolling trail and quicky felt my mood lift as I got into the trees and day-glo green moss. We had headed along the highway and up the High Trail to lengthen the trip and get a bit of elevation in; unfortunately the view from the Tantalus Lookout was limited to the valley, due to the low clouds, but the stairs and rocks still provided a welcome workout.
      
On along the Connector Trail and down, down to the lake where some pleasant lakefront property was found. Then off to complete the circuit, up many stairs, past the 3 black and white signs two of which list all the flora to be found here (guess that's what makes this an "Interpretive Forest"?) and back to the parking lot we went.
 
Hmmm, Chris wasn't joking about the hippies! 
All in all a nice way to spend a couple/three hours. Would be an awesome spot to stretch your legs on a trip up to the Whistler area and a great family-friendly outing.
Thurs = Petgill Lake:
Thursday began with a wake up by the friendly cat-alarm at Roo O'clock.  Willie and I headed off to the near-empty Murrin parking lot for a jump on the day's heat. Wasn't long though before I was sweating up a storm on the scrambly bit up from the highway, Willie flexing his climbing muscles ahead of me. The last time I was on this trail, it was quite icy. This trip was a nice change and allowed me to see the trail through new eyes. Fortunately one thing was the same- no bugs! Well, aside from the plentiful productive spiders, whose webs caught my lips, nose and eyelashes as I followed the trail!
    
After a quick cool-off at the lake we headed up for lunch at the lookout with it's view across Howe Sound (which reminds me: gotta try for Henrietta Lake/ Mount Roderick one of these days!).
 
Back down and along the Lake Curcuit which is pretty darn bushy in places. It was good to see that the usual campspots along the lake have been kept clean and in good shape. The sun had come out by now and we spent some lovely time on the dock by the rock, watching the damselflies flit over lily pads before we retraced our step and headed back down. Had to leave explorations towards Shannon Falls and Goat ridge for another time as this holiday needed to also include some quality-time out on the deck with Roo. 
          
Friday = Smoke Bluffs:
Another area I'd never taken the time to explore- Smoke Bluff's climber's playground. I had looked at the trail wiki here for info on a hiking loop, but decided the description looked too complicated and decided to just go and explore. Turns out, there is some excellent signage and a map at the trailhead, and helpful arrows at the junctions to lead you around. Looks like a lot of work has been done on these trails recently and they appear well taken care of.
 
Heading past the crag named Neat and Cool, the sounds of grunting and groaning drifted our way. Soon we arrived at the picnic area and headed out to the outside loop.
 
Love this!
 
Decided to take a spur loop through the forest, Summer's Eve, to stretch out the hike. Along the trail, I spotted this sign:
Well, with a name like that, how could I resist?!
Up we went through the trees and along granite ridges until we got to the top and were rewarded with a view of Squamish, out to Howe Sound and a finally-cloud-free vista.
   
 (the "think fast, Hippie" sticker is a nice touch  )
Heading back down, we took a spur on the FM trail to a lookout out the back and then returned to the junction and folllowed a not-often-used trail that eventually led us back to the gully by Funorama, then past Octopus' Garden where Wille stopped to visit with the cllimbers. He was quite reluctant to leave them and I explained that his "dad" was a climber, so maybe he felt right at home.
    
On the way back to the parking lot we came across this ominous sign-
Fortunately it was just some fun scrambling.
Our overall route was less of a loop and more of a figure eight, but Wille seemed to enjoy it and that's all that really mattered.
  
That's all from Squamish...Peace out!
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Edited by - piika on 08/10/2012 9:17 PM
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671 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 9:38 PM
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| groovy !! |
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Powell River, bc
Canada
2536 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2012 : 3:27 PM
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| I love housesitting :) It's like you get to live someone elses life for a short time,and look at the cool friends you make along the way :) |
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chilliwack, bc
Canada
79 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2012 : 10:04 PM
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| I usually climb the Mtn of Phlegm with Nyquil. |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 08/12/2012 : 6:46 PM
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Roo-O'clock!
Spider webs are freaky-cool! I heard that wee humming birds steal spider webs for their nests. That picture of Willie standing there looking back is like: Uh we're not swimming all the way across the sound, are we? Cool dog. So, with Roo, is there a Kanga?
Kids Zone climbing area is about my speed. I would still need to have ropes and beeners.
I like the sign! Wilderness Seeker would love to add it to her collection of "danger/warning" signs. Awwww Willie misses his daddy. Wish my daddy was a climber. No one ever pays me in gum..... Great pictures. Fun outing with dogs. They always see things beyond the trail that I miss. |
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| Eryne
Intermediate Member
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Chilliwack, BC
Canada
570 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2012 : 11:04 AM
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| Fun! Fun! Fun! (plus a tidbit of jealousy) |
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2012 : 11:11 AM
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| Willie and Roo = |
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Squamish Holiday Aug. 7-10
