Sunday, April 3, 2011

Hike to and Camp on Mt. Gardner.

After a few weeks of planning and preparation with my buddy Richard, we finally hit Bowen Island to hike Mt. Gardner with our girlfriends. The original plan was to hike the mountain in the morning and return to the base by the evening and setup camp by Killarny Lake. Plans changed once we saw how little privacy the lake offered due to its proximity to roads and houses. Not knowing exactly where we were going to sleep that night, we put it from our minds and headed up a service road that was the beginning of a great hike up Mt. Gardner.

From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC


We got up at 7am and were on transit at 8:45am. We caught the express bus from Granville Station and managed to get on the 11am ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Snug Cove on Bowen Island. The ferry ride is about 20 minutes long and costs only $9.95 (taxes included) for a return trip. The hike, as outlined in the book "103 Hikes" started right from ferry terminal at Snug Cove. As we walked though the roads of Bowen Island, through Crippen Regional Park and past Killarny Lake, it was apparent the weight of our packs was something we were going to have to get used to and adjust for maximum comfort. Soon enough, the four of us and our backpacks full of tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, clothing, food and gadgets were at the base of the mountain working our way up a steep paved road into the forest and onto it's trails.

From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC
From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC


For a couple of hours we made our way through various trails that lead up the mountain. At one point, we were instructed by the hike guide to take a particular route called the Hand Loggers Trail. About 20 meters in, the trail was completely washed away. It looked as though a culvert perpendicular to the trail had become overwhelmed by rushing water eroded away, taking about 3 meters of trail with it. We could pass as the gap was too deep and too wide to cross and the creek was too deep and far below us to wade through. This was disappointing because it meant that we had to make use of the only other means to continue moving upwards from our location which was an old logging road that didn't offer much in the way of scenery. We moved on, however and soon came to a fork that lead to the North Peak Trail.

Soon after following this trail, we came to a quick scramble and a MAGNIFICENT view of Howe Sound over a bluff. The view was facing west with views of Keats Island, Sunshine Coast, a bit of Gambier Island and mountains to the north.

From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC
From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC


It was tough to leave such an amazing view but we were eager to get to the top of the mountain and see the views it had to offer. Up we went and a short time later, we were making our final scramble to the peak. The last few meters were the steepest and rockiest of the whole trail. To facilitate our ascent, ropes and wire had been tethered to trees making things a little easier.

From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC


Once we got to the peak we rejoiced in our collective accomplishment and enjoyed the view. Similar to the one from the bluff mentioned above, except the eye could travel further and more mountains were visible. It was truly gorgeous and we could have stayed forever. We left to check out the view from the east side of the mountain. It was a really cool feeling to cross to the east side and see all of Vancouver in one tiny blob on the horizon, ships dotting the Burrard Inlet and Lions all from one vantage point.

From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC
From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC


We stayed for a while longer before leaving to setup camp at a location we scouted not too far from the bluff a couple hundred meters from the peak. We located a suitable spot and setup camp earlier enough to catch the sunset while making supper.

From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC
From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC


We finished up our meal and headed to the rocks to watch the sunset. It was fun knowing that we had the whole mountain to ourselves. Front row, west facing, mountain high seats were ours for the sunset. Thankfully, the weather was not what was forcasted all week. Instead, it was clear with high, puffy clouds making the sunset perfectly romantic; golden yellow and crimsoned orange. It was impressive and thoroughly enjoyable.

From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC
From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC


Back to our tents we headed. Everyone managed to get a few hours sleep before we woke and hurried down the mountain. It was an unforgettable experience and everything worked out so well. I am looking forward to this summer more than any other I can remember. There are so many sunsets and rises waiting to be attentively gazed from so many mountain tops. I can hardly wait!

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