Today is all about an ode to Maple Mountain.
I has said it often and I'll tell anyone who asks me, I think the prettiest hike south of Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island is Maple Mountain.
Abby and I set out at 9 a.m. and got back at about 3 p.m. - a nice day hike. It's easy to make it shorter or longer. Today I took one of my favourite routes: the blue trail which falls and rises for quite a way through beautiful fir and arbutus forest.
Does Abby like hiking?
Just look at that smile.
Eventually the trail opens up with staggering views to Salt Spring Island and Maple Bay.
The blue trail then continues on to join the pink trail - a very steep ascent to the top of Maple Mountain - with lots of views and a beautiful fairy-tale forest to take your breath away - when the climb isn't doing that job.
At the top, after a lunch break on a sunny moss-covered rock, we descended on the opposite side. This is likely the longest way down but in a way this is good because it isn't as steep and the trail is also quite different, passing through forest generously interspersed with sun dappled glades.
A beautiful day - the kind of day when every cell of my body is glad to be alive - ecstatic to be on this planet, in this time and this place. A day of blessings and feeling blessed. A day of a million gratitudes.
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