Hey Steemies!

As I woke up, I looked out the window of our cozy cabin to see what kind of weather we would get for the second day of our mountain getaway. It looked like it was pretty clear skies already and it was still early morning, maybe It would be more promising than the last for photography. We didn't interact much with anybody up to this point, this village is pretty quiet all around. Refreshing considering I'm used to city noise 24/7, sirens, neighbors, snow blowers, construction, it never sleeps in Edmonton... You could hear a pin drop out here in Valemount, even outside day or night. Back on topic, the few people we spoke to kept mentioning something about a near-by Ancient Forest. I remember last year's hike to Mount Robson and the extra large Red Cedar trees, that was pretty neat so we figured we would go for a little gander down by Prince-George and stop for a hike along the way.

Shot 1/125 sec. f/5.6 46 mm, ISO 400

We were pretty excited, we had a destination in mind and the day had become so clear after the sun burned off the remainder of the clouds to reveal the peaks and the gentle blue sky they had been hiding since our arrival, today was going to be a good day. We still had a bit of a drive to go yet, since access is very limited in the mountains, we had to retrace our steps and catch the fork in the road and head to McBride, another of rural B-C's dream landscape, from there it's another 95 km to Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park (Ancient Forest). The road was long and narrow as it went around every curve of the mountains driving thru the Robson Valley revealing more of it's spectacular visual secrets it had been holding from us. From a distance, we could spot storms on the mountain tops towards the Fraser Valley, I was thinking to myself, I hope that is not where we are headed, it would be a shame to leave the perfect photogenic skies for more stormy doom and gloom. After getting across Mcbride, I saw a sign that said the gateway to the Ancient forest. Wow they were not lying! amazing how fast a landscape can change in an instant around here.

Shot 1/250 sec. f/5 18 mm, ISO 100

Suddenly the trees started to get bigger and bigger as we drove on, some being probably passed 100 feet in height easy. As I suspected, the blue skies quickly disappeared as we entered the clouds we were previously laughing at, just my luck! The ground began to be covered with a light dusting of snow giving the area a more dramatic feel. We finally arrived at our destination, we were the only ones here at this time, once again, the whole forest to ourselves, what a feeling. Now that Canada has legalized recreational Cannabis, It is possible to legally smoke a joint on our hike for the first time and we came prepared to celebrate! Believe me, it makes hiking in altitude that much harder(still worth it if you can handle it, know how you react to it in altitude before doing it on a hike, it's a lot different). Sometimes I surprise myself, climbing the mountains I do meanwhile smoking like a coal fired power-plant chimney.

Shot 1/200 sec. f/7.1 18 mm, ISO 200

Shot 1/250 sec. f/4 18 mm, ISO 125

The Ancient Forest is a unique feature, it's an Inland Rain Forest, pretty rare phenomenon in itself. The Pacific storm systems of the Fraser Valley keep the area wet and temperate like the coastal forest, the perfect conditions for a slice of untouched paradise to grow forever. It is estimated that the forest came in existence after the last ice age and been thriving ever since. It is believed some of the Red Cedars could date as far back as 3000 years with trunk measuring up to 3 meters (8-10ft) in diameter. Just having gained protected status in 2016, this ancient marvel is a new Provincial Park and is trying to get UNESCO World Heritage Site status thanks to Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and Caledonia Ramblers Hiking Society who fought for it's designation and all the volunteers who made and maintain the wheelchair accessible boardwalk. Along with it's 800-2000 year old Red Cedar trees, the forest is host to a large variety of lichens, moss, rare and low growing plants and various wildlife including Black Bears.

This image and the next taken by @silvergingerman with iphone8

There are no words to describe what I saw, felt or thought, I was in awe from the few first steps into the forest. The light dusting of snow made it look like an enchanted forest strait out of a fairy tale. As we got deeper into the forest, the bigger the trees were. At the beginning of our walk we saw a what looked like a 14 foot tree growing out of an old stump like it was a flower pot. I can't even describe how large the trees are and pictures can't do it justice, Besides, most of the trees are too large to get pictures! What a dilemma...first world problems! The 60-90 minute walk is relatively flat and on a boardwalk for most of the way except for the detour to the waterfall and is easily accessible for any level of fitness or mobility. The boardwalk took us on an adventure thru time between the ancient giants deeply rooted into the landscape, only leaving the imagination growing wilder with every step.

Shot 1/80 sec. f/4.5 18 mm, ISO 400

Cedars are a very fragrant tree and filled the air with it's soothing perfume, I love that smell! I hope I get to see this place in the summer, with the smell of the wildflowers mixed in with the trees. Walking thru the Rockies is a sensory journey if you take the time to "smell the roses". I know, I get excited at simple things sometimes but nature is amazing! 😆 As I walked thru, I tried to absorb every tree, every curve in the bark, how the moss grows, the tiny lichens that has settled on the trees, the way the roots grow out of the ground making the landscape look like a place fit for a hobbit or elf village or any other mystical creatures that you can picture living in the roots...That escalated quickly, haha! My mind was going wild here, this is a place for reflection and inspiration, a lesson in resilience and persistence in a forest that stood the test of time and so elegantly claimed it's presence even in the lifeless winter.

