Hike: Hardy Falls

             One hike that every child who is from Peachland does in the fall is the hike up to Hardy Falls to watch the Kokanee salmon spawn. It goes with out saying that this is something I needed to take my own Littles to do. Hardy Falls is a small district park located just off Highway 97 at the Southern end of Peachland- just before the highway turns steeply uphill and heads for Summerland. A small turn off is actually a parking lot and just across the street is a quick and easy little hike.

          When we were kids- in the 80's- we used to hit the many bridges at a full run- jumping and stomping up and down as the adults yelled at us to be careful- the bridges bouncing and swaying barely holding together. These days the park has undergone a dramatic facelift- including all 8 bridges being replaced with sturdy structures that actually have handrails! I wonder if my kids found this as entertaining as we did when we were kids- perhaps another sign of childhood being too safe these days.

           After a peaceful time watching the salmon jump up the ladder we headed back to the car in the warm afternoon sunlight. It was decided when we headed home we should draw salmon which is exactly what they did- granted these are a little flashier than the real deal! The Littles turned their salmon into puppets so they could fly them through the clouds- fancy salmon in grey skies.

          I am so happy to walk the paths of my childhood with my own kids- the same fierce rock walls towering overhead- the echoes of my own friends ringing through from the past. While our reality of course was much less bucolic- plenty of tears when Miss Lo tripped on a rock- me yelling at The Boy to get down off the top run of the bridge our little hike- moments of peace were fought and tucked away. It doesn't matter that we don't live in Peachland- our Littles are as much a part of that town as we ever were.

Hiking: Bridal Falls

         On our recent visit out to Harrison Hot Springs we decided to make a pit stop to stretch our legs on our way back into the city. We pulled over to explore a spot that we have driven by probably about a dozen or more times per year for the past 13 years- Bridal Falls. The falls are awe inspiring from the highway so I was excited to see them up close for the first time.

          Although this is a very well worn and maintained path it is pretty much straight up hill- so little legs can make it but apparently many diversions and rests are called for! Luckily there are many easy access spots down to the creek prime for rock throwing and pretend fishing- the icy cold mountain water refreshing on a hot July day.

         Pausing to play beneath this wonder of our province it is easy to forget we are just off the highway- the crowds dropping away- nothing but the booming waterfalls echoing in your ears. With in minutes of entering the forest traffic nightmares are forgotten- the air changes- hushed and sacred. Studies show that even a few minutes of nature each day lessens stress in adults as well as children- a necessity for all walks of people these days.

        The Fraser Valley is on our route home to the Okanagan and usually we are in such a hurry to get home to our family- this is the point in the highway where the city traffic starts to fall away and we can make up for lost time. It was such a treat to explore this part of B.C.- pausing to enjoy the sights we take for granted- stopping where we never have time to.

      Friends it is Friday once again- time to get out there and enjoy all that this beautiful planet has to offer- may the sun be on your shoulders or in your heart- Happy Friday!

Nature Babes: Admiralty Point

          Recently our family headed out to  Admiralty Point in Belcarra Regional Park- we had never explored this part of the Lower Mainland and were excited to check out a new to us area. In addition to the weather knocking it out of the park that day our Littles were in a particularly good mood- we thought to take advantage of the situation and try for some family photos worthy of our annual Christmas card. The conditions could not have been better- getting these two hooligans to co-operate was another story though as they were obviously more interested in exploring that photo taking-  and understandably so!

         With so many great spots to check out Belcarra Park is a real hidden gem- popular with crab fishers and boaters as well as picnickers- even on a freezing cold day in November the picnic shelters were booked and the park was abundant with families enjoying the non- rain weather. We first explored the pier as well as the adjacent tidal pools and beach- the water was crystal clear and we could see crabs scuttling across the floor of the ocean.

          It was soon established that the photo taking on the beach was not going to happen- it was windy and very cold so we headed for one of the many trails- we chose the Jug Island trail- which turned out to be much longer than anticipated! The Littles did it though- with plenty of flora and fauna to keep their attention we hiked the 6 kms out to the beach at Jug Island. After a short rest and some snacks we headed back towards the car- another 6 kms but the kiddos managed it under their own steam.

           Miss Lo has decided she might like to be a blogger like Momma and is now obsessed with taking pictures- I think her and I stopped every five feet to photograph the abundant mushrooms growing near the side of the trail. Side note- on my wish list is a book on mushroom identification- I had no idea what any of these were called and my answers to her questions were severely lacking!

