Words & Photos from James K. & Alexander R.
James K.
The morning of the first day was exciting, despite rain being on the forecast I was feeling optimistic about the day. The hiking groups walked down to the bus station and we collected some gear and got prepped for the day. The bus ride to Goldstream was approximately 35 minutes. There was a downpour when we arrived, so we spent the first few hours under some shelter at the base of the mountain. We learned how to make fire with only wood and went over some simple knots as well. After that, we went hiking and stopped after a little while just off of a trail to set up some tarps. Soon after, we tore the tarps down and went back down the trail. To finish the day, we rested at the base of the mountain, and got on the bus back to SMUS.
The second day felt a bit different. Despite having sore legs and tired shoulders, I was expecting a fun day. And that is exactly what I got. The expedition started at the same time as normal, and we took the bus to mount work. We only had one guide on the second day, but the other one’s absence was filled by the guide’s dog, Rumi. The first day was more focused on skill building for our group, so we looked forward to more hiking on the second day. The temperature was unbelievably good for hiking that day. On the way up, we ended up taking a wrong turn and we were only turned around after 15 minutes of walking on the wrong trail. The guide didn’t tell us about our wrong turn as he wanted to teach us to keep an eye out for signs and other trails when hiking. After getting back on track, we walked up with a few breaks in between and finally reached the summit which had the most amazing view. At the top of the mountain we ate lunch with the other group and then started our descent. The rocks were wet from all of the rain the day prior, so there were a few slips on the way down but luckily no serious injuries occurred. By the time we got down, everyone was tired and couldn’t wait to get home and relax after a fun day of hiking.
Alexander R.
Day 1:
Our first expedition day began with a short introduction to what was planned. We were all very excited as we listened to instructions, gathered unfashionable waterproof pants, raincoats and a mat to sit on when necessary, then headed on a bus to Goldstream park alongside a fellow hiking group. While the weather was not complementing our plans we were able to work around the opened heavens by learning some firebuilding and knot-tying underneath a shelter. We were taught an interesting yet effective method of starting a fire using a bow wrapped around a cedar pole, and we quickly set off to try it ourselves. We were divided into two separate groups tasked with successfully making a fire, and the competition began. Despite one group being significantly smaller than the other, composed of only two people, they were notably faster than the other, but the larger group was eventually able to start their fire too. While the heavens had closed ever so slightly by then, we continued learning under the shelter with some knot-tying. We learned how to tie a bowline and a trucker’s hitch, both of which would come in handy the next day. By lunch time, the cats and dogs ceased to rain and we prepared ourselves to take on the magnificent Mt.Finlayson frowning down upon us in the distance.
The hike itself was full of lush forest, fresh air, and interesting topics of conversation albeit with muddy patches scattered throughout the trail. We progressed past the bear mountain golf course and climbed up a steep, winding stream. Whether it had been a stream prior to the downpour or not was up for debate, but either way it made for an exhilarating climb. Unfortunately, we had to turn back just short of the summit, but it all totaled to a pleasing day of hiking for everyone.
Day 2
The second day began much like the first; we learned of the day's plan, we gathered necessary materials, and headed this time to Mount Work. Upon arrival, we were greeted with sunny skies, much to our surprise, and we set off on the trail as soon as we dismounted the bus. This day was filled with significantly more hiking than the last, and it wasn’t until we reached the summit that we took in our knowledge for the day. The hike itself was fantastic; muddy patches winding around huge rocky surfaces and gigantic trees of many kinds were complemented by aesthetic openings in the dense forest where the sunlight flooded in. We were even fooled by summit-resembling areas throughout the trek. After a relaxing lunch in front of a beautiful view we learned to set up tarps. It was a real test on how well we knew the knots learned the day before as both were required in order to set the tarp up. After that we learned how to use a compass. In neither of the activities did we find much trouble, a testament to what good students we are.
We quickly made our way down afterwards under the same conditions, but with a few more slips this time from various people. We then headed back to derby on the bus, all exhausted. A few of us even tried to catch up on lost sleep during the bumpy ride. Once we disembarked the bus we unpacked all our borrowed things and reflected on the two great hiking days we had. Overall, it was a thrilling and flawless experience that I’m looking forward to continuing in march.