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| On top of the world (Mt Seymour) |
It’s been such a busy summer that this weekend I found my usual hiking buddies were already booked. No problem! I’ve got my most dependable canine buddy to go with. This day ended up being scorching hot and I finished my 3L hydration pack with Whiskey. It’s probably the fastest we’ve done this hike since I skipped 1st and 2nd pump and took very little rest on the peak.
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| just starting the hike |
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| mom! take a picture! |
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| a resting space with a view before going on |
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| very hot today! |
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| Around first pump it becomes very rocky |
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| fantastic views all around |
With just me and Whiskey, we didn’t have any distractions and finished in under 4 hours (taking our time) despite not having been hiking this incline in quite awhile. Whiskey never wanders far, usually in my eye line and a little shout brings her right back to me if she runs to far ahead. She also poses like a professional model and several times froze in a position begging me to take several photos. I’ve always treated her for posing so it seems now that she knows what to do without asking. Over time I’m realizing I’m not the great dog photographer I was hoping to be- Whiskey is just an amazing model I’m lucky to have (because no other dog I’ve photographed does what she does).
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| 2nd pump just beyond |
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| looking back at first pump |
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| it becomes steep to the peak |
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| great views of the north shore mountains |
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| the scariest section |
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| my hiking partner |
As we were on the way to the first pump we passed several groups that had been waiting 15mins for a mama bear and her 2 cubs to pass. I put Whiskey on leash for a bit after that, made lots of noise, and took out my pepper spray. We saw no sign of the bears but it’s good to remember that the wildlife is moving more than normal because of the drought so watch out!
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| view back on the city |
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| so many mountain ranges here |
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| Coliseum Mountain behind Whiskey |
Since Whiskey doesn’t like to drink water along the route, I’ve found mixing dehydrated food in a container with water worked great. We’re experiencing a unusual drought in Vancouver so many of the ponds along the route have dried up into greenish algae infested puddles. Make sure your dog doesn’t drink from these (I make sure Whiskey is well hydrated before we pass by) but dipping hot paws into the water/mud may not be a bad idea.
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| what a view!! |
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| these roots were a challenge for Whiskey |
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| Posing like a model |
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| I just love it here! |
There are some passes on this hike (mainly between 2 pump and peak) with steep falls, so watch your step, though we also passed adventurous pre-teens on the peak, and toddlers on 2nd pump. Vancouver is truly a hiking city!
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| on the way back home |
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| The shadows get longer |
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| Until next time |
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