I’m writing you from the shores of Og Lake, its emerald colored water reminiscent of a Mediterranean bay. The sky is a royal blue, in which hang a few fluffy white clouds. The sun is pleasantly warming my skin and I estimate the temperature to be 24,3C. A sweet breeze is caressing my face. Rocky outcrops are all around us, speckled with snowfields. I’ve seen worst writer rooms.
We’re at Og Lake, some 5 kilometers away from Assiniboine Lodge, our base camp of the last four days. We thanked and said goodbye to our hosts, Claude and Annick, two Quebeckers that came to British Columbia in the 80’s and are now the curators of what is considered to be one of the most beautiful alpine lodge in Canada. Francis used his talents as an artist to draw them a really nice thank you card.
The rest of the group is now playing Loup-Garou, our favorite game of all time. I can hear them laugh and clap their hands through the wind gusts. The mood is good, sure, but fatigue is starting to show. It’s not without reason that we had such a short day today, considering that the next 25 kilometers we’ll have to hike in the next two days will be difficult, both technically and in elevation. I also need to point out that we carried our biggest packs of the whole expedition today. Indeed, we had to carry a total of 9 tents and an impressive amount of food.
We took advantage of nearby Og Lake to go for a swim, followed by what could be qualified as a meditative experience, one that’s part of every expedition. The teens were invited to find a quiet, secluded spot where they could spend some time alone. They spent a good hour reflecting on what they’re experiencing but mostly, they could be mindful of the present moment and all its beauty.
The end of the day was marked by what we think was a forest fire. Gigantic clouds of smoke were coming up from the neighboring valley. We contacted the lodge which called the forest firefighters. In less than 4 hours the smoke was gone. Another fun fact: we cook about 150 meters away from our tents and have to hang our food 4 meters into the air since we can’t hide it in a building. Mice, porcupines and possibly bears would surely have a feast of our food cache if it was within their reach…
Tonight will be our first real group camping experience. The preceding nights were spent in alpine cabins. Our 9 tents are all up, making a small village. We’re now nomadic. And the road to success.