Capturing the Art of Nature
Return to Mount Cheam
It has been three years since I last climbed Cheam and I felt I was over due for a visit. I was not disappointed that I returned.
Category
Serendipitous Discoveries
2008
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The hike up Cheam has always been a pleasant experience. The sights are great and the fresh air and sounds add to the exquisite grandeur of the place. Today’s trip was long anticipated but quite uncertain as to its execution. I had been struggling with a strained back with some very painful cramping in my back muscles the last two weeks. Earlier in the week I could barely walk, but after some massage therapy on Thursday I was feeling better. This morning I was dubious, should I do an easier shorter hike or try for the Summit of Cheam? Well determination got the best of me and as I was feeling better I decided to try Cheam, so off we went.
The drive to the parking area started off quite normal with little pain to my back. But when we arrived at the logging road and bumped over the first set of potholes my spasms were set off and I was right back to where I was days earlier. Each set of potholes added to the pain and I could barely move. Ethan had to just inch over them to stop it from jarring me. We were going over them so slow it was embarrassing! I was thinking back to my less than kind thoughts towards other drivers who would barely crawl over the rough road and here we were moving no faster! We finally arrived at the parking area and it was time to get out. I wasn’t at all sure I could get out and stand up let along hike.
I gingerly pushed myself out and slowly stood up. I felt not too bad if I didn’t bend and so decided I would try to at least get to the open meadow at the end of the road. So we got our gear organized and set off on the hike. As we made our way along, my back started to ease up and before long I was feeling quite decent. Upon reaching the meadow I felt good enough to keep going and so up we went, knowing full well that we may need to turn back at any point. We soon came to tiny Spoon Lake and found it a disgusting mess. An avalanche earlier in the season and covered it in mud and ice and it looked quite bad. I sure hope it recovers once the ice melts and the mud settles to the bottom. One could see debris all over the area. In the snow free areas the wild flowers were doing their part in hiding the mess.
We encountered the most snow of all my earlier trips up Cheam on today’s adventure, it was a bit earlier in the season then when we have gone previously. But it wasn’t too deep or hard to travel over. I was feeling better as we hiked along and in fact was making very good time on the way up – the fastest of my trips to date!. There were several other groups on the trail today but not as many as I have seen later in the season. The day wasn’t too hot and there was a mild breeze to cool us on the way up. But as we neared the summit the wind greatly picked up and it was actually quite windy and cold at the summit.
Ethan and I ate our lunch at the top and once well chilled, we were about to head down when I was intrigued by a couple who had settled down a short ways past the summit. I decided to walk out towards them to get a view of the summit from a different angle and as I dipped below the peak the wind was gone. This little area was quiet and warm. It was actually quite amazing! I stayed for a while longer and got a number of new angles. Then it was back into the wind and the journey back down. I found the downward hike a bit harder on my back but I still made good time. By the time we reached the Pathfinder my back was actually feeling not bad. The return drive over the potholes saw little discomfort – at least over the normal amount - and I was hopeful that the hike had cured my pains. Alas by the time we arrived home, the long drive had undone much of the good work of the hike and I was quite stiff and sore again.
It was well worth the time taken to hike Cheam one more time, this being my fourth time to the summit of Cheam plus one more to Lady Peak. I will return, next time perhaps for Lady Peak.