We have a passion for the outdoors and a love of the Pacific North West. From day trips to longer adventures we always jump at the chance to get outside…on foot, by bike or by kayak! We look forward to sharing and discovering the outdoors with you. See you outside! Jane and Rob
As a fall chill begins to hit the air, and the September
Labour Day long weekend approaches, I find myself reflecting on the
summer. The days have gone all too
quickly, with so many trips and adventures still on the wish list! This has been a monumental summer for us in
many ways. We have watched our “flock of
baby birds” with awe, pride and sometimes a sense of terror and foreboding as
they have embarked on their own adventures.
Family Kayak Trip - Sechelt
It seems like yesterday we were packing diapers, soothers,
stuffies and SNACKS into our back packs – (essential survival items for outdoor
travel with toddlers). Now, we find
ourselves anxiously awaiting trip reports and news from our adult children as
they cycle to Mexico, paddle the waters of BC and guide in the unpredictable waters
of the Hecate Strait, off Haida Gwaii.
Bunny Boyz arrive at the border to Mexico
Adam leads a Ridge Wilderness Group in a Moving Water Canoe Course
Rob and I feel such a sense of pride as we watch Ian, Adam
and Emma embrace the outdoors and challenge themselves to take risks and seek
adventure. However, it has become
abundantly clear that I am now the weakest link. In all honesty, I have probably been the
weakest link for quite a long time, but it was this summer that it became obvious - even to me! I began to notice
everyone asking if I was all right, if I needed help. While I am comforted by the fact that my
family cares about me, it is quite unsettling to realize that I am the one that
is slowing the pace of the group, and the one that the group worries about
most.
A fabulous weekend on the Chilliwack River with Ridge Wilderness
I remember EXACTLY when I fell in love with paddling. I was in High School (seems like a hundred years ago) and our wonderful team of teachers coordinated an Outdoor Club for the student body. One of our many adventures took us on a week-long paddling out-trip to Algonquin Park in Northern Ontario. I was hooked! I loved everything...the paddling, the lakes, the back-country camping, night skies, campfires with friends, the peace, quiet and the opportunity to connect to nature. To this day I think of those very special teachers and the impact they had on my life. I am grateful. I am also thankful that Rob shares my love of the outdoors and that we continue to bike, hike and paddle as a family.
When Rob and I moved from the prairies to the west coast we were captivated by the ocean and made the transition from canoes to sea kayaks. I apologize to all canoe purists, as I know they will be horrified and appalled at the thought of transitioning from canoeing to kayaking. It has been a good move for us. However, this past weekend, we had the opportunity to return to the river and register in a Moving Water Canoe course with Ridge Wilderness, a fantastic outdoor adventure company based in B.C. Our trip was led by our very own pride and joy - our son Adam! It was a little surreal to be in Adam's class - as it seems like only yesterday we were bundling up the kids to take them on their first canoe trip. Adam quickly proved himself to be an exceptional teacher and guide. Of course, I am biased! Moms are allowed to be!
Who would have thought the "monkey in the middle" would be guiding Canoe Courses?
Adam demonstrates
Our day began in a small parking lot adjacent to the Chilliwack River. As our group gathered, we made introductions and learned a little bit about each other. We were joined by two wonderful ladies from Squamish. If you live in BC, you know that "Squamish Girls" don't mess around. They are usually hard core, fit, athletic outdoor enthusiasts. Well, Josie and Sasha were poster girls for the "Squamish Girl" stereotype. Josie was taking the course to improve her moving water paddling skills as she was about to embark on a three week trip in the Yukon, and Sasha was there to learn about moving water because she is heading to the Grand Canyon in October. Rob and I were there because we thought it might be fun!
Thumbs Up...let the day begin!
Feeling a little intimidated by the sheer, raw athletic ability of the group, Rob and I looked at each other, shrugged, picked up our canoe and began the portage to the put in spot. It seemed the only prudent thing to do. Before we knew it we were on the water and the day had begun. Adam led a wonderful introduction to the skills we would need on the river. We learned to draw, pry, sweep and J....he teased us a little about our "Ontario Lake J" strokes. Old habits die hard! We laughed at our different learning styles. I was content to simply hold my paddle and lean as per Adam's instructions but Rob's analytic mind needed to think about fluid dynamics, paddle angles, the whys and the hows. Thankfully, Adam skillfully taught the strokes in ways we could both understand.
