1761 METERS INTO THIN AIR: CLIMBING THE GOLDEN EARS, BC PROVINCIAL PARK

I have no clue what is going on in my life lately:
For the second time in less than a fortnight I aspired to reach the top - of a mountain!
 A week ago it was the top of Grouse Mt. in Vancouver, on Saturday it was the Golden Ears, literally down the road from us!

Of course it would be pure exaggeration to headline this post with "Welcome to my Backyard." Nevertheless,  the park entrance is less than 10 minutes from our house, the climb is on my bucket list and the year is getting older - therefore, let's hear it for the boys and girls who did this epic climb!

The Mc Awesome Family right at the start!
 

These are our comrades in crime- when life was still good, pain - and cramp less! Aka, first thing in the morning!
 

Dominic and our hiking buddy extraordinaire Jana! To your right is our Mr. Best Attitude in the whole wide world', Darryl! By the way, Darryl forgot to read the section in the guide book which states: "Avoid carrying a bag full of cherries on your hike! The bag might be a pain in the butt to carry, the excess consumption of fresh cherries might lead to a bloated feeling in the stomach area...."

Of we go, through some beautiful terrain -

and some challenging crossings.
 

.
The whole hike, to the top is a 24 km round trip.
There is only one way up and only one way down - or you make your own path and get lost!

 

Please note the wording: 'kmISH...

 

 

It wouldn't be fun if you couldn't throw in a few glacier fields, would it? Here is one of the three we had to cross before we reached the top:

Remember, we are having app. 28 degrees down in the valley!

 

Here we are, the Mc Awesome's at the top!
It took us Oldies 6,5hours! Our boys, the mountain goats, did it in 4,5 hours!!!!

One for Girl Power!

One for the couples -

the comrades &

one for the men!

And one for the readers: This here is Pitt Lake, the biggest tidal lake in the world!

Unfortunately, what goes up needs to come down as well. With no gondola or helicopter to carry or fly us down we had to rely on our legs again to make the decent!

Let me explain to you in one word how it felt like: HEAVY!

Here is another one: TORTURE!

Once again, our teenagers run and jumped back ahead of us to the parking lot in a mere 4,5 hours!! We made our boys wait for 2 hours until we reached our cars again! Help, my thighs are screaming, my back is sore (from carrying the backpack), my head is spinning from putting "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" on replay (that is Monte Python for you), I am filthy, tired, exhausted, thirsty and HAPPYYYYYY!

 

As you can imagine, we have a visitor: the -  two - day -  after - bitch has arrived. Delayed muscle soreness is at its worse on the second day. Yep, take it from me, it is true! And then, I ain't using my legs writing this am I?