Silver Star - the last weekend
I made it to Vernon for my first and last run of the year on the Easter weekend and all I can say is... FANTASTIC!!! I arrived and stayed overnight in Vernon on Thursday night and headed for the hill on Friday morning. I left Vernon at 9:30am and I was strapped in my bindings at 10:30am. Ok, i'm not the die-hard-boarder making it there for first tracks... but why bother when we had the whole hill to ourselves?! We still found the runs where no one had been all day!
Fresh tracks - CHECK!
Perfect spring skiing conditions: weather and snow - CHECK!
Exhausted by the end of the day - CHECK!
Do it again the next day?! - CHECK!
Yes, for a day pass of $53 the resort had a special deal that weekend: $53 for a 4 day pass! How could we resist? The second day was even better only because it had snowed overnight and left us fresh powder in the morning! For the rest of the day the weather was pretty good minus the interludes of fog but we had moments where it was snowing when the sun was shining and blue skies were over our heads! It was a pretty surreal moment if you have never experienced it before and NO... I don't smoke wacky grass... The higher elevation winds were moving the snow clouds so fast that the snow fell slower than the winds blew the clouds... Anyways, the backside of the hill was closed on Saturday but the hill still offered a lot of terrain. We managed to find a circuit route that gave us a lot of opportunities to explore off the main runs and into the trees... yah, it was pretty fantastic!
For the 3rd & 4th day... I could see the mountain ranges from where I was staying and again, it looked like the snow had fallen overnight... Fresh snow! I wish I could say I went up again but regretfully I had to stay home and get rid of the jello feeling in my legs. Yes, I'm out of shape and yes, I've put myself to shame by blogging this, but I thought I needed to share this to those who are interested in finding a great place to ski or board for next year!
Silver Star Mountain ceases to never fail me as there seems to be an endless amount of runs, great weather, great snow conditions and close access to/from town. The hill is building a new ski-in-ski-out condo in the main village - each balcony with their own hot tub! If only I had the extra cash! If you have a chance to go next year, try to hit Silver Star Mountain as it’s probably one of my favorite ski resorts in BC!
Unique Shopping on Bowen
Bowen Island has always been a great sailing destination for Vancouverites as the Union Steamship Company Marina has great facilities and a fun pub. But, as I am more of a landlubber myself I prefer the activities that are offered once you arrive on the island. I recently discovered the new Artisan Village shopping area on Bowen and was very impressed. I didn’t leave myself enough time to explore all the shops, but the ones I did see made me want to return. I drooled over the handmade goodies at the Chocolatier, admired the original pieces in the jeweler’s shop, and met the artist behind the beautiful artwork at the gallery. I plan on returning and bringing along my Mom who would love to explore the easily-accessible shops and laid back atmosphere. A latte with the locals will be a great way to rejuvenate before our trip back.
A restaurant is planned to anchor the end of the village and to compliment the coffee house/bakery. I was told that at Christmas time, this artisan’s shopping area is lit up for the holidays and I can only imagine how pretty the small village would be with the lights coming on as the sun sets over the ocean view.
If you are interested in sailing your own boat to the island, then the 20 minute “ocean cruise” from Vancouver on BC Ferries is your answer. After a short trip from downtown you arrive in a small community nestled on a forested island. If you want to stay longer and explore the many hiking trails and beaches or try out the newly opened 9-hole golf course, there are many B&B’s to choose from.
Bald Eagle Web Cam
This is one of the more interesting things I've seen on the internet lately. A webcam that shows a Bald Eagle's nest as they breed and prepare for their chicks. The nest is located on Hornby Island, a small island off the east coast of Vancouver Island. The eggs are supposed to hatch later this month and I'll be watching. For more information about the eagles or the camera, see the forums on the website.
Hiking the West Coast Trail
A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to hike the famous West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island. For one week we were completely disconnected from everything. Just 75KM of nothing but rain forest, beach and the most awesome scenery imaginable.
We hiked the trail from Port Renfrew to Bamfield (south to north). It's supposed to be a little easier because you're still fresh when you do the hardest part first. Others argue it's better do start north so your pack is lighter near the end. The trail leads you along the ocean shoreline, either on the beach, or up on the cliffs. So the only climbing is up and down cliffs. This often involves wooden ladders, some very high and steep. And because you're in a rain forest, you have a fair chance you'll get (you got it) RAIN. That makes the ladders a little more challenging but after climbing a few of them we got the hang of it. we just took our time. We got our fair share of rain during the trip, but it didn't bring our spirits down at all. The scenery and the experience of being in the middle of nowhere made it all worth while.
You're allowed to camp almost anywhere so you can isolate yourself from all other hikers if you like. We chose the safety of the bigger campsites, equipped with bear locks and outhouses. We're not the most experienced multi-day hikers so we liked to stay close to people who knew what they were doing better than us. The bear locks in particularly are very useful because a couple of times we had to hang our food up in a tree to make sure the bears wouldn't get to it. And performing this activity in the dark and rain is not easy.
The diversity of the scenery is something I'll never forget. One moment you're climbing over huge boulders on a beach and the next you're back into the rain forest hiking through huge trees. Some parts of the trail are well maintained with a boardwalk, other parts were covered with a foot of mud (remember it was raining). Other beaches look like a moonscape, others are covered with white sand. Waterfalls, wildlife, amazing sunsets, it was all part of the experience.
Along the way you pass through some first nations land and about halfway through, on a beautiful beach, there's a little set-up where Monique and her husband sell burgers, eggs, candy, beer and more. And let me tell you, that food tasted very good after a few days of instant meals. Monique has a great personality and her stories are fabulous.
There's plenty of wildlife around and I've mentioned the bear locks. We ran into one black bear during the seven days we spend on the trail. We turned a corner and about 100 feet up the trail, there he was, eating some berries of the salal plants. Before the start of the trip I thought I was going to freak out if I ever ran into a bear. But we all stayed calm and after he looked at us briefly, he decided to move on and disappeared in the forest.
The last days of the trek were a lot easier and we arrived in Bamfield where we went to the local pub (after a long shower) where we ordered every item on the menu and drank plenty of beer to celebrate this once in a lifetime experience.
Only a very limited number of hikers are allowed to start the hike each day and to obtain a permit, call 1-800 HelloBC. Reservations start on the first of every month for who months later. So on May 1st, the month of Jule opens up for reservations. BC residents know this and on the first of each month as soon as the call centre opens, the phones ring non-stop and the permits are sold out fast during the peak summer months so make sure you join the rush. There are also stand-by available at the WCT Info centre on both trail heads.