Cliff hangers
A three-day trek in B.C. promises to be heart-pounding, muscle-testing and breathtaking
MOUNT NIMBUS, B.C.— We’re coming around a bend nearing the trickiest part of the climb, when our guide Carl Trescher belts out a “Wheeeheeeheee.”
The sound echoes like a yodel rather than a woohoo. It’s oddly calming and I can’t help but think it is strategically timed.
“Let’s get them excited, rather than scared, when they see what’s ahead,” I imagine our expert guide thinking.
“Oh my good God,” I say, more loudly than I should have. There may have been a few expletives thrown in there as well.
From a distance, Mt. Nimbus, which is located in the Purcell mountain range in the Columbia Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, looks daunting but doable. Up close, it looks terrifying and impossible.
There are metal rungs big enough for my shaky paws heading up a needle-like rock. “Now’s a good time to clip in,” says Trescher, encouragingly.
I tether myself to the via ferrata — which translates to “iron road” in Italian. Brodie Smith, another guide who is behind us, belts out, “If you’re afraid of heights, don’t look left!”
Of course, I then look left. It is beautiful if you look into the distance toward the glacier and snow-capped peaks. Looking down offers a disturbing view 900 metres straight down a cliff to the valley floor.
I’ve never climbed a mountain. I do my best to follow in Trescher’s fancy footwork, but feel like I’m fumbling. When I summit, what happens next is an adrenaline-induced blur, but I’m pretty sure it entailed my own version of a yodel.
Conquering that peak — the first of two that will take me 2,700 metres above sea level — felt like an incredible achievement. As I take in the surreal 360-degree views, implausible stillness and calm sweeps over me. And then I remember, we still have to get down.
Heli-hiking is the wildest kind of adventure. You’re not hiking from the base of a mountain. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll be hoofing it all day but the helicopter does the grunt work for you.
I’m taking part in the Bobbie Burns experience offered by Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH). Each day, a helicopter picks me up at 9 a.m. sharp.
After a mind-blowing eight hours, it picks me up again, then takes me back to my comfortable accommodations where the best tasting — and well-earned — celebratory beer awaits.
In three days, I’ll experience three different, but equally wild, hikes.
Day one is a mellow trek that offers spectacular panoramic views. Here, the guides gauge our skill levels to see if we’re ready for the adrenalin-filled days to come.
On days two and three, I’ll cross what look like rickety old planks, scale two peaks, climb ladder-like rungs up massive rock faces, walk across swaying wooden bridges, balance on cable like it was tightrope, climb beside gushing waterfalls and zip line over glacier-fed rivers. Anyone can do this; how can this be? One: You’re in good hands. All guides are certified with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) or the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA).
That’s the equivalent to getting a master’s degree in climbing and skiing. Your safety is their priority.
Two: The obstacles were built for a broad spectrum of people. My fellow hikers ranged from12 to 80 years old. Every last person successfully finished.
Anita Ripken is one of them. “I’m a busy working mom and proud of myself for having the strength to do this,” she says.
I later ask Trescher if he’s surprised so many people complete the challenges.
“Nope,” he says swiftly. “That’s the intention; you’re climbing a mountain in a very safe and controlled environment.”
We’re outfitted with technical climbing gear and our two “leashes” are tethered the entire time. I did, however, feel unsure. Where do I go next? Will my foot fit there? How do I reach that next rung? The mental component — overcoming our own individual angst — may be the toughest challenge.
Mary Halston has a fear of heights. She says the most rewarding part for her was eliminating her anxieties and fears and getting to the point of feeling joy in her surroundings.
“When you look out and see the magnificence of where you are, it’s overwhelming,” she says. “I thought, ‘There’s nothing like this. Thank goodness we did this.’ ” Kristin Kent is a Canadian writer and photographer. Her visit was subsidized by Canadian Mountain Holidays and Destination British Columbia.