The second day of the course took us higher up the river looking for bigger water to practice on. What a wonderful day! We played in the eddies, working on our turns and our forward and backward ferries. We learned a lot about reading the river and the many hazards that might await.
Adam teaching us to the read the river
Sasha and Josie mastered the skills quickly and quite effortlessly. Rob and I were not quite as skilled, although we did surpass the group in one area. We mastered the eddy out - get out - and bail out. We seemed to have perfected the ability to take on a lot of water - even in a river with relatively low water levels!
Josie and Sasha show us how.
We got this!
Adam worked extremely hard at finding something positive to say about our paddling skills. He was very impressed at our willingness to lean as we attempted our eddie turns. He teased the Squamish girls that we were leaning more than they were. Although I would like to accept the compliment, I would suggest that we had at least a hundred pounds on those girls, and it was simply a question of MASS!
On day two, we were on a faster section of the river and Adam was demonstrating a jet ferry. With one smooth stroke he angled his canoe and effortlessly moved or "jetted" across the water. He was actually able to hold his paddle out of the water and spin it in the air. I noticed that his dry bag was open and the straps were actually dragging in the water. I was reminded of a power skating instructor from yesteryear. This kid was so good that he could teach an entire power skating class without even tying up his skates! I suppose Adam wasn't even worried about his gear, because he knew he would not tip. Of course, seeing the dry bag open and straps in the water bugged me and I had to point it out. He gave me a huge smile and said, "I knew that would get you Mom!"
...just like this!
The day went all too quickly as we worked on our skills and enjoyed a picnic lunch on the river. As we ate lunch, I silently wondered if Adam and the other great guides at Ridge Wilderness knew that they might be the ones to turn a young kid on to paddling and the outdoors, as my high school teachers had done many years ago. I hope they understand and value the potential impact they may have on a youngster....who knows, one day they may be taking a class from one of their former students.
Giggle of the day:
On one of our many eddie turns, we managed to completely fill our canoe with water. We are not sure exactly where we went wrong, but our boat was full, absolutely, positively FULL. Thankfully, we had a float bag in the canoe enabling us to stay upright (although it was not pretty). The canoe was incredibly unstable. With each tentative paddle stroke the water in the boat would move and our centre of gravity would shift dramatically. We were sure that a swim was in our future. To the disbelief of our group we managed to ferry back across the river without dumping! We arrived at shore just in time to get out and empty the water out of our canoe. I think we left our guide speechless...... all Adam could say was, "What are you guys doing?" I wish we knew!
Why is there so much water in the canoe?
Map and Route tips: Ridge Wilderness offers a wide variety of lessons, courses, and first aid instruction. They provide programs for groups from 1 person - 250 people and from 1 hour to 6 days. Whether you are interested in a tandem canoe or a trip in a historic Voyageur Canoe - these guys can make it happen!
June in the Pacific Northwest can often be dull and rainy
or at best a mixed bag of tricks, so when we saw the weather forecast for a weekend heat wave we
knew we had to jump at the chance to paddle. We decided to look for a new lake to explore and with the help of Google
we came across Ross Lake in the North Cascades.
Jagged peaks of the North Cascades
There are 19 boat access back country campgrounds along
Ross Lake. Can you imagine? We felt like kids in a candy store. Although they are called back country sites, they are well maintained and fully equipped with pit toilets, fire rings, picnic
tables and bear caches. The outhouses were even stocked with toilet paper. Talk about luxury travel! And just when
you think it can't get any better...the campsites are FREE.
Visitors are simply asked to register and pick up a back country permit before heading into the park.
The only road access to Ross Lake is via Canada. Leaving Hope you follow the Silver-Skagit road, a gravel access road, and wind your way along the Skagit River towards the Hozomeen Ranger Station. The road is an old gravel, logging road but in good
condition. After a few km you arrive without any pomp or circumstance at the border to the US of A.
Where do you scan your Nexus card?
A small A frame cabin serves as the Ranger Station and
visitors are required to check in and pick up back country camping permits before
entering the recreation area. We
had the pleasure of meeting Park Ranger Jeff.