         By the time we got back to the truck we were all totally done- the hike combined with the fresh, cold air was just what we all needed. Somewhere along the trail we all let go of our worries and just soaked in our surroundings- the quiet- the colours- each other. As our little family gets busier we need days like this desperately- like the air that we breath -we need the forest.

PS- a big thank you to Anna from Kids Unplugged for blogging about this gem of a park!

     Friends it is Friday again- if you aren't too busy Elving it up then I encourage you all to get outside and explore- adventure is out there! Much love- Happy Friday Friends!

Weekend Hike: Brandywine Falls Provincial Park

           This past Saturday found us headed up the Sea to Sky Highway once again- into the mountains that make our hearts happy and our feet itch to get moving. We sped past our favourite camping spot- Porteau Cove- made a quick stop for lunch provisions in Squamish and continued up into the hills towards Brandywine Falls Provincial Park. Just off the side of the highway lies an unassuming looking rest stop and picnic area- however the scores of tourist busses are a sure sign something spectacular is near by. The falls themselves are a short 300 meter stroll from the parking lot and are sure to impress- hence all the tour busses- folks hopping off- taking pictures of the falls and hopping back on their air conditioned luxury coaches- they have no idea what they are actually missing out on!

           While the falls are a must see- at 70 meters tall how could they fail to impress- the real magic lies deeper in the forest. A number of hiking and biking trails were recently added and the park expanded to over triple it's size to include habitat for a previously endangered frog. Pick and number of trails and you will not fail to be disappointed- away from the crowds we headed out through lush forest towards the Calcheak Suspension Bridge along the Cheakamus River. Pausing at the look out and gazing down the valley towards Daisy Lake was positively vertigo inducing- bringing me back to the reality that we are all so tiny and in the vastness of the mountains and the world in general- we are really just specks on the globe- humbling.

        The wind blew hot and dry up on the ridge- bringing to mind the Thunderbird who reigns the skies flapping his wings- as we continued on up into the power line cut the sun showed no hint of knowing it's the end of summer. While we didn't make it all the way to the suspension bridge the Littles did really well- it was really hot and they just weren't digging a forced march- so as soon as hiking stopped being fun we just turned around and headed back to the van.

          Both Littles collected their fair share of rocks on the hike- immediately noticing the chunks of lava along the side of the trails- much speculation about weather or not we were on an old volcano was bandied about. The were right- we were all interested to learn that the valley walls are compromised of at least four basaltic lava flows-almost 34,000 years old- amazing!

      With the hot sun beating down on our shoulders and the warm summer winds blowing down the valley it's hard to believe summer is coming to a close. Each time we head out in the sunshine from now on is like a gift- we can never be too sure when the rains will return. This hike was such a treat- so much of this area is unexplored by our family yet- so many hikes so little time!

Weekend Hike:Quarry Rock

         This weekend dawned slightly cool with low slung clouds- beach plans were quickly abandoned and it was decided that we needed to head out on a hike that has long been on our list- Quarry Rock in Deep Cove. The Littles are finally old enough to handle the steep climb up and back- agile enough to manoeuvre stairs, rocks and roots- this is a hike not for the faint of heart nor those with poor footwear. After procuring a parking spot- conveniently near Honey's Donuts we made our way to the trail head of the Baden Powell trail- located just past the parking lot of Panorama Park- on the other side of the road the trail is a bit tricky to find.

       Once on the trail however the path is clear- there is only one way and that is mostly up! Apparently many other people also thought that a cloudy Saturday in August would be a good day to hike the trail out to Quarry Rock as it was really busy- rarely a quiet moment to be found which is not really my idea of an enjoyable hike. Crowds aside the hike was a great work out with lots of enjoyable scenery as we made our way up and down the ravines.

          Clearly this very popular hiking trail is well taken care of- multiple sets of stairs and bridges zig zag their way out to the point. Tranquil, trickling streams house what can only be fairy pools- surrounded by ferns and mossy stumps- this is the rainforest at it's best. Once we mad sit out to the end of the trail it was clear to see why this is such a popular hike- the view is spectacular with all of Indian Arm stretching out before you.

