A three-day trek up Pitt Lake was like an adventure into paradise for three local paddlers from Maple Ridge.
The journey, which started recently from Grant Narrows, took Ron Paley, Wilf Meier, and Alex Milner more than 50 kilometres up the lake and took three days to complete, round trip.
The trio have been known to hike, bike, and kayak together and are all members of Ridge Meadows Outdoor Club. They camped on North Osprey marine camp the first night, and on the second day of their trek hoped to go towards the end of Pitt Lake.
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“But the winds were so strong and unreal waves,” said Paley, noting the trio put in at a popular inlet, instead.
“We made it to Vickers Creek, and that was good enough,” he said, noting the glacier feed waters were clear but cool and high when the tides were in.
While Paley loves Pitt Lake, he cautioned those visiting the water to be prepared at all times, noting that winds can come up unexpectedly and change water conditions in an instance.
He noted that on day two, there were a few times when they were travelling along in almost glass-like waters in one moment, then faced with choppy waves in excess of two feet high.
“We loved the challenge,” said the outdoorsman. “But it’s not for everyone,’ and definitely not for inexperienced paddlers, he said.
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“That’s why people who go out on this lake must be very careful,” Paley said. “It’s a beautiful lake, but it’s also a dangerous lake.”
Wilf Meier video:
Asked about the highlights of the trip, Paley said that for him – at least – it was Defrauder Falls.
“That was a lot of water cascading down,” he said.
Another favourite of the excursion is always the pictographs along the rock walls – primarly on the west side of the lake. They include some painted on by First Nations, and others are simply decorative rocks that offers a stunning mix of various natural colours.
The real highlight, he concluded, was just being on the lake and enjoying nature.
“What a great experience and great company… it’s truly some of the most beautiful scenery.”
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