We meet at a trendy café in the town of Golden, British Columbia. While not an Outdoor Club event, it is a special day to reconnect with a past member who now resides out here and is keen to show us her little corner of the world. I’ve been looking forward to this reunion all week.
We have chosen to hike at Wapta Falls, described in travel blogs as one of the most stunning falls in B.C. We are visiting off-season, and we know beforehand that we will be adding an extra four kilometers to our hike because the gate to the furthest parking lot is closed for the season, but that does not faze us. I am happy to see that there are other vehicles besides ours in the roadside lot. There is a certain degree of safety in numbers. I admit that I am a little nervous about the presence of grizzlies in the mountains, but we are loaded with bear spray and bells, just in case. No doubt we will also be chatting all the way to catch up on each other’s lives – the more noise, the merrier.
We make it to the top of the falls without incident. From here we can look directly down at the water thundering over the cliff into the abyss below. What incredible power! After taking in the view and the sounds, we take the less steep trail to the bottom of the falls. We arrive to the Kicking Horse River in the valley. At this time of the year when the water is at its lowest, some of the riverbed is exposed making it easy to walk on the smooth stones to get a good view of the massive falls above. There is a fine mist coming from the falls even from this distance. I walk to the edge of the river and dip my hand in the glacial turquoise water. Fortunately, we do not have to wade in to reach the small island up ahead.
A couple of hikers leaving the island point out the route to a lookout for a unique view of the falls. We follow the muddy trail up the steep mound with care as it is slippery in places, but our efforts are gifted with an unbelievable vista wrapped in a rainbow ribbon. It is spectacular! Were it not for the lack of a dry spot to sit, I would stay until the colourful arc faded. From this vantage point we can see the top of the second mound which forms a wall directly in front of the waterfalls, likely shaped over time by a fault in the rock and forceful erosion. I have never witnessed anything quite like it. On its summit we spot the two hikers we met earlier standing before a formidable backdrop of gushing water. They must be getting soaked!
Kevin’s curiosity gets the better of him, and off he goes to walk up the soggy trail. I watch his progress from the somewhat drier riverbed while my companion observes from the first lookout. At the top, he stands out in his red shirt, an Irishman at the edge of the rainbow seemingly cashing in on the pot of gold, or rather, Golden’s geological treasure. I am envious of his position, but not enough to risk slipping in the mud or getting chilled from the cold water.
At the base of the waterfall, we locate a dryish log to serve as a seat and enjoy our lunch in the misty and scenic setting. All this beauty has almost made me forget about the bears and the fact that they would never hear the bells over the roaring of the falls. Regardless, I am so glad to have come here. It has certainly been one of the highlights of my trip out west and one I will remember with a smile.
In the Outdoor Club, as with life in general, people come, and people go; some meetings are fleeting and others more memorable. This one is the latter and I hold on to the hope that we will meet again to share our common love for the outdoors.
This story first appeared in The Cornwall Seeker, January 2024/Sylvie O’Rourke