The air was crisp. The breeze was fresh. My pace was fast. I was inspired.
I ran home and woke Paul. "We must climb!!!" I said jumping on the bed in excitement.
Weary, he smiled and woke up.
"Come see," I chimed. "It's beautiful outside!!!"
We took Beamer for a small jaunt back down to the ocean so Paul could see the proof himself: Moutains + sun + 10 degree weather. The conditions for a hike were perfect!
We packed the car, donned our gear, and headed up the coast toward Squamish, and one of my favourite ascents. The Chief.
Not a hiker (not by choice but by location) Paul was excited but had trepidation.
As we rounded a mountainous ess curve into Squamish, the Chief loomed high, 610 meters of solid rock face above the road.
"That's beautiful" Paul gasped and took this picture from the car.
"I'm glad you think so," I smiled. "Because we're going to climb it!"
He gulped.
"That???"
"Yep."
"You're a crazy woman," he said and laughed nervously.
I pulled into the base parking lot and we set forth.
Unlike the times this past summer when I ascended this rock, the trail was not littered with other hikers only a few others came out on this miraculous November morn to partake in the Chief's beauty. So, periodically, Paul and I were entirely alone on our hike. Which was sensational.
After an hour of climbing over tree roots, stepping up rocks, scaling ladders, and using chains to summit the final rock, we made it to the top.
We were the only ones there.
The wind was chilling.
The sky was blue.
The snow capped mountains in the distance were something from a fairytale.
We had lunch.
It was awesome.
There is no better place to have a picnic lunch, I guarantee you, than the top of a mountain, all alone, on a sunny day in November. Cheese and crackers never tasted so good!