Shot 1/60 sec. f/4 26 mm, ISO 450

The Exposed roots of these trees actually serve an important purpose to the local wildlife. Many small animals and black bears use the roots as dens to survive winter or raise their young, it's the perfect natural shelter. Be cautious and aware of your surroundings when walking thru.

Shot 1/60 sec. f/3.5 18 mm, ISO 720

We came across this huge downed tree that was large enough to stand in it's rotten core, of course we had to have some fun and a little photo-op with @silvergingerman just to give you perspective of the size and it was nowhere near being one of the biggest tree there. Keep in mind, he is 6'-1" tall, so not a small guy.

The specific species of cedar is Thuja plicata or Western Redcedar. This species can grow up to 230 feet tall and and 13 feet in diameter that can easily live well over 1000 years. It's difficult to confirm the age of these trees because as the get old, the core starts to rot and hollows out wiping out the rings needed to date the trees. The oldest officially confirmed Redcedar is over 1400 years old. This type of tree is popular in the making of the iconic Totem Poles that mark the land across British-Columbia and Alberta. The soft wood and various fibers was known to be used by local tribes for construction, to make tools, utensils, baskets and many other of early life's essential needs to survive in this unforgiving territory.

Shot 1/60 sec. f/6.3 200 mm, ISO 720

There are two main loops to the trail, Waterfall loop and Big Tree loop. Big Tree is accessible to anybody on a well maintained boardwalk, the Waterfall loop is still boarded but there are a few spots to climb so it's a little rougher and akin to walking on pallets so probably not suitable for wheel chairs or strollers. Of course we did both! We went to the small waterfall first. For much of the way we followed a little creek up. This time of year the water was still flowing but ice was beginning to take over. Natural ice sculptures were starting to build up on branches that peacefully rested in the light flowing waters.

Shot 1/80 sec. f/4.5 18 mm, ISO 400

Shot 1/80 sec. f/3.5 18 mm, ISO 400

Shot 1/80 sec. f/4.5 18 mm, ISO 400

Shot 1/100 sec. f/5 18 mm, ISO 400

Shot 1/160 sec. f/5.3 65 mm, ISO 800

This walk was so much more exiting than I could have ever imagined. I remember learning about the British-Columbia's giant trees as a kid and thought it was a neat idea but being there is something else, seeing the size first hand , another reminder how small and insignificant we are compare to nature, compared to our planet. We both work in the oil and Energy Industry so we are not quite the tree hugging type but we thought we would try and see what the fuss was all about. These trees looked friendly enough even tho at every turn I can picture an old face in a tree beginning to move at any point. (Sorry to disappoint but it did not happen after all despite my wishes) FYI, I'm 5'-8" so I'm not that small myself.

We continued our journey to the second leg of our hike, also on the same boardwalk system, Big Tree It wasn't much longer to walk since the Waterfall loop is already halfway into the trail, just a matter of looping back in and finishing the other half. I was wondering why it was called that, frankly the trees are big everywhere I look already, how much bigger can they get!?! 😧 Turns out the answer is bigger! As we walked towards the grand finally of the walk, the trees were still getting bigger and bigger, each tree we passed until we reached the end, The Big Tree of Life. There is no way to confirm it's age but it is suspected to be anywhere between 2000 and 3000 years old. The tree is fully fenced to preserve it from tourism damage but a balcony is built right in front of it for a selfie.

Shot 1/60 sec. f/4.5 34 mm, ISO 560

Shot 1/80 sec. f/4.5 18 mm, ISO 400

Shot 1/125 sec. f/3.5 18 mm, ISO 220

It took us about 2 hours to get around but we take our time and have fun with it. I highly recommend visiting this hidden gem if you are in the area. Many folks that drive passed all the time have no idea this was even there until I posted my pictures to facebook. Maybe they couldn't see the forest behind the large trees.😛 Pay attention, you might miss it too! Seriously speaking, this place deserves the UNESCO Heritage Site status and I hope they win their bid. This place is amaaaazing! What a special experience this was. Unfortunately, our days are really shorten this time of year and we have to limit ourselves to one hike per day in order to be out of the woods before sundown, the rest of the day, we continued to soak up the view towards Prince-George then returned to the cabin for the night. We had to get plenty of rest of the next day, which was the biggest hike of our trip.

Shot 1/60 sec. f/3.5 18 mm, ISO 800

All images taken with Nikon D7000 and Sigma 18-200mm lens unless otherwise stated

Cheers! X🐞X