First time up on Goat

Last weekend, Reagan and I decided to enjoy the nice weather with a bit of baggery. We discussed several peak options and chose the sweep of Dam, Little Goat and Goat, with the option for Reagan to dash up Grouse, if time permitted.

Reagan was aiming to be back with his family around 3pm and we settled for an 7:30 start from the Yellow Beacon.  Little did I know that Reagan bike commuted to the start of his bagging career.  He showed up a tad late after cycling over the Lions Gate Bridge and getting lost in the suburban jungle.

To save time, Ean kindly gave us a quick ride up to the Powerline due north and up the hill from our house.  Shortly after 8am we hit the old Grouse Village chair lift trail.  Ean had mentioned that it was the fastest way up and he was right.  The trails heads straight up the mountain to the bottom of the cut.  When we started seeing old cables and parts of the lift, I realized that this must be where the chairlift used to go up until sometime in the 70s.  The chairlift gradually was abandoned and finally taken down after the Gondola was build in 1966. 

As advertised, the trail spat us out at the very bottom of the cut.  We weren't too keen on drudging up on the bare ski run and found a wonderful little trail parallel to the Paper Cut (formerly Kandahar) piste.  Towards the top of the cut the trail opened up and we were treated to views of Fromme, the harbour and downtown before fog crept up the slope.  Luckily, the clouds stayed below us for most of the hike and while we couldn't see the terrain below us, the mountains ahead presented themselves in all their splendor.

Photo right: Can you see the bear?

After a quick pit stop, we took the gravel access road to the base of Dam.  A group of older hikers leap frogged us a few times, spurning us on to pick up the pace, until we were stopped in our tracks by a Black Bear munching on Blueberries.  Reagan's first wild bear sighting.  The bear did not the least react to our hooting, hollering and clapping, but eventually meandered through the berry bushes away from us.  I was a bit concerned about the possibility that the bear was a cub - although it was very close to us, we couldn't get a good look at it as it was chest deep in berry bushes.  The possibility of upsetting a mother bear didn't sound too appealing and we quickly gave the bear a wide berth, scrambling on a little detour until we reached the trail again.  

Dam greeted us calm and quiet and after a few photos documenting the bag, we descended towards the saddle between Little Goat, Dam and Thunderbird Ridge.  Ean had told us to follow the "Ridge Trail".  I was amazed at all the new signage and trails up here.  The Ridge Trail brought us down a bit and then up to Little Goat.  There wasn't really a true peak or cairn on Little Goat and we climbed up on top of a root that seemed to be the highest point before continuing to Goat. 

Lots of little trails meandered around the berry bushes and we thought it wise to pull out the map to get our bearings.  We could clearly identify Crown across a deep gully and Goat to the right.  Turned out that from the top of Little Goat one must descend on the Alpine Trail to hook up with the Ridge Trail again (or was it the other way around?)  The trails continued to be extremely well marked, however, in adverse weather conditions, I can see that one can easily get turned around.  The terrain is not to be fooled with.  While the path was clearly defined and not exposed for most of the hike, there were areas were one wrong step could have serious consequences.  

There was a party going on at the top of goat.  The group of older hikers had gotten ahead of us as they stayed on the Alpine Trail, avoiding Dam and Little Goat peaks.  Their lunch looked delicious, from wine, to little savory pies to cheeses and cherries...alas, we didn't get an invite.  Reagan munched on one of the 10000 peanut better and jelly sandwiches he had packed and I pulled out an energy bar before we descended again.  

Our return trip was uneventful, not counting the family terrified of the mother bear and cubs near the base of Dam and my fall near the bottom of the Chairlift trail:  All the hikers we encountered on the way down warned us of the bears further down the mountain.  We thought we had missed them, when just before getting back onto the gravel road that skirts Grouse, we get stopped by a traffic jam on the trail.  A family of five and two separate groups of hikers have stopped just a few metres away from a mama bear and tow eensy cubs feeding on an abundant berry patch.  Taking in the situation, Reagan and I realize that the children in the group, two girls of about 5 and 8 years old and a teen are terrified out of their mind.  Dad, shovel in hand is ready to defend his loved ones, while mom is recounting how they tried to get by the bears, but mama bear blocked their path.  Apparently Grouse Mtn staff on their way up to the zip line had advised to retreat...  After milling about for a while, discussing our options, we chose a short bushwhack to get around the bears.  In the end, we weren't all that further away from them, but the kids were calmer as they didn't see the bears.  

The hike ended on a low note, with me slipping on the last few metres of the steep downhill back to the Powerline/Skyline.  Just when I thought, geez, if I break my ankles here, I need to slide out on my rear...wham, I went down.  The ankle crunched and a searing pain almost made me lose that energy bar I had for lunch.  Sure that I broke a bone, I softly - not wanting to cause a panic - called out to Reagan, who had gotten ahead.  No answer.  On my second try I bellowed: "REAGAN, I AM HURT!" followed by, "NO RUSH, BUT BRING A STICK".  By the time Reagan had made it back to rescue this damsel in distress, the pain had settled to a manageable soreness.  I still was convinced that something was broken, ripped or both and didn't think I could walk.  To my surprise, I was able to get up and hobble out of the bush.  

Thanks Reagan, for getting me out and sorry that you ended up in the dog house for being late back home.

A great hike with a not so great an ending.  

(Update:  I was able to weight bear without a problem and little pain for most of the week, but had to abandon my Wednesday run. Thursday (5 days after the fall) I forced a run for about 60min and the pain flared up along with swelling.  Enough to get me to the Dr who thought the area of pain indicated a fracture.  Fortunately, fracture was not confirmed by x-rays.  Since Thursday,  things have improved.  An aircast, a neighbor supplied, brings relief when I am on my feet for extended periods and even without a cast, the ankle is starting to feel better.  Funny enough, more than a week after the fall, a bruise is now appearing below the ankle....Thanks for all the well wishes - I hope that I can be running again next weekend!)