It was September 16th, 2012. Only two days from the present. The sun was shining as I rose out of bed and put on my warm set of clothes to bike over to Tim Hortens to enjoy a large coffee. I checked the weather to confirm how beautiful today was really going to be. Sure, the morning was cold, only two degrees celsius but not a cloud in the sky. The Weather Network was predicting that it was supposed to go up to nineteen in the afternoon. What a day! I downed the coffee and jumped into Brad's corolla. I drove up to Piper Down Recreation area which is still almost seven kilometers from the actual ski hill parking, the start of Piper Down mountain biking trails. I parked the car got on the bike out and headed for the trailhead. It took me about fifty minutes to finally get to the trailhead. Theres some steep sections going up Hudson Bay Road and it shows in how long it took me to travel six and a half kilometers.
The plan was to bike up and bike down the Piper Down trails. However, when I got to the trailhead Hudson Bay Mountain looked so beautiful in the blue sky thatI decided that I would head up Prairie Trai to go to Crater Lake. I have been up there before but I have never taken the bike up. I have been wondering why people don't bike in the alpine lately while I was lazily daydreaming back in Smithers. So higher and higher I go, pushing and pedaling my bike forward. I get to a creast and start the flat section of Prairie trail that leads to Crater Lake. The trail is a single track and lots of rocks make the trip rough. There is a slight uphill and lots of people so the progress is comfortably slow. However, I cover the ground fast and find myself on a fork in the trail. One goes to Crater Lake, maybe 300 meters, and the other switchbacks up the right of Crater Lake and goes beyond. The day is nice, its still early out, maybe like 1200. I turn to the right and pedal up the trail slowly gaining elevation. Soon I have to push the bike because the trail has turned into a slope of scree. This goes on for bit, then pushing becomes ineffeincet. I grab the bike and pick it up and drape it across my back and slowly start walking up the switchbacks. Steep trail and large boulders make progress tedious. I carefully watch my step and finally get to an area above Crater Lake. I put down the bike on a grassy knoll and sit on my ass catching my breath. Here I eat lunch of hard bolied eggs and trailmix and wash it all down with some water. Again my eyes wander up the ridge to the summit. I realize bringing the bike any further up will be both pointless and useless. Theres no way to bike down these boulders. I decide to leave the bike where it sits. I also leave my bag with my food and my water there as well. Without a bike and bag my progress is quickened and the meters seem shorter as usual. A fast trot turns into a slow jog, I am running up the mountain. After running up the steep headwall I get to the ridge that goes straight to the summit. Its realitively flat and the distance to the summit is going fast. Soon I'm on the summit ridge, I would still compare my speed to a slow jog. After some easy exposed moves meters from the summit I see a stainless steel box pointing out the true summit. I am there, and Julie is there shortly after. She had trouble with an area where a boulder blocked her path so she had to precariously take a thin ridge. Successful as always Julie sits by my feet, both of us looking down at Kathlyn glacier. The wind is strong and bites at my bare arms and face. I take off my hat a put it in my pocket in fear of it blowing off my head. I snap a couple pictures for myself, and for a Smithers couple who probably think I'm crazy. I state farewell, and head down. Running in the scree is hard on my feet so I get off the ridge and head to a slope of snow that leads to the top of Crater Lake. I glissade to the bottom and head back to the bike. I have a hard time finding the bike but eventually find it.
Soon I realize that I brought the bike to far up. I fear to go down in any speed because a fall here could leave a big bruise. I inch down with my hands holding onto the brakes at all times. This goes on for 50 meters and the ground starts to turn into a sort of dirt track. I ease off the brakes and down I go. Its a bumpy ride. Its so bumpy that by the time I get down off the ski hill I notice my front tire on a slight angle. I check it out and it seems that the hub that screws into the axle has vibrated off. I straighten the tire, and head down the logging road with caution. I'm alittle bummed that I can't go down Piper Down without this key piece keeping my tire secure. But today was a good day, I climbed Hudson Bay Mountain and it was bluebird. I hope all my adventures turned out so perfect.
I get back to the Corrola, and head back to Smithers....
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