The Camping Entry

All pics are posted on my website, check them out if you feel like it.

The following entry is my nightly journal typed up.

Thursday, June 29

Left North Van this morning only a bit after our intended target of 9am. It was funny though - we stopped to get Shivauna and we all got out while S finished getting things. AJ and I got back in the car with dad and he pulled away - without Shivauna. She'd gone back inside for a last minute bathroom break.
It was about a 2.5 hour drive to Lightning Lakes in Manning Park. Nothing eventful. Got spot #30, looks very nice. After setup and lunch, S, Dad, AJ and I went for a bit of a walk around the parking lot to Lone Duck Beach and then to Lightning Lakes Day Use Area and back. Very pretty. Lots of hoary marmots.
After supper, S, Dad, AJ and I drove to the Rein Orchard Trail and went for about a 20 minute walk. Had hot dogs and marshmallows around the campfire and went to bed about 11pm. Rained during the night.

Friday, June 30

Hiked Heather Trail to just before the First Brother/Third Brother junction. About 9.5km in/9.5km out. Drove to the upper parking lot, hiked down to Buckhorn Wilderness Camp and then UPUPUP to the Bonnevier junction. Then from the junction across the meadows to just before the First Brother junction and had lunch. Then back, downdowndown and a little bit more upupup. I spent a lot of time looking at flowers - western anemone, glacier lily, red indian paintbrush, yellow cinquefoil, blue lupine and others I can't identify. Million pics. Took us about 5.5 to 6 hrs. Fell asleep on the drive down.
Just being hanging out at camp since. Going for a walk around camp after dinner.

Saturday, July 1

Hiked around the Lightning Lakes Chain. From Spruce Bay, down the west side to Flash Lake, around Flash, up along Lightning again to Lone Duck. Didn't see too many people until we got close to the Lightning Lake Day Use area. Tons of people there. We also saw deer.
I actually went for a run after dinner! About 1.5km I think, so not very far, but I did go at least.

Sunday, July 2

Today was Strawberry Flats/Three Falls. About 9km. The first section through Strawberry Flats was very flat with lots of flowers. Shadow Falls was okay, then downhill to Nepopekum Falls (which was across the river, so fairly far away), then more downhill to Derek Falls (nice!). Had to cross 2 talus slopes (rock falls). We had lunch at Derek, sitting on the rocks, then back uphill to Shadow and through Strawberry Flats back to the car.
Just spent the afternoon reading and lying in the sun. The squirrels and marmots got very brave and were running up to us.

Monday, July 3

Did Skagit River trail today, starting at the Sumallo Grove to the 6km marker. We took 2 side trips, one to see an old cabin,Ford truck,mine entrance and waterfall. The other was about 10-15 minutes along a very unmarked trail, uphill, to see the rhondrodren grove, but the rhondrodrens we passed were not in bloom and we decided to turn back before reaching the heart of the grove as the trail was becoming very narrow and very uphill. Lots of logs to go over or under. Most of the main trail was quite flat, except between the 5-6 km markers. Had lunch at Delacy camp on the way back. On the way in, we saw a deer at Delacy. Dad got very close. Total bear country too, but we never saw one. We did see old scat and markings though. Found some ripe salmonberries. About 13km in total, 4.5 hours. AJ didn't come on this one as her knee was really bothering her.
I saw a shooting star just before bed. I'm taking it as a omen that this is the right decision.

Tuesday, July 4

Got off very early today, before 9am. A little rain storm just as we were waking up, but it didn't really bother us as we packed. Time to go home!