100K Club -- cjb & Team Cat

Another Tuesday in the mountains. Seabus to the upper Skyride station on Grouse Mountain, the greatest elevation gain to date, a link-up of several previous routes. Up Lonsdale around 1pm, a lazy start in spring sunshine. Violet crocuses like glowing mushrooms in the grass in Victoria Park. Terrific cake doughnut at the little bakery and deli beside the Queen's Cross Pub, no appreciable change from the 1970s recipe I used to occasionally enjoy on the way to or from Poorly Socialized Kids Camp in Lynn Valley. Up to the top of Prospect Road, then down across Mosquito Creek and back up the other side to the top of Skyline Drive. Then straight up the Cut, 1800-odd feet of 18%+ grade, spitting me out, puffing and sweaty, beside the lower chairlift. Into the woods on Simic's Trail, a newish (2003) trail that switchbacks up to the lodge, just far enough to the west of the ski run to obscure the lift's visibility. Lots of neat little bridges and ladders here and there, a mountain bike trail built for hikers!

Snow sifting unexpectedly down at twilight. From the Skyride, a clear view of a wall of white, slowly making its way down over the Lions and across Capilano Lake. Total elevation gain, 1111m.

(Thinking back, it occurs to me that the first time I ever climbed the Cut was with a group from Poorly Socialized Kids Camp in 1977 or thereabouts. Located in a Lynn Valley church basement, the camp was, I think, a recommendation of Dr. Lum, the child psychologist I was seeing at the time. I didn't make any permanent friends, and was expelled once or twice for impatience with the team-based road racing game and the obligatory Friday night floor hockey scrimmage in the elementary school gym across the street, but, all things considered, camp definitely had its moments, including the hiking trips up Grouse and (more frequently) to Lynn Canyon Park, and the slowly-dawning realization that, poorly socialized and eccentric as I was, I was still light years ahead of many other participants. And, having climbed Grouse once, and having been in front all the way, I could hardly wait to do it -- or something like it -- again).

- posted by cjb @ 10:30 PM