Hiking the Chief: Reflections on the Grade 6/7 Expedition
September 16, 2009 – 9:58 am
Despite a rainy beginning, the Grade 6 & 7 fall expedition to Squamish turned out to be a sun-filled hiking adventure enjoyed by all. The group traveled along the sea-to-sky highway to our designated camping area where students quickly set up their tents at Alice Lake Park in the rain. A massive tarp covered the outdoor makeshift kitchen facility where two Coleman stoves served the culinary needs of our hungry group. After comfortably settling into their tents, students were given a tour of the park and clear boundaries were set by teachers about where students could, and could not, explore. We then hiked the Four Lakes Trail—a circuitous 6 km path that connects Alice Lake, Stump Lake, Edith Lake, and Fawn Lake. The trail cuts through Douglas fir, western red cedar, and other deciduous and coniferous trees. We saw warblers, squirrels, chickadees, and a Steller’s Jay. We also stopped along the banks of the chocolaty-brown Squamish River. The boys especially enjoyed throwing rocks into the turbulent water. Once we got back to our base camp Grade 6 students Marcel, Devon, & Phillip demonstrated their culinary talents by preparing a delicious meat and vegetarian chili dinner for the group. Afterwards, a number of students braved the cold waters of Alice Lake and went swimming. Around 10 pm the group burrowed into their down-filled sleeping bags for a (mostly) restful first-night’s sleep.
The second day began early and we welcomed the blue sky and sunshine that greeted our rise. We had oatmeal for breakfast and we all packed a lunch before heading off to the base of The Chief. Our 15-passenger van meant that our driver, Bruce Steele, had to make two trips in order to transport our 26-person group from Alice Lake to Stawamus Chief Park, but it was not long before the entire group began its ascent—as a group. The hike was challenging and the group’s leader, Adrian, made the decision that we would hike to the Chief’s 2nd peak. With resting breaks along the way (that included a respite where the group ate lunch, enjoyed a spectacular view, and was harassed by a hungry and fearless chipmunk) the ENTIRE group made it to the top—an amazing accomplishment! We took some time to enjoy the spectacular views and students took lots of pictures to remind them of what they had accomplished. The hike back down was grueling as well, but at least we had gravity on our side. A healthy salad, and a meat and vegetarian pasta dinner filled our hungry bellies when we got back to our base camp. Thereafter more students went swimming and later that night we played glow-stick-ultimate under an amazing starry sky. The day ended with students drinking hot chocolate and toasting marshmallows on an open fire.
The last day was as sunny as the previous one. Once breakfast was finished (the oatmeal was much better received this time) students began to pack up. We cleaned the site thoroughly and waited to meet the Grade 8 & 9 students at Alice Lake who were returning from their expedition to Garabaldi Park.
Expeditions are an important part of IPS culture, but they could not take place were it not for the help and support of volunteers. Thanks goes especially to the parent volunteers that assisted in making the Grade 6/7 Expedition possible. They were Deanna Adams and Bruce Steele. IPS parent, Gayle Lyttle, prepared the first aid kits that would accompany all of our expedition groups. Her professional expertise as a working paramedic makes her especially suited for this important task. Thanks goes as well to Linea Nordling from Camp Bow-Isle who also volunteered her time and expertise. (Linea recently graduated from the University of Victoria.) IPS teacher and resident photographer, Graeme Campbell, also accompanied our group and his contributions helped keep the expedition safe for students. Our newest IPS teacher, Adrian van Lidth de Jeude, played an important role as well. He was especially helpful in coordinating many of the activities and served as the principal guide on our hike. Adrian was also the first-aid designate and patched up students who had scraped their knees or were about to develop blisters.
Finally, I’d like to thank Brad Ovenell-Carter who organized the fall expedition for all the grades. As you can appreciate, providing this kind of experience for students is a huge undertaking and Brad assumes tremendous responsibility in planning a safe adventure for students in Grades 6-9.
Cheers,
Michael Simmonds
Head of School