Western Canada

Ok, hiking in western Canada is my favorite so far! Oh the mountains, nothing beats them. And the people, so friendly, even the kids say hi and talk to me. It is not just a nod hi, but a big hi and a little bit of chit chat. I much prefer hiking in the Rockies though. I like the jaggedness, I like the beauty, and the degree of difficulty. Another area I like is the Valhallas in the Kootenays, it also has itsa jaggedness and beauty. The fall colours may not be as colourfull as Ontario but what it lacks in colour, it makes up in splendor and majestry. Maybe a little bit of heaven? There is nothing like climbing up a big mountain, to look back and to think we are just a speck in comparison, but oh are we so much bigger in God's eyes! To think He created these mountains, so huge and vast!


Hiking out here I have seen many bears, moose, elk, chipmunks, birds, deer, marrmots, gophers, and so on and so on. It is so much better then seeing these animals in the zoo. I have yet to see a grizzly bear while hiking though. I have only seen 2 in my life time and that was when I was in my car driving.


Most hikes I have been on around here, esp the harder ones that go up a mountains are switch-backed where necessary. I think I have only been on 1 hike where there were any steps made and it was more of a touristy hike made so anybody can do the hike. But it wasn't straight up stairs, it was to around a cliff which made it accessible for people who don't normally hike to see the features of this trail. The trails that were all stairs in Korea were just that stairs. Maybe to them it was more of a workout and thus better health, I dunno? Or maybe it was to protect the environment due to the large amount of foot traffic they get? Dunno but to me, stairs are definately a harder workout and more difficult than hiking on a flat path that is switchbacked.


The last thing I really enjoy about hiking in the mountains in Western Canada is the view when you get to the top! Sometimes you are above the cloud layers and that is beautiful in and of itself. But to see over thew tops of mountains as far as the eye could see, wow! And to look back down where you just hiked up, what a feeling of accomplishment! But the lack of outhouses and restaraunts on the mountain tops here make it much more nature-esk. When I go hiking, I prefer to see only nature and to listen to nature sounds, not highways, nor music, nor the convienience of having a store to buy things from. I prefer the vastness of God's creation in all its slendour and majesty. And to think what the new earth will be like in the future after God makes His new heaven and earth.