What a great guy! Clearly he
loved his job and was thrilled to share his considerable knowledge of the park with us. You can't beat local knowledge, so of course we
asked for his recommendation on a campsite. Although the campsites are all wonderful, he suggested the Lodgepole site...and we were not disappointed.
Hozomeen Ranger Station - Jeff's Office
We did laugh, as when describing the Lodgepole campsite he
said there were a stand of Lodgepole pine trees that looked much different than
the rest of the trees. He told us there was absolutely no way we could miss the
campsite. Famous last words? After paddling 17km along the heavily treed shoreline we came to the conclusion that for a Forestry Major and Park Ranger,
the trees may look distinctive, but for us city folk, it ain't quite as clear.
Lodgepole
We were in shock and awe for the entire paddle! We only saw one other canoe and 2 power
boats on the entire lake. The campsites were deserted and we found ourselves alone in paradise!
The lake is spectacular...clear water, majestic forests and views of
snow-capped mountains and glaciers. The National Park Service website claims that the area features over 300 glaciers and countless snowfields, and is is one of the snowiest places on earth and the most heavily glaciated area in the United States outside of Alaska.
The Glacier beckons
Come July, this lake is known to be a
fisherman's paradise. We saw fish by the thousands, or maybe millions, swimming along under our boats as we paddled. Not quite the size fisherman are seeking, but we enjoyed watching them dart in and out of the rocks.
Underwater shot - fish by the millions
The final push to the campsite became quite challenging, as true to form the afternoon winds picked up and we found ourselves in a bit of battle against Mother Nature. We eventually found the Lodgepole site and enjoyed a stunning sunset and star filled evening.
Rob stores the food in the bear cache
Lake front view lot
Morning visitor
We woke with the sun and were greeted by the deer, who were out for an early morning nibble. Conditions looked perfect, so we crawled out of the tent, enjoyed a lake front breakfast and jumped in our kayaks. Once again we were treated to calm waters...like glass! We decided to cross to the western edge of the lake and begin our paddle back. We were not disappointed as we were treated to a series of waterfalls, each one more majestic than the last.
Just one of many waterfalls
It was a sensory experience as we neared the falls. We were greeted by the sound of the cascading water. As we drew closer, the temperature dropped and we were soaked by the mist coming off the falls. It was a welcome relief to the heat of the day and a sight that took our breath away.
Time for a swim!
We ended our trip with a swim in the lake and a promise to return....after all there are still 18 campsites waiting for us.
Giggle of the day:
We rounded the point and began to approach the Lighting Creek campsite when we noticed a full moon rising...and yes - it was broad
daylight. Another camper, also enjoying the
solitude of the lake, took the opportunity to skinny dip. We happened upon him in all his glory. What could he do but smile and give us a
wave. We waved back! As we stated earlier, the views in this Recreation Area are second to none.
Map and route tips:
Ross Lake is a reservoir with unpredictable water
levels. Winds can be strong, so it is
best to get an early start when the winds are usually calmer.
The eastern shoreline is better suited for inexperienced paddlers, as there are numerous take out points should the winds pick up and you find yourself in need of a rest.
Don't have a boat...but would still like to experience
camping in the back country at Ross Lake? The Ross Lake resort offers a water taxi drop off and pick up from any
of the trail heads on the lake.
We were invited to join Paddle Forward - a beach cleanup event in North Vancouver hosted by the "Reckies" - Outdoor Recreation students from Capilano University. How could we resist a day on the water paddling a voyageur canoe in search of marine debris? It seemed like a perfect outing for us!
Our day began at Cates Park in North Vancouver. This beautiful seaside park offers 6 km of waterfront trails with spectacular views of Indian Arm to the north and the Burrard Inlet to the south.
Welcome sign to Cates Park
Swimming Area with view north to Indian Arm
The boat launch is open year round and well used by paddlers, power-boaters and anglers. We were excited at the opportunity to paddle a Voyageur. We learned that the larger canoe we were going to use for the day was called a Montreal canoe. The canoes were graciously donated for use during the event by Ridge Wilderness.
These boats are beasts! They can hold up to 22 people and all of their gear - a bit roomier than our sea-kayaks. Although our boat quickly filled with garbage, we tried to remind ourselves of the earlier days when the fur traders would load their canoes with furs and goods to trade. It is unimaginable to think of portaging these monsters!
