White Budda/Vents Ridge

We as hikers followed the orange line in a clockwise direction coming up from the bottom of this photo. The steepest of our journey began as the trail (far left) started upward (north) through the trees in a zig-zag pattern, and ended on a ridge at the red dot signifying a lookout point. We had lunch just to the left of the dot and looking southward.

It was not too long after we started out that we all strapped on our boot cleats because it became very icy a short distance in.

I took this picture because of the fallen leaves and with my hiking buddies adding to the flavour.

Someone in a different hiking group got a tad creative--I like the hat.

Still climbing.

The tiring part is done with. Our lookout and lunch spot is just around the corner to the right.

NO, we are not going there. This face is used for rock climbing.

Another snowman, possibly put together by the same people who constructed the earlier one with the hat.

Lunch Time

Because this hike is a loop trail as you will have noticed in the first photo, our route continues down through the trees starting from the far top-left.

Heading Down

Because the summer hiking trail is now covered in snow, it will take a bit of GPS mapping to locate the route.

The red line is our trip so far, and the blue line is the actual hiking trail we will endeavour to follow.

Myself personally? I found this trip down through the snow both challenging and exciting. And it is a benefit to be the sweeper, because the tracks are pretty much set for me, although I did loose one of my traction devises. And again because we are blazing a new trail the summer hikers will never find my cleats when they are walking the official trail.

A tricky creek crossing.

Everyone made it across without getting wet.

Our lunch spot was a little right of that rock in the centre at the top of the ridge.
Doesn't look too far away but in fact it took at least an hour before getting to this point where I am standing now.

Back To Our Beginning