Day 98 - Mount Proctor

We quietly packed up our gear thinking of the long walk back from the viewpoint which was up a small steep trail on the mountain side.  The silence was broken by a noise down below.  Branches breaking, leaves rustling, rocks crumbling.  We couldn't see anything, but knew there was something very large below, moving slowly from the bush to the trail.  The silence quickly became tense.  We shouted out, praying to hear a human voice respond.  Nothing, except the continued slow rustling through the trees which couldn't have been more than twenty feet away.  We sounded off the air horn, the noise stopped.  Adrenaline pumping through our veins as we realized what was waiting for us below.  What to do?  Only one way down and no other way out.  To be continued later...

After breakfast (and some ukelele lessons) Ramona, Emily, Harrison, Vinnie and I decided to try a hike out in Fernie.  With snow on its way and such a beautiful day we just needed to get outside.  We made it to the Fairy Creek Trails by the visitor centre in Fernie.  Emily and I had previously done the shorter hike to the Fairy Creek Trails, today we were going to try make it further up the trail to the second set of falls.

The return hike to the upper falls was about 10km and, as we found out, had a large increase in elevation.  The trail rounded Mount Proctor to a very nice view of the Three Sisters range.  There was a dried up creek at the end of the trail, we are guessing that the second set of waterfalls must be seasonal.  The views through the hike were fantastic, the incline never ending.  We were so happy to reach the second viewpoint for some rest, pictures, water and a snack.  As eluded to above, the hike back was going to be quite the adventure.  Armed with bear spray, an air horn, two walking poles and knives we made our way cautiously down from the viewpoint.  Stomping, yelling and banging sticks together to make sure we weren't surprising anything.  The 5km hike back was a bit nerve wracking.  Finally back at the car exhausted from the hike and thankful to be alive :) we made it to McDonalds for an ice cream cone and headed back for home.  We will never know what was down below us on the trail.  Definitely made for a memorable hike.

Some pictures from our near death experience.

Taking a rest at the first viewpoint.

The sun was shining.

The mountains were so clear.

Harrison enjoyed a nice cool cloth on his head after the long hike up.

Emily just wanted to spread her wings.

All of us on a picnic table trying to get a photo with the mountains in the back.

Ramona, Harrison and I.

View of the falls on the way back down the mountain.

Harrison was more interested in the buckle than the falls...