Trip Report – Page 2 – Sweaty Brow Hiking

We had spend two days on the Hudson Bay Brigade Trail, taking us to the Sowaqua Creek Forest Service Road. The morning of the third day, we had an emergency take place in camp, and one of the groups that had shared the camp had to be evacuated. (See: The Hudson Bay Brigade Trail Part I)

By the time the affected group had been evacuated, and we were packed and ready to go, it was after one in the afternoon. Fortunately, the trip back to the previous night’s campsite was just a short one. By 4:30 PM, the tent was set up in Colvile Camp, and we settled in for a relaxed dinner and evening.

Chester relaxing outside the tent at Colvile Camp.

At this point, we (that is, my dog Chester and I) had kind of joined up with the group of three that we had met on the first day; we were kind of a loose confederation of hiking groups. We didn’t hike together along the trail, but we met up now and then when stopping for a break, and leap-frogged along the trail.

We had a pleasant evening at Colvile Camp, and played some cards and conversed late into the evening. Another group also joined us the the fire for a while, and the company was enjoyable.

A bit of socializing by the fire at Colvile Camp.

The next morning, July 4th, was the final day on the trail. We packed up, and were on our way sometime around 9:30 or so. This last section of trail, which had been the first day’s travel coming the other way, was to be about 11 km, with 600 m of elevation gain, and 1100 m of loss. In other words, not an easy day, but no marathon.

Between Colvile and Manson’s Camp (halfway back to the car) Chester and I got quite a way ahead of the other group. We stopped at Manson’s Camp and rested for a bit. We had quite a bit to drink (there is a small stream there) and lay down in the shade for a bit. Chester was particularly tuckered, and I got out his sleeping pad for a bit of a nap.

A tuckered Chester takes a well deserved rest at Manson’s Camp.

After a while, the other guys caught up to us, just as we were preparing to head out again. We said our goodbyes, and wished one another the best. Chester and I, all rested up, would easily beat them back to the parking lot, so this was the last we would see of them – or so we thought!

Another ten minutes along the trail, and Chester suddenly refused to go any farther. I coaxed and cajoled as best I could, but he just wouldn’t continue. We had another 5 km to travel, and about 500 m to descend. He seemed to be exhausted and overheated, and unwilling to go another step. After a bit, I tried to carry him for a while, but I couldn’t keep that up for long. I tried rigging up his pack as a kind of sling, and it helped for a bit, but only temporarily.

Chester gave up and laid down next to the trail. He would go no further.

Eventually, I just stopped, and waited for the others to catch up. I was exhausted and discouraged. I’m not sure what I had in mind – perhaps see if they could carry some of my load, and try to put Chester into my pack? At this point I don’t even remember exactly…

After a while, I heard their voices approaching from up the trail. Chester heard them, too, and jumped up to see them as they came into view. Well, he got very excited to see them again. Turns out, that was all it took to get him hiking again, and he was fine the rest of the way to the car!

Chester was happy to follow his new friends all the way back to the car!

A short while later, we were back to the car, and on our way home in air conditioned comfort…

July 2017. I had the first eleven days of the month off of work, and wanted to do some backpacking. I had a new home made tent, and a new home made down quilt and I wanted to try them out. I had a 3 week long backpacking trip planned, starting in eight weeks, and was keen to get working on trail-shape!

I planned two “solo” trips for my time off; the first one (this trip) included my dog, Chester, and the second was without him.

I had never heard of the Hudson Bay Brigade Trail before, but while looking online for nearby trail ideas, I began to learn about it. It seemed like a good option for a trail on which I could take Chester along.

We arrived at the trailhead on the morning of July 1st, and found one car parked there. While we unpacked the car (and took photos for Chester’s Instagram page) another car arrived, with three guys planning a very similar trip to mine. We discussed how we had no idea whether we would see zero cars at the trailhead, or twenty – the trail was that unfamiliar to all of us. We didn’t know it at the time, but we would end up sharing campsites for all three nights on the trail.

Turns out the trail is well marked, and in quite good shape, considering how relatively unknown it is. The designated campsites don’t have a whole lot of infrastructure (tent pads in particular) but there were some amenities available…

The first day, we ran into a few other parties who were also on the trail. Chester and I mostly hiked alone. The day comprised a total of about 12km of hiking, and an elevation gain of about 1200m, and loss of about 600m.

One of the trail markers along the route

Chester near Manson's Ridge — Chester near Manson’s Ridge

When we arrived at the first night’s camp, there was one couple there, already setting up. Another few parties trickled in as well, and a nice evening was spent at the picnic table and benches, visiting with the neighbours.

Tuckered dog in camp, after the first day's hiking — Tuckered dog in camp, after the first day’s hiking

On day two, some of the folks from camp were heading west, while we continued east, aiming for Sowaqua Camp that night – a much less ambitious day than day one had been! This time we covered about 7.5km, gained 415m, and lost 595m, over a short trip of under four hours travelling.

On the morning of day three, I considered hiking up toward Deer Camp, which would take us up into alpine territory and what looked like a lovely area. We could leave most of our gear behind, hike up, then return and hike back to Colville Camp, where we had spend the first night.

However, that plan was not to be. While packing up the tent, we heard some noise from the logging road that passed close by camp. A guy had driven by on an ATV a while earlier, at great speed. When he returned the other way, one of the guys camping along the road’s edge flagged him down, and asked if could go more slowly when passing campers along the road. ATV-guy invited him to engage in a sex act with himself, and roared off. I know, shocking, right?

Well, young buck camper dude wasn’t about to take that lying down. He reached down to grab a rock, and hurl it at ATV-guy — and violently dislocated his shoulder doing so. The air became thick and blue with the sound of his own cursing…

So there we were, young dude and his significant other (and their dog), the three other guys I’d first met at the trailhead, and Chester and I. We helped get the victim comfortable, lying under the shade of a tarp (it was turning into a very hot day.)

Shoulder guy under a tarp, with girlfriend and dog nearby.

We were many hours of hiking away from a road or a phone. There was no cell coverage whatsoever. But what did I have in my pack? An InReach satellite communication device. For the first time ever, I activated the SOS function.

Long story only very slightly shorter, a couple of ATVs with Hope SAR volunteers and a paramedic showed up a while later. They stabilized the afflicted dude, and prepared to transport him out.

Injured hiker heading for the ATV to ride down to a waiting ambulance

Via my InReach, my wife let me know that the BC Ambulance people were going to send in a helicopter. ATV guys said it wasn’t necessary, and tried to call it off over the radio – but the message never got through. Just as dude was getting in the ATV, the helicopter arrived.

Good thing, too, because they couldn’t possibly have evacuated his girlfriend, the dog, and the TEN TONS of gear they had in their packs, via the ATVs. With young dude winging away in the chopper, the logistics worked out, and a few minutes later, all was quiet again in camp.

Chester tied up away from the helicopter landing area

The party of four, and Chester and I finished packing up, and set off on the return journey toward the cars…

To be continued…

Category: Trip Report

The Hudson Bay Brigade Trail Part II

The Hudson Bay Brigade Trail Part I