I would like to start this report with a big thank you to BC parks for facilitating our workhikes at Sphinx Hut by allowing us to store canoes up at Garibaldi Lake. A lot of important work gets done at this hut, and the easier access is much appreciated by the VOC.
Sphinx hut is not often visited outside of deep winter, as the approach by foot requires the circumnavigation of Garibaldi lake, an arduous journey. Therefore, I jumped at the chance to canoe across the lake under the pleasant warmth of the early September sun.
After a summer of intense roof-building workhikes and other strenuous outdoors trips replete with sweltering heat, endless bugs, near misses, and some tears, the first two days of this trip were pure bliss. Unlike the unfortunate blokes who volunteered to portage their canoes up from rubble creek at 5 in the morning, I woke at the civilized hour of 7am and hiked leisurely up the trail to Garibaldi lake.
Then, Lucy and I retrieved a VOC canoe from the ranger station and paddled across, our wooden oars carrying us forwards as they dipped up and down into the glass-like water.
After an hour of paddling, we arrived at the Sphinx hut. With the sun still hot that afternoon, we went for an amazing swim, and then cooked dinner and enjoyed the sunset by the water.
Beach vacation vibes
After a deep late night talk with Lou, I retreated to my private tent for one of the best sleeps I have had in the backcountry, not waking until 8:30am. That morning, trip leader Aino served us the promised pancakes.
After this, the group split up to do different adventures, some involving canoeing. Lou, Maiya, Shu Yu and I decided to see if we could climb Guard mountain. The approach was insanely steep up to the col, and at that point Shu Yu decided to descend over the other side to link up with the canoes in the bay below. Maiya, Lou and I then scrambled to the false summit, but decided that we would rather cut our climb short for the sake of getting in one more sunset swim. Alas, we turned around.
After the swim, dinner, and more deep talks, I went back to sleep expecting another late morning and an easy trip back to the cars.
The painting job had gone smoothly thus far, and whilst I was enjoying a quiet evening by the water, others in the group plotted to have me placed on ferry duty the next day, though I did not find out of this until Lucy woke me at 7am and told me I had to be in the canoe in 20 minutes (I am grateful she let me sleep so late). Gordon shared the same fate, though being the better man, he had volunteered for the job.
After catching a ride across the lake, Gordon and I tied two of the canoes behind ours, and began to pull them back. High winds ripped across the surface of the lake, the frothy waters slowing our progress to a snail’s pace. Gordon and I paddled hard, yet the lake raged against us. Lucy and Alex, whom we had just dropped ashore, saw us from the top of panorama ridge, and decided to have a nice long picnic when it appeared that we weren’t moving at all.
I had never seen the turquoise waters so tumultuous
Whenever we rested, we seemed to move back to where we were half an hour before. In the end, the one hour trip took us around three and a half hours, yet against all expectations, we made it back to the rest of the group, who then ferried us back to the trailhead.
Despite this canoeing conundrum, overall this was a fantastic trip for me with much good sleep, nice swims, and great talks. Thanks to Aino for organizing and the brave souls who hauled canoes up the switchbacks.