Expedition Canada

A Mountain Escape Mon Aug 22 Alta Lake, Whistler A bit of a gap since the last blog as we’ve been on hols in Whistler.  Some might suggest we have been on holiday since we arrived in Canada April 3, 2021!  The jumps and bumps will be flattened for the ski season After a few months of tour guiding, which we have thoroughly enjoyed (a new career maybe?), it was time for a family catch-up.  Ros has been up in Whistler volunteering on Crankworx (the name similarity was purely coincidental).  Nick and Lizzie were in town either end of our week, so it was a last chance to spend time with Roz en-famile, before she headed back to NZ Sunday evening.   Popular as a winter resort, there is just as much fun to be had in summer as there is when snow shrouds the town.   From October to April, trails are turned over to cross-country skiing, lakes are frozen and are largely left to be admired and the fun is up the alp.  In the summer, it's hiking, biking, s...

Six Years On Thu July 7 Blocked Sechelt-Dakota Forest Service Road - Granite! He's getting big! It was a little over six years ago that the Burbage Cronks were last all together.  Nick had travelled  over from Canada to the UK for a big birthday.  Rosalind was the UK .  Last weekend when Nick and Lizzie arrived with young Seb was a grand reunion.    Local walks, baby bonding and our first baby sitting duty while Lizzie went to the gym with Ros.  Great fun.  He is going to be a lad of great taste as he already smiles at my singing.  The Kits team were here until Tuesday with Nick taking over the office to work.   Sunday afternoon Nick and I headed up the Sechelt-Dakota Forest Service Road (FSR) to check out a huge Douglas Fir.  We first came across the tree last year when we walked up to the waterless Dakota Falls.  My interest was because of the Uinversity of British Columbia  Tree Registry , which records particularl...

Mountains, Waterfalls and Bears Fri June 17th Dandelion Diner alongside the parking lot in Whistler Turnaround complete we headed up to Whistler late Tuesday morning and up the Sea to Sky Highway, aka Highway 99.  Those who have driven it will attest to the beauty of the drive.  The first half runs along the eastern side of the Howe Sound as far as Squamish and then the Cheakamus River follows much of the route into Whistler as far as Daisy Lake where it heads away from the highway. Our first stop on route was the Shannon Falls, a short walk from the car park to BC's third highest falls at just over 1100ft.  It is also known for the cliff face off to one side that is a favourite of the more advanced climbers. The Sea to Sky Gondola alongside Shannon Falls takes you up to the top, near Squamish's The Chief where there are numerous trails that could fill a week. Dogs are not allowed on the Gondola on the way up, but if you hike the five hours to the top with your hound...

In Canada! Happy is a Spaniel in snow! Thu Feb 3rd  I don't know what it is about Tory leaders but they seem to be, or were, in a precarious position. If you were hoping the headline referred to the UK, I am sorry to disappoint but it is the leader of the Canadian Conservative Party, Erin O'Toole, who has upset his MP's and been ousted .  Boris hangs on in there! We escaped up to Nick and Lizzie's apartment in Whistler for a few days on Tuesday, which is located in Whistler-Creekside.  We have always tended to stay up in Whistler-Blackcomb alongside the ski-run that returns to the main lift up the mountain. Pony Trail Piste down to the Creekside Gondola Nick & Lizzie chose Creekside as it's quieter and well located for Nita and Alta lakes.  Having been up here during the summer we can see the advantages of being a 5 minute walk to lakes and in winter the same to the Creekside Gondola.  Tuesday was a beautiful 'bluebird' day and we got up the hill at lunc...

Boys Day Out Hopkins Landing - Sunrise Tue Dec 21st The winter solstice has arrived and the days will soon start getting longer and nights shorter.  If we on the Coast needed a reminder that Dec 21st is the start of winter the -1c outside left us in no doubt, that's 6c below average.  Snow is due later in the day.   Six months ago it was 27.6c; the start of the heat dome that engulfed west coast North America and pressaged the 1600 fires that destroyed 8,700 sq km of BC forests, the third worst season on record.  That's five and half times the area of Greater London.   The lack of rain that accompanied the  warm summer led to water restrictions on the coast.  Locally, the Gibsons Well supplied water without problem, as distinct from Chapman Lake reservoir that serves Sechelt and the northern west coast.  Gibsons actually piped water to Sechelt at the height of the restrictions.  The dry summer was closely followed by a very wet Oct ...