Stories
1.
Layering For Winter
2.Blistering
Choices
3.Bear Essentials
4.Walking From Canada
To Mexico In A Day
5.As Good As It Gets
6.Soaked To
The Skin
7.The Desert Strikes
Back
8.Eating Dust
9.Cycling The Trans Canada
Trail Across British Columbia
10.Cycling From
Victoria To The Yukon - Part 1
Trip Reports
'
Alpine Hiking In The Canadian Cascades'
Hiking the high country typically begins with an arduous backbreaking
climb up steep densely forested terrain. It was with a certain amount
of guilty pleasure that I began my latest alpine adventure without breaking
a sweat. Instead of humping a heavy backpack for countless hour's uphill,
I reached my alpine destination by car over a well-graded and gentle switchback.
Glen had persuaded his longtime friend Tony, and myself to join him for
a weekend retreat into the spectacular cascades of south, western British
Columbia. I had backpacked through another section of Manning Provincial
Park and I knew we were in for a great adventure. The area boasts football
size meadows, lush green valleys, snow-clad peaks, and a myriad of wildlife.
To top it all off, the forecast predicted warm, sunny weather for the
next four days.
From the trailhead, we descended through a conifer forest including the
majestic mountain hemlock. I ran my hands over the dark reddish-brown
bark, its surface deeply furrowed. Some of the branches curve upward making
it a poor shelter from the rain. With the heavy snowfall that accumulates
at this elevation, the ground does not freeze allowing these trees to
grow in near sub-zero conditions. The egg shaped cones also serve as winter
food for squirrels and other small mammals.
Leaving the trees we climbed through an old burn area that crested a wind
swept hill. The three of us had been walking for about two hours since
leaving the trailhead when we spotted a family of black bears in the field
below. A scruffy looking mother bear and her two rambunctious cubs were
feeding on some blueberries. These bears did not do anything particularly
interesting, but I was excited just the same. These creatures have always
intrigued me. I envy their lifestyle. Sleep during the winter and eat
the rest of the time. Bear's walk pigeon-toed but are capable of running
short distances very quickly. It is a foolish person who tries to outrun
a charging bear. It is much wiser to stand your ground and spread your
arms wide to make yourself look as big as you can. Avoid eye contact and
speak in a loud voice. We were particularly cautious around this family
as a mother bear can be very protective of her cubs and may become aggressive
if she feels her young are in danger. We watched them for a while and
then headed off, reaching Kicking Horse camp by late afternoon.
The weather for this September was unusually dry and instead of slogging
through mud we kicked up dust clouds most of the way. During the summer
we had seen little rainfall. The resulting dry conditions produced a record
number of forest fires. 50 km to the north we could see gray smoke plumes
billowing across the sky. The area had become so tinder dry that campsite
fires were banned. The following week, park officials closed the area
to recreational use entirely.
Rather than cook over an open fire we relied upon our lightweight gas
stoves. Over the years these stoves have undergone a number of improvements.
As a committed gear hound I have added many stoves to my burgeoning inventory
of outdoor supplies. When it comes to buying new gear, I have no will
power at all. Last year I saw an advertisement for a new tool that promised
to make the traditional pocketknife obsolete. This all purpose gadget
included a serrated blade; a ruler for measuring things; a magnifying
glass; pliers for perhaps some backcountry dentistry; and a dozen small
screw drivers. There was even a nail file in case I wanted to give myself
a manicure. Naturally, I now have one and it remains in quite good condition
protected in its case sitting in the bottom of one of my supply drawers.
We awoke early the next morning and headed for the lake along Nicomen
Ridge. We generally stayed above 1300 meters with little change in elevation.
The scenery was breathtaking. For the entire weekend I did not see one
rain cloud and because it was late summer, there were thankfully no bugs.
Most of the wildflowers were gone, but there were still some beautiful
red Indian paintbrush, purple lupine, and white marigolds. Dwarf blue
berry bushes and Heather were also very plentiful across the landscape.
We reached Nicomen Lake by mid-day descending a steep slope along a long
series of switchbacks. I wasted no time in diving into the cold mountain
water and wasted even less time in scrambling back onto shore. Glen and
Tony found me basking in the sunshine and we headed off for a short exploration
of the nearby trails.
The 65,000 hectare park encompasses a myriad of rugged mountains, alpine
meadows, numerous lakes and deep green valleys. Many animals inhabit the
area including: mule deer, ground squirrels, rabbits, coyotes, beaver,
elk, moose and over 200 species of birds. On a rocky talus slope close
to the lake we found a den of hoary marmots. These furry faced creatures
pass away the lazy days of summer sunning themselves on the rocks. They
remind me of little bears, but with a gray silver coat that blends into
the surrounding rocks perfectly. The only problem that confronts them
is the shrieking mouse-like pika's that also inhabit the same rocky slopes.
We sat watching as the more sedate marmots lay reclining on a large boulder
that overlooked the surrounding terrain. The pika's however, could not
sit still. I got dizzy just trying to keep track of them as they darted
back and forth popping up their heads like mini submarine periscope before
disappearing behind another rock. Their high pitched whining reminded
me of nails being scraped over a chalk board.
As night descended, the air temperature dropped and we retired to our
warm down filled sleeping bags. The full moon rose over the eastern sky
casting a pale shower of light that flooded the ground around us. It felt
good to be sleeping outside. We planned to retrace our steps the next
morning, taking our time to explore the many side trails we had crossed
along the way. The area cannot be fully appreciated in one trip or one
season. I came to Manning Park expecting to experience lots of wildlife,
breathtaking scenery, and probably a few mosquito bites. I guess I can
live with two out of three.
PLANNING
TO HIKE THE ALPINE IN MANNING PROVINCIAL PARK?
Best time to visit Late summer
Day hiking No permit required (need at least 2 liter's of water and rain
gear)
Multi-day hiking No permit required
No campfires allowed
Contact BC parks (250) 840-8836 for current conditions.
Commercial Facilities 4 campgrounds
1 group campground (250) 840-8836 for reservations
Manning Park Resort (250) 840-8822
Wilderness Camping Use only designated campsites.
Maps National Topographic Series 92H/02 (Manning Park),
92H/03 (Skagit River), 92H/07 (Princeton),
Scale is 1:50,000
Getting to park From Vancouver drive 3 hours east along
Highway #1 taking Highway #3 from Hope junction.
Additional Information BC Parks
Manning Provincial Park
Box 3, Manning Park, B.C., Canada V0X 1R0
Telephone: (250) 840 -8836
Facsimile: (250) 840-8700