Hollyburn Hurtle

Three eager runners drove up Cypress this morning to tackle the Hollyburn Hurtle. 

Pat, Cheryl and myself were surprised by the chilly air blowing at the base of Cypress Mountain as we started our ascent to the Hollyburn X-Country area on a battered Baden Powell trail.  I have not been on that part of the BP since before last falls devastating windstorms and last winters record snowfall.  The trail is freed from the debris of trees and branches, but the devastation the storms brought on is still visible. 

Once we reached the Hollyburn slope magical fog wafted over the tree tops. No views of Vancouver below for today!  Instead, glorious mud, thick and black greeted us.  Does this area ever dry up ;-) 

As we made our descent past some lonely snow patches,  friendly hikers and quaint cabins in the dense woods talks turned to Cheryl's fear of the beasts of the forest.  Scarily, she has come upon a cougar in Capilano Canyon before.  Bears and cougars were asleep - or at least kept hidden - today. 

I had forgotten how long that downhill is.  Cheryl still had her Kneeknacker legs and easily danced down over rocks and roots, cranking it up on the rare flat stretches.  The soles of my toes were burning and I was happy when we finally reached Cleveland Dam.  From there we continued on a wide gravel service road down to the Fish Hatchery Road and via some trails and residential streets back to my house.  After a total of 3:19h we finished the Hollyburn Hurtle.

Photos here.