This month’s Looper walk may be the first one to be moved to accommodate the weather. Originally we were to wander through the woods of the Hollyburn plateau, touring the lakes which are scattered there: First, Blue Gentian, West, and Lost. As we approached our deadline, though, snow began to fall at higher elevations. As a result our Organizer decided that prudence might be called for, and proposed an alternate route at lower elevation, resulting in: a soggy stroll through the mystic rainforest east of Lynn Creak.

Sixteen Loopers met in the southernmost parking lot of Inter River Park, just east of Lynn Creek, wearing a fine assortment of Goretex of varying vintages and colours. Umbrellas were also popular, and Joette deployed her Famous Blue Poncho for the occasion; it was that kind of day. After the traditional group selfie we headed en masse down to the river, dodging puddles, and then turned right: upstream. As we followed the trail into the rainforest, we encountered a steady stream of sodden dogs and their equally sodden walkers, all heading back downstream. It was that kind of day: aquatic; full immersion; encouraging the development of gills.

At Twin Falls Bridge we took the trail turning to the right, heading uphill and away from Lynn Creek, leading us deeper into the mystic forest. At a fork in the trail we followed the Baden Powell Trail down, back towards Lynn Creek, before heading uphill once again, eventually emerging from the underbrush at Lillooet Road, where a certain amount of anarchy — and what might be described as “Looper fragmentation” — ensued.

Eventually a combination of intuition, instinct, and sheer luck (plus a bit of expert map-reading) resulted in the recombination of our fragmented group, so our walk continued: downhill, to a turnoff onto the Richard Juryn Trail, which we followed to an alleged viewpoint (though conditions did not permit us to confirm the existence of a view, merely the foreground of a view).

From this high point we headed downhill, still along the Richard Juryn Trail, past culturally-modified(?) cedar trees, through the North Vancouver Cemetery, and back to our starting point where we dispersed, each in search of dry clothes and/or a beverage. All in all it was a splendid day’s outing, and a perfect stress-test for our rain gear.

Photo credits: Jon, Jean, Michael, Adrienne, Janet, David.