Getting ready to launch the canoes
It was nerve racking to watch the team reverse the trailer with those huge canoes down the boat ramp. I know for sure that I would not want to drive the truck and trailer. However, our team, led by guides from Ridge Wilderness handled it like pros and made it look easy. A very smooth start to our day.
Micro-biologist looks downward as the Marine biologist looks out
Safety talk and trip prep
After a brief safety talk, we donned our life jackets and loaded up the canoe. Again, we were amazed at the size of these boats and I wondered if we had a strong enough team to paddle across the inlet. Within a few strokes it became apparent that the boats were surprisingly maneuverable - credit to our guides of course. We quickly crossed the inlet and were out and on the beach in search of garbage before we knew it.
All aboard
When does marine debris become habitat?
Event organizers take a bow
Garbage barge
I am saddened to say that it only take a short amount of time before we had filled the canoe with garbage. The team was forced to decide whether to continue with garbage collection, meaning several of us would have to swim back, OR, call it a day and paddle back. For a moment I was nervous that this dedicated and energetic group of students weren't joking and would ask us to swim.
Although we were very upset by the amount of garbage, on the bright side, it was inspiring to see that a few people, a big canoe and a little bit of time can make such a substantial difference. As Dr. Seuss pointed out in the Lorax, "UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, It's not."
As we celebrated during the post cleanup BBQ, we felt inspired by these "Reckies" and that they did care a lot. We felt confident that these students would continue to advocate for the care of these waters and the amazing BC coastline.
Celebration Picnic
To the dump
Giggle of the day:
It would be impossible to load up a canoe with University students on a long weekend and not giggle. There were countless bad garbage jokes and lots of teasing, however, my favourite was our early morning paddling lesson. We all sat patiently in the canoe as we were taught a forward stroke, a back stroke and how to rest. I giggled as the "resting" stroke quickly became our favourite and the one that the group mastered the quickest!
How do you do the rest stroke again?
...and here is a video of the action from the uneqivocal Cap OREC team....enjoy!
Map and Route Tips:
There is a boat launch and parking fee.
Cates Park offers a picnic shelter, concession area and washrooms.
We tested our Strava mapping tool while paddling the inlet....it appears that we must have entered the Bermuda triangle for the first section of the paddle.
At the risk of alienating my three children and night owls every where, I dare to ask the question: are morning people happier? Over the last few years, Rob and I have been conducting a study, albeit a totally unscientific and unsubstantiated study, but thought provoking none the less. Now, I must confess to a personal bias. My favourite time of the day is early morning. I have always been and will likely always be a morning person. Yes - one of those people who usually wakes up perky and ready to go, much to the annoyance of those around me.
Morning coffee on the beach - Broken Island Group
In my humble opinion, nothing is better than crawling out of tent, brewing that first cup of coffee and quietly sitting on the beach watching the world wake up. Thankfully, Rob is also a morning person....our biological clocks are in synch enabling us to share an early morning giggle and outing.
I would contend that we are not alone and hence the premise for my question. As we hike, bike and paddle we have noticed over the years that the greetings from others on the trails are usually heartier and happier in the morning. Have you noticed?
Golden Ears Provincial Park
Maybe the possibility of a new day and new adventure ahead leaves folk feeling optimistic or maybe as the day goes on the weight of the day, the to do lists and unfinished tasks begin to take their toll. Whatever the reasons, I encourage you to join our study and help us to answer the question: are morning people happier?
I am not sure if Ben Franklin was right when he said early to bed and early to rise makes a men healthy, wealthy and wise, but for me....early to rise means a good cuppa Joe is waiting.
Happy trails!
I'm their leader....which way did they go?
True Confessions:
I must be truthful! Rob usually crawls out of the tent first and gets the water boiling and the coffee brewing. We have been hiking, paddling and cycling for as long as I can remember and over the years we have developed an easy rhythm around camp. I contend that it is this rhythm and unspoken adherence to our roles and responsibilities that forms the basis of a happy trip (and maybe happy marriage?) Rob braves the elements to get the coffee on, and I pack up the gear in preparation for the day ahead. Maybe, if everyone on the trail could find someone like Rob to brew the coffee, we would all be morning people.
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