Sky to Sea

It's another dramatic road from Lilloet to Whistler.  Photos are difficult because we are in deep canyons walled by dark rock faces and black-green forest.  We go through impoverished and cluttered First Nation settlements before reaching posh Whistler, teeming with well-heeled visitors.

Of course Whistler is famous for the 2010 Winter Games and for excellent skiing.

A walk through the village is like a stroll through the nicest outdoor shopping mall, ever.  A great place for a superb cappuccino and Nutella brioche pastry. 

Heading on towards Vancouver, we must make waterfalls stops.  The Provincial Parks are all beautifully maintained, leafy and welcoming.

Brandywine Falls cascades straight down  into a pool from a height of 200 feet.  Pity the hapless canoe that didn't know what lay ahead.

We are even more impressed by Shannon Falls south of Squamish.  The forest is a rainforest mecca of ferns and moss.

The falls are 1000 feet in height and the cool, wet air is intoxicating. 

We venture into the forest and Ben points out the notches cut in the old growth trees so the loggers could cut above the flair of the butt swell.

There are NO virgin old growth trees left in the forest.  All were cut.  Now the forest is all second and third growth.

We head up a steep path of stairs and rocks to try to reach a viewing of the rock climbers on sheer Stawamus Chief, a 2000 foot monolith favored by free climbers.

We reach a bridge with a great view over the Sound.  Intrepid at first, we continue on, but hikers coming down tell us it is at least an hour more of stairs.

We have not carried water and I am hot and parched.  Water drips down off the boulders above and I get happily cooled off with a little shower for the hike down.  We arrive in at Capilano RV Park by evening.  It is an efficient, super-clean urban RV park on First Nation land right across the bridge from downtown Vancouver.