Trails both open and closed, terrifying heights of terror
Day 2 started bright and early with a home-cooked breakfast of yummy pancakes and bacon. Thanks, Aunt Jemima!
Our first adventure of the day was to find internet. It turns out the boonies are much better equipped for booze than modern communications technology. Undaunted, we headed to the Cascades Lookout, a 16 km drive straight up the mountain (well, with a few switchbacks included) where a park ranger had promised the possibility of cell coverage, depending on provider.
The drive up was slow and terrifying for anyone with a fear of heights. Like me, for example. Once up top, we parked and indeed found we had two bars of coverage, enough to say hi on Facebook and sync all-important MyFitnessPal data. Those tasks completed, we set off on a couple of hikes, starting with the Paintbrush Trail, so-named because the trail is littered with discarded paintbrushes left by frustrated painters who came up to paint, only to find everything already painted in lush green alpine meadows and wildflowers.
Or maybe it’s because the meadows up here are filled with alpine blooms. We did see more than a few flowers but found out they are actually blooming later than usual this year due to the hard winter, so the big show will be missed, alas.
After looping back around we saw a van pull up in the parking lot and, weirdly, the same Alpenhorn quintet, still in costume, came piling out with horns in tow.
It turned out they actually had a second concert up here. It was announced and everything, though we missed the announcement. It was still bizarre to have them show up again. I’m waiting for their next sudden appearance.
We returned to the camp and had leftover pizza for lunch. It was surprisingly good. Waste not, want not and all that. After we resumed more hikes, heading along Lightning Lake to Flash Lake (the person who named the latter deserves a serious paddling). We had planned on looping Flash Lake until we met this little fellow:
We doubled back and headed over Rainbow Bridge. Midway across Jeff ran into a co-worker from UBC. Another weird coincidence. The Alpenhorn players did not suddenly appear, though. Not yet, anyway.
The total hike was still about 9 km in total. I used my watch to record it as a workout and brilliantly ended the workout early two times, so according to the watch, it was a long hike followed by a short hike followed by a “this is not really a hike” hike.
Before dinner, we went to the Manning Park Resort and Lodge and looked around the store for maps, souvenirs, and hidden Alpenhorn players. We found a map, I got a souvenir mug for Jeff, handy for imbibing liquids, and got a zippered hoodie for myself because I was dumb and forgot to bring a jacket. That wouldn’t be a problem if the whole night part of camping didn’t happen, but it does, so the hoodie will offer warmth as I remind myself not to forget things next time.
Dinner was BBQ chicken with potatoes and veggies and was extra yummy because were eating out in spectacular scenery up in the mountains instead of the couch, which offers little in the way of spectacular scenery. We made s’mores over the campfire after, fulfilling one of the mandatory camping requirements.
Later as it got dark we waited ’round the campfire for the stars to come out. Jeff eventually gave up waiting and went to bed. I kept waiting but when it was still light over an hour after sunset I also gave up. Stupid stars. I went to bed and dreamed about them coming out instead.
And thus ended Day 2.
