Another Text

Another Hike

Fri Aug 6th

Loggers Lake - Crater Rim Trail
I was musing as I was gathering thoughts for today's post how far we'd hiked since being let out of quarantine on April 17th.

The total is just over 1,200 kilometers, we've climbed 13,200m and descended 14,250m.  Shouldn't those two figures be the same?

I haven't yet totted up the number of different trails we have explored.

Early on, Nick introduced us to two hiking apps, AllTrails and GaiaGPS which have been brilliant.

The GaiaGPS map on the right shows yesterday's hike, and the surrounding trails yet to be explored.  

The hike was only 6.3k, but it included an ascent (and descent) of 693m over the length of the hike to get up to and walk Crater Rim Trail.  

The crater rim was formed 10,000 years ago when a volcano blew through the glacial ice which went on to form Loggers Lake.

Trails are graded in terms of difficulty, from 'Easy' to 'Very Difficult'.  Crater Rim Trail was classed as Moderate.  Gradient, trail width, grade of trail underfoot etc. determine the trail grade.

It is also slightly subjective.  I'm not overly keen on walking narrow trails with steep gradients running across the trail.  Trails where you can touch the mountain at headheight on the left as you walk and wonder what will stop you before the bottom on the right!  Some of yesterday's hike was like that on the East side of the lake.  Nick took the image below as we descended a particularly steep section on the NW part of the trail.  Photos don't always to the angle of gradient justice!

British Columbia has a vast number of trails of different grades of difficulty.  I cannot find any references to the number or total length of all these trails.  It is a hikers' paradise.  Spectacular views, stunning scenery, challenging geography and wildlife that can pop up and surprise you on any hike.   It's possible to walk for miles without coming across anybody else, though sometimes it's reassuring when you do.


Steep decent
Part of the hike was alongside the Cheakamus River.  We saw the bright blue water of the Cheakamus Lake from our hike around Whistler Peak and came across the river when we walked the Train Wrecks trail.

The forests are vast, so it's no wonder the trail network is so extensive.  

Some more images below.

Nick has been our brilliant guide and advisor since we arrived.  His knowledge and experience has been invaluable and he has hiked or run on nearly all the trails we have been on.  He has turned it into an adventure!

When we got back from our hour and half lunchtime walk at about 4.30 we had enough time to shower and change before heading out to dinner in Whistler with Nick, Lizzie and friend Justine.





Vast swathes of forested walking

Suspension Bridge over the Cheakamus River - Jack not keen!


Tour-guide Nick 

Mum and son






    












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