July snow fun

On the way to Crown Mountain, we found ourselves standing on snow about two metres deep. My father was with us for the first part of the hike – going up the British Columbia Mountaineering Club (BCMC) trail to the Grouse Mountain chalet. After he turned back for work, we carried on along the Dam Mountain, Goat Mountain, Crown Mountain route. The whole top of Dam Mountain was covered with this snow, so Neal, my cousin, and I spent a very enjoyable hour sliding down it in our hiking boots, using flailing arms for stability.

In the end, we decided that climbing Crown without ice axes and crampons would be too dangerous. Even so, the hike was enormous fun. It was warm and sunny, but the snow had not turned to slush. As such, it presented familiar terrain in an altogether new way. I think it is fair to call today the most fun I have ever had hiking in the mountains close to Grouse. It was quintessentially British Columbian and exactly what I was hoping for when I planned a hike for today.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan