Lone Cone: Meares Island
Take me back.
Each weekend I make it part of my ritual to get outside. I am a supporter of the “adventure walk” in order to revive ones creativity & vitality. Arianna Huffington in her latest book Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success. Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder called it “Shaking off the Village”. This resonates with me as after a week in the city, I can most definitely recognize my stress levels have risen.
There is something exceedingly rewarding about being singularly focused.
Step, step, climb, hold, breathe, look up, awe, step, step..
The mind has to stay present. It’s not forced – it simply is.
Pushing our limits & testing our own capability in this setting leads to greater confidence in every other area of ourselves. Training your mind to struggle through challenges ultimately leads to a certainty that struggle leads to reward. It creates a resilience that is transferable.
Struggle < Reward
On an adventure walk the reward is always the same; deep calm, toxicity cleansed, mind quieted, heart rejuvenated, ideas flow freely & the View… That tangible accomplishment.
Gift yourself, begin a new ritual – go into the woods, the air is clean, it’s truly quiet, there is a vitality of “alive” that is scarce in our natural #vancity habitat & in this simplicity allow yourself to be renewed and empowered for another week.
Lone Cone
This past week some friends and I said YES to adventure. We decided to visit Meares Island to hike to the summit of Lone Cone.
It was a quiet Monday morning slightly overcast. We headed past Port Alberni, coffee in hand towards the west coast and the little town of Tofino BC.
Having prearranged our water taxi with Annie of Tofino Water Taxi we were set to go upon arrival. Everything I had read about Lone Cone in the last few months two things really stick out.
1. PACK ENOUGH WATER. 2. Try and go on a clear day.
I was slightly nervous having heard so much about the elevation gain being tough; gruelling, seemingly never ending at times. After experiencing it, I can tell you – all true. HOWEVER since when has anything in this life worthwhile been easy? It doesn’t deter one bit from the satisfaction and enjoyment in having hiked this trial. As we were about to depart the skies clear, a sign of good things to come.
After a very invigorating yet quick 10 minutes water taxi ride we were dropped unceremoniously off at the dock on Meares Island. Annie gave us her cell number and said, “Call when you get back to the road and I’ll come pick you up.” Simple, chill, west coast vibes at their finest.
My hiking parters and I began.
It was already warm and muggy and after a kilometre or so up a gravel logging road we saw a large wooden sign indicating the tail head. This is where the adventure begins. We had 3 quarters of a kilometre to get though and it was tough, boggy terrain. Very jungle-esq. I loved it!! It was like playing lava as a kid hoping from one root to the next, balancing precariously on a stone here or there. As we began to climb the trail cleaned up and it was very typical pacific northwest footing. Lots of green, moss, tall trees and the beautiful aroma and dense quiet I have come to know and love.
This ‘easier’ grade continues for a while but let me be clear – even at the beginning you are traveling up.
About midway we come to a type of terrain that now having been to South Africa will forever remind me of the Skeleton Gorge Route climbing Table Mountain. Craggy is the best way to describe it. Craggy, Dark, Damp LUSH. This is a good half way point, because from here on up it becomes significantly more challenging. Drink your water, watch your footing and enjoy the scenery. Many times while hiking you can see how high you are via a peek-a-boo views to the ocean.
You may hit a wall, a point when you say to yourself; “Will this climb ever end, can I make it?” From that feeling – keep going you are only 30-45 minutes from one of the best views in British Columbia.
It’s WORTH IT.
Tell me how you reestablish calm after a long week of work? Do you have a ritual akin to the adventure walk? Comment below
m! Media & LBH Collective 