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Add Wedgemount lake post

Joseph Weston authored on 08/09/2021 06:48:58
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+---
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+title: Wedgemount Lake
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+date: 2021-09-04
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+tags:
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+  - mountains
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+  - hiking
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+featuredImage: gallery/06-panorama.jpg
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+---
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+
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+Another weekend, another hike into the hills!
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+We had seen that this weekend would almost fall on a new moon, and wanted to take the opportunity
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+to finally see the stars, and maybe try some astrophotography in the pristine class II skies north
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+of Whistler.
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+
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+As we eyed the weather forecast in the preceding days our hopes fell, however; two days of solid
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+rain in an otherwise dry and hot summer. Nevertheless, having already paid for the camping spot,
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+we thought we would nevertheless make the best of it by spending some time outside.
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+
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+The trail climbed steeply as we set off through the sub-alpine rain forest,
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+the exposed roots and rocks making for challenging terrain. The skies were overcast, but no
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+rain was yet falling, giving me hope that we might arrive at the lake before the storm.
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+
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+After about an hour of ascent, and having covered only a couple of kilometres horizontally
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+and a few hundred metres vertically, the rain started. It began with a light drizzle that
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+we were able to avoid under the canopy of the trees, but quickly developed into a constant
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+drumbeat of drops that promised to soak us in short measure.
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+
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+The final half an hour was especially tough, as the trail climbs up through rocks and patches of
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+mud; not an easy proposition in the cold and the rain!
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+
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+Eventually we arrived, wet and ready to dry off. Luckily there was space in the emergency
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+cabin at Wedgemount lake for us to hang our coats and prepare some warm food.
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+
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+Later that evening we pitched the tent in a gap in the rain and settled in for the evening.
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+I had been looking forward to falling asleep to the gentle pitter patter of raindrops, as
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+the weather had denied us the stars, however the wind soon picked up and we were treated
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+to the incessant flapping of the tent fabric into the small hours. We can't complain, though,
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+our MSR tent held up admirably in the conditions; not a single leak and it kept the heat
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+so well that we barely needed our sleeping bags.
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+
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+{{<figure src=gallery/03-tent-selfie.jpg caption="Smiling but very tired!" >}}
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+
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+
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+The following morning allowed us to get a better view over the lake and surrounding mountains
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+and glaciers, though the peaks were still shrouded in clouds. After snapping a few smiling
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+shots (we were not feeling very photogenic the night before) and preparing our porridge breakfast
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+we were on the trail again, heading down. On the descent the trail is just as
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+interminable (the combination of mud and roots being especially awful), and our knees were
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+very happy to finally reach the car.
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+
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+All in all, while it's pleasant to spend time in the hills, we found this particular trail
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+to be a bit of a slog. If you don't fancy climbing a vertical kilometre in the forest,
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+perhaps give this one a miss.
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+
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+{{<gallery>}}
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+{{<gaia Yj6z1oNVlR0ftkbH229NzPcg >}}
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