Hiking the Black Tusk

I've been wanting to go for an overnight hiking trip for some while now... and Jenn heard of this beautiful place called Garibaldi Provincial Park.  Well we looked into it and decided very quickly that it was definitely worth a weekend.

The campsite down by Garibaldi Lake was full, so we camped at Taylor Meadows.  It's a 7.5km trail up to the campsite, and I'm pretty sure another 5km up the Tusk.  For a remote campsite it was certainly more lively than I expected.  Not in a bad way, really, I just wouldn't expect much wildlife to stroll through in the evenings, other than the regular scavengers.  Speaking of which, the whiskey-jacks are fun...

The hike up to the campsite was a typical trail walk.  Very well maintained and very man-made.  Hiking from the campsite up to the Tusk was great however.  Breathtaking views full of brilliant colors, Garibaldi Lake looked artificial it was so blue.  Looking up at the Tusk was a little intimidating knowing we were planning to hit the peak, pack up camp and head down to the car in one shot.  But, that just makes it more satisfying in the end anyway.  Here's a few more pictures taken along the way:

Getting to the top got bloody cold fast.  Turns out that wind blows a lot harder on the top of a bare mountain.  There was still plenty snow up there (in August) and I'm glad I was dressed for it.  The tusk itself is all volcanic rock and there is a crevice up the West side you can climb in order to get on top.  Probably not a very smart climb without at least a helmet to help protect you from any debris set loose from climbers above... buuuut we were "almost there" and Jenn is both brave and persuasive.  The view from the top was rewarding enough though.  I'll be looking forward to coming back in the winter with skins on.