Day One: Hiker Injured

It is Monday morning, September 7th, 2020 and we are picked up at the Best Western Hotel in Revelstoke with a number of other hikers. Before leaving from the lobby, we complete the necessary paper work/liability waivers etc. Plus, watch a safety video. Everybody looking pretty excited and some of the couples know each other from staying at the Lodge before. You are allowed to bring no more than 25 pounds each. Only duffel bags and back packs are allowed for luggage. We drive up past the big Revelstoke dam and pull off at a gravel parking area. There are eight of us in the shuttle van.

The helicopter takes up to five passengers and it is about ten minutes up to the mountain chalets. Pretty windy today so a very bumpy ride. Fantastic views of the mountains and forest below and some creeks winding down the valley. 

Helicopter staging area.

Lana seated beside our helicopter pilot. Best views on the ride up!

Lana's helicopter ride videos:

Up the valley

The chalet

The chalet landing

Helicopter in flight above chalet helipad.

Staff and owner chalets + sauna (not operational due to Covid-19 protocols.

View from the chalet towards the west. The snow capped peaks are the Monashee Mountain range. 

The Swiss style chalets (1946 metres elevation) are built amidst the trees on a small knoll rising above the cliffs and trees so perfectly situated for the hiking trails. It is about an hour hike to the mouth of the Durrand Glacier. Many mountain peaks surround this area so the views are spectacular. We are in the high alpine, yet did not have to hike here over a couple of days as the helicopter has delivered us. You can hear the waterfalls below that are fed by streams running from the glacier above.

All the guests/hikers stay on the second floor of the main chalet. We find out there will be fourteen (14) of us staying and hiking. The second floor has the "communal" indoor bathroom with proper toilets and there are two toilets to serve all of us. The two showers are in the same general room and the rule is four minutes of shower water. This is the only hot water to be found unless you boil the water. The sinks in the room are cold water only. Very refreshing in the morning!!!

This is our room. Pretty basic and not very big. A side table and a shelving unit in the opposite corner. Some room on the floor for the duffel bags and our backpacks. Spartan furnishing, but functional. The only light is on the wall opposite to the head of the bed. If you are wanting to read then you need to use your headlamp for light. Yes, Lana is a real trooper on this trip! No electrical outlets in the rooms.

We get our stuff together and meet on the main floor with the other guests for an orientation. There will be three hiking guides for each day (mostly). The expectation is group hiking which isn't what their website indicated. Over the next days, we find out why that is recommended. Our departure time for the day one hike will be 10:45 am. 

There is a map of all the trails.At first sight it is pretty confusing as it is mostly vertical lines for the trails. Once we get orientated to the trails/surrounding area it makes sense. Our day one hike will be fairly gentle compared to the next four days. There is some elevation gain so that will give the guides some ideas of hiking abilities/stamina/pace etc. 

Day one hike.

This is a small lake located next to a snow spot that has not totally melted during the summer. The colour of the water is beautiful and typical of glacier fed lakes in this area. 

We hike down from the chalet along a path on the west side of the chalets through a forested area and then along a meadow. Creek beside us for the first part of the walk in this bowl area and then we gradually climb towards a ridge. Fairly quickly we are above the tree line so that is super cool. The trails here are pretty easy to navigate. Blue and sunny skies with Lana doing well at the start. 

A little chill for my fingers though so I am wearing my finger-less wool gloves. For some reason it is pretty windy today so that brings the temperature down. We stop at a couple of places for a bite/snack. We stop for lunch at Moon Hill ridge to the southwest of the chalet. Elevation is 2345 metres. 

Picture at top of Moon Ridge and as you can see we are warmly dressed due to the wind gusts. At this elevation the gusts are chillier and in some cases come over the surrounding glaciers. 

We enjoy posing. 

Yup, can't get enough of ourselves! Actually one of the guides offered to take pictures for everyone which is great because we never get a picture with the two of us in it!

The views from the top of the ridge are panoramic and awe inspiring. Sit in the grass and one of the guides points out where we are on the large trail map. We head back on Lightning Bolt trail and then by Honeymoon Lake and then back to the chalet. Unfortunately, as Lana was walking on a new trail her right knee twisted on a loose rock and she began to fall although I caught her in time. This is her 'trick' knee and not a good start to what will be five consecutive days of hiking. Her knee was immediately sore, but she continued on. She heard a popping noise when it happened--not good.  We make it back to the chalet where most of the hikers have found their spots on the patio to take in the sun and views. 

HIKE DATA:    Around 9 km    623 metres elevation gain    3 hours 30 minutes actual hiking

I discover my Garmin Smartwatch 935 Forerunner model doesn't really sync with my Garmin app. The wifi is very weak and so weak you can't send pics/videos or much of anything using email. Your cellphone will not pick up any transponders except when you luck into a hike in a weird spot. The afternoon snacks are both savoury (cut up veg from local farms) and sweet (milk brownie bites/cookies) and delicious! In terms of wildlife we saw a ground squirrel and a chipmunk. Lots of small creeks and some ponds/lakes dug out by the receding glaciers. 

I grabbed a beer for the patio. There is a small fridge with a supply of white and red wine, beer and some ciders. It is an honour system when using the booze supply so you add the item to a list with your name. Funny as everyone is trying to remember each other's names. Mostly older people in their 60s and a few in their 70s. Some couples in their 50s and one younger couple. Lana takes a shower and has a much needed nap/rest. I update our journal outside on the patio deck. In terms of origin of guests we are all Canadians. This is Covid-19 time so no Americans. Some couples/people from Vancouver and some from Kelowna. 

My turn for a four minute shower and do some of my NY Times crosswords. Lana eventually comes down to the main level and dinner will be at 6:30 pm and a Swiss cowbell is rung. Ruedi, lodge owner is German Swiss, but her is away until Friday afternoon rock climbing with a buddy! We have assigned seating that is spaced to ensure physical distancing. Wow, we find that the dinner is even better than the afternoon snacks. Starts with an olive focaccia homemade bread by Dan (23 year old English gourmet chef). The chalkboard provides the three course dinner items. Tonight we start with a cold soup (cucumber gazpacho with large pieces of cauliflower and cashew nuts) and the entrée is pork tenderloin with risotto. Dessert is a homemade salted caramel ice cream. Yup, gourmet food in an off-the-grid location.  

You can ask for more servings. At our table is a couple from Revelstoke (Eric and Peggy). Irene sits to one side of us and she lives in Vancouver. By the time we have finished eating and talking it is 8ish and most hikers heading to bed. Under my pillow I have my customized earplugs and my headlamp. If I get up in the middle of the night to take a pee I need to find some clothes.   :-)