         I feel this summer we as a family have really stretched our legs so to speak more than any other year- this can only be attributed to these Littles of our growing and maturing enough to catch the hiking bug. They are interested in the forest and nature- full of questions and needing answers- this has forced both the Mr and I to dig deep into the recess of memory to find which side of trees does moss grow on, what is a fungus, what kind of bird made what kind of noise. I love not only their inquisitive nature but also their adventurous spirit- often wanting to run up the path ahead of us.

        Of course as with lots of things it sometimes takes some encouragement- some days one or the other doesn't feel like doing the family hike we have all agreed on. With the promise of lots of yummy hiking treats and hot chocolate or a donut at Honey's afterwards both Littles are usually brought around- minutes into the hike most complaining is forgotten as the wild takes over. This summer has brought us officially out of having toddlers and infants- we have big kids now- big kids that can do things like hike up the side of a mountain- while I miss the wee babes they once were I am so excited about the young people they are becoming!

Weekend Hike: Whytecliff Park

         It's hard to believe that we are actually fully in the month of August- not the beginning but in the thick of August. This weighs heavily on our minds as we seek to enjoy all that the West Coast has to offer while we still have this glorious sunshine- it feels like we are running out of time- sooner or later it will rain. Our weekends have been chock full of exploring new- to us- spots in and around the Lower Mainland- usually this time of year finds us on the road between the Okanagan and the Coast- a long and hard drive that takes a tonne out of our family. This summer we are mixing it up a bit- staying in the city-we are really relaxing and enjoying spending our weekends close to home- with dear friends but most of all with just the four of us.

         This past weekend we made the short trip up the coast to Whytecliff Park- just south of Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver- this park has long been on our list of places to visit and we finally made it! Whytecliff Park was Canada's first marine protected area- chock full of a wide variety of marine life- there are over 200 different species that call this place home. With stunning scenery and a wide variety of activities- from hiking and diving to tennis Whytecliff Park is a very popular spot on a sunshiny Saturday- we made sure to arrive before 10:00 to ensure finding a parking spot!

        With the tide all the way out we made the hike to the island just off shore easily- the Littles enjoyed watching about a half dozen seals playing and defending their young* just off shore while puttering around in the tidal pools that spot the island. The Mr. and I each made the hike/ climb up the rock- separately so the kids were not left unattended- miraculously I made it up as well as back down on my own- possibly the older I get the less time I have to be afraid of things like heights! The view from the top was stunning and I am so glad I chose to not be afraid.

        After a quick picnic and frisbee toss we headed to another of the park's many trails and further explored the other side of the cove- again stunning views- cool coastal breezes- sun on our shoulders- only the sound of the waves to be heard. By 2:00 the beach was packed- the island dotted with cliff jumpers- the trails were getting crowded with tourists- finding our little slice of peace and quiet happens early in the day- we knew it was time to move on. With the kind of tiered that only comes from a day spent in the salt air we loaded back into the truck to head home- bodies heavy with contentment.

* watching the seals protect their young from larger lone seals is amazing- there was chasing and fighting and lots of seals yelling- it was amazing to watch- not something you would see in an aquarium!

Into The Woods

         In extreme contrast to the past couple of weeks we awoke to grey cloudy skies this past weekend- the clouds slung low over the North Shore mountains came as a bit of a relief after weeks of extreme heat. Waking up refreshed from a good night sleep on Sunday morning we decided to head to the forest and trails around Sasamat Lake- out past Anmore near Port Moody British Columbia. Our little family lived in Port Moody for  a year- trying the whole suburban thing- we haven't visited this beautiful place since we moved back downtown three and a half years ago.

         The last time we walked these trails Miss Lo was a wee- tiny babe- all cuddled up in the Ergo and The Boy was much shorter but equally curious about the world. It was with a bit of nostalgia for this young family that we re-traced our steps and ventured further beyond- bigger and even more inquisitive kids hiking independently. The day was full of bird watching, fungus spotting and learning all about nurse trees- spotting and identifying each item as we went.

          All agreed it was a perfect day- so quiet and peaceful- the cool wind on our faces- a light drizzle on our shoulders. This is exactly what we had all been needing - a respite from the heat- we are indeed a real West Coast family- operating better in cooler weather. Days like this fill me up for the week- sitting here on Monday morning- easing into another sunny day- looking at these memories from yesterday I am reminded of the beauty that surrounds us and how lucky we are to live here.