A 50/40 Chance of Fun
Alright, this had to be one of my top adventures of 2018. Epic views, an amazing sunset followed by a sweet sunrise, and a ton of night sky in between. Mix that with one of Vancouver Island’s most beautiful mountain ranges (Mackenzie), and you’re in luck.
First off, this was the view we were welcomed with when we arrived to the “parking lot”. C’mon! We could have just pulled the tents out and been happy right there!
Oh no, there was work to do do and we had just sat in the truck for over two hours on the drive here. Our bodies were begging to move, so we climbed.
This trip was my third overnighter in the backcountry of Vancouver Island, and I’m sure you guesed it, Steve was the fella who joined me again! (Actually I joined him because this was his idea… Thanks Steve).
On we climbed. It was steep, like REALLY steep. To this day I still have some epic glutes. Thanks nature ;)
There aren’t many things that beat drinking fresh mountain water from a rushing stream. Being a couple hot, sweaty messes, it was very appreciated.
This was one of those moments that made me realize the importance of enjoying little things like this. I believe that being grateful for something as simple as a drink of water is good for the spirit. Either way, We kept moving, while being welcomed by rising peaks and summits above the treeline.
A tiny Steve, and the first glimpse of where we were headed, sort of. That peak in the distance wasn’t exactly what we were aiming for, but was down the ridge not far from the main summit.
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining all day long, it was warm for a mid-September alpine evening, but things weren’t looking completely promising for sunset.
The sky turned grey as the sunny weather turned into light overcast. “Well at least we got a few hours of sunlight” was my main thought.
We kept on.
The newly built alpine cabin. People can rent this bad boy for a pretty fair cost. Expect more photos to come in the future from this cabin.
After making it to the summit, we pitched our tent, and the overcast clouds began to open up again.
Sunset was short-lasted, but beautiful. Far in the distance behind mountain peaks, you really had to focus on the little strip of pink. It’s a good thing we have telephoto lenses!
After a very early bedtime (think 8:00pm), Steve and I crawled into the tent and talked about how brutal the hike up was, and how much we were hoping for an epic sunrise.
The cold creeped in overnight, and although we weren’t cold in our sleeping bags, the condensation from our breathe collected on the fly of the tent, and formed into tiny little crystals.
It was the first sign that summer was coming to an end.
The clouds slowly opening up overnight.
Well, all of our hoping must have made it’s way into mother nature’s ears, because we were treated to one of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve ever witnessed.
We woke up early and took hundreds of photos. Every interesting mountain peak and every valley with fog slowly rolling through, we captured a lot.
Above the clouds.
This was one of my favourite photos from the trip. Our tent on the summit and way in the distance you can actually see the Alberni Inlet that connects Port Alberni to the ocean and the rest of the world.
Yep. It was an epic morning. One of the most photogenic sunrises I’ve ever experienced in the mountains.
After we captured more photos than we knew what to do with, we decided to head back to the truck before the sun was on full blast and we melted into our boots. The night sure was cold, but the sun came up and it got real hot. Gotta love the bipolar weather in the alpine.
Is this really Vancouver Island?!?
I can’t believe I live in a place that has such accessible alpine backcountry, with almost ZERO other people out on the trails. It’s pretty amazing.
And here’s the alpine cabin in arguably more flattering light. Tell me this isn’t the MOST beautiful place to stay.
This is pretty much the view from that cabin. C’mon it’s soooooo insta worthy…
Unfortunately Steve and I didn’t swim in this lake. I think it was possibly the first time we never went for a swim while on a hike… The true mark of an ending summer season I suppose.
While this trip was amazing, scenic, and extremely special, it gets me stoked for what’s to come. The people, the places, the memories, and the living.
Life needs to be interesting.
It needs to be changing, because that will keep it exciting. For myself, I know that being outside and in the mountains is where I find happiness. When I disconnect from the world for a short amount of time, and connect with my surroundings, that is when I become most in-tune with myself. The regular distractions of life become drowned out. The calls of nature, from the birds to the soft rush of glacial creeks and rivers, become the only concerns when I am out there.
Thanks for reading,
Deon