Easter Weekend on The North Shore

"Be Quiet. Quiet the mind. Pay attention to the beauty that surrounds you."
-Mark Allen
Six-Time Ironman Triathlon Champion

Vancouver's beautiful North Shore played home to the majority of my Easter weekend.  Full of friends, food and forests, it has been one of the most memorable and satisfying Easter holidays in recent Haastory...

On friday morning I met up with two friends, Dan and his roommate Jenny for the Grouse Snowshoe Grind!  As we climbed we played 'name the 35 countries in the Americas.'  They rocked this - me, not so much!  I veered off at the top as they looped back towards Grouse, working on Africa's 46.

Jenny, Dan and me at the top of Dam Mountain

I followed a fellow hiker's trail to Goat mountain and on as far as I could on the horse-shoe shaped ridge (see map).  From the north arm, I could see the Lynn Valley below.  I paced the snowy ridge for 45 minutes trying to find the safest way down.  I finally settled on a chute that I was pretty sure went the whole way down... otherwise it would be a very unpleasant hike back up the near vertical snow field.

Looking back up the chute

The red line shows my path - 14km

Slowly the white snow gave way to green algae-covered boulders and tangles of mangled trees from last season's runoff.  I periodically checked over my shoulder just to make sure that all the snow I just descended hadn't suddenly melted and was going to wash me away!

The green river bed

After a slow and careful decent I emerged onto a wide strong river.  This was the river that I could see from the peaks, far above.  With no human trail to be found I bushwhacked my way along the west bank of the river until ... wait, what is that?  There's something moving over there... its.. its a couple making out.  I emerged from the woods directly across the river from them - they were unfazed.  I cross the river 20 yards up stream and walked past them - they remained lip-locked.

Lynn Valley River

Saturday was filled with a light run, lots of food and rest.  

Sunday was perfect.  My neighbor Conor and I joined Matt and his beau Preston (very cool dude) for brunch at Sophie's diner.  We then made our way to the North Shore where we stopped by YYoga for an amazing flow class where seemingly every joint in my body let loose and I sweat up a storm - this will be a far more regular practice moving forward.  Matt's sister, Steph and her husband Doug invited us all over for Easter Dinner post yoga.  We had a delicious meal and I truly feel blessed to have such an amazing extended family in Vancouver. 

Easter Monday was also a day off for me so I took advantage of the free time to try my feet on the Baden Powell Trail.  I started out from Deep Cove and ran/hiked until I was sweat and rain soaked, shivering and hungry.  About 4 hours after I started I popped out at the base of Grouse Mountain - roughly half way and 24km conquered!

To quite my mind on these excursions I listened to Mark's words and started focusing on the beauty that surrounds me.  This Province and the people that I love make it easy to keep a clear mind when every inch of my body hurts.

Lost

I set off to hike the Baden Powell trail this morning.  

For the life of me I could not find the trail head at the Horseshoe Bay end.  I wandered up and down the highways, battled pricker bushes and crossed streams, but the trail head never showed itself...

After a bit I just started to run.  I ran along the highway with swarms of road bikers headed north.  After a few km it seemed my only option was to start up route 99 to Squamish.  Thats not a smart place to go for a jog, so I turned toward the ocean. 

Running along the top of the highway dividers

I stumbled upon the the CN Railway that stretches from Vancouver all the way up to Prince George, BC.  So I continued my jaunt from Horseshoe Bay up to Lion's Bay via rail!

Somewhere along the CN Railway

At Lions Bay Marina I was met with another rail traveler.  Unfortunately for me, it was a train.   I peeled off the track, ran up to the highway and hitched a ride homeward.

The Train

At the on-ramp for Lions Bay I stuck my thumb out and the first car to come by picked me up.  Shirley, a late 70 something ball of fire regaled me with her plans to drive into town and find a new sudoku book, how she was getting a new puppy soon and how a super senior pass at Whistler is a whooping $140!  We weaved down the sea-to-sky and into North Van and over to Park Royal.  It was still early so I ran some more.

Back across the Lion's Gate Bridge, through Stanley Park and finally over the Burrard Bridge back into Kits, I made it home.  After a failed attempt at an early spring hike I still managed to get a good 20+km run in, meet a new friend and have an excuse to demolish a Michael Phelps-sized breakfast and take a 3hr nap!