the Adventure Vizsla Life
We’re very late this year for snow on the mountains and today we finally had a good dump up at Seymour Mountain. The mountain still isn’t fully open for skiing so we had several slopes to ourselves. We took the Goldie Lake Loop and were…
While during the summer it’s the hippie nudist hangout, in the winter Wreck Beach is pretty much empty and inviting to energetic off-leash Vizslas. We met up again with Whiskey’s sister Millie (and Millie’s owner) and let them race up and down the beach for…
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| St Marks trail |
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| really really dry ski slopes |
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| Scouting out the trail in front |
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| Daddy showing Whiskey how to climb |
St. Marks is the first summit on the Howe Sound Crest Trail that goes from Vancouver’s Cypress Mountain to close to Squamish at 30km over several mountains. Luckily it’s dog friendly and we saw very few people on the way. Usually the trail is much more populated but it’s off season and the threat of snow on the trails keeps most people away. It’s been too warm to even gather much snow on the top of the trails but it was snowing for most of our hike! It’s so beautiful.
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| Snow! It’s snowing big snowflakes |
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| Switchbacks going up |
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| Happy hikers |
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| We went through many types of atmosphere up here |
Whiskey had a couple adventures this time. At one point she had climbed up a steep rocky point and couldn’t figure out her way down for a couple minutes. Then poor Whiskey was happily galloping around at some point and fell through a pond covered in ice and snow. She was so cold but it seemed to make her run around even faster. We kept her moving and chasing sticks and didn’t stop very long at the top (there was no view in the clouds but the view is usually breathtaking). Soon she dried out and we were back on the dry ski slopes.
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| Poor thing can’t get down |
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| I match the tree! |
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| Who’s that in the crack? |
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| How beautiful can British Columbia be? |
It was so nice to get outside in the crisp air without the hassle of snowshoes. I’ve been carrying a small jar of Musher’s Secret Paw Wax just in case her paws have trouble in the snow and ice but so far we’ve had no issues. I was a wee bit worried that it was a longer hike than normal for Whiskey but she spent the rest of the night running around at a friend’s house and never really crashed much. It’s weird because it seems like hiking energizes her instead of making her tired. Usually she spends the day sleeping and doesn’t seem so excitable.
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| Merry Christmas! |
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This weekend we finally had beautiful weather and enough time to head to Squamish for “The Chief” hike. One of our old favorites it has become so popular that over the last 5 years it’s come to rival the “Grouse Grind” for the must-do hike…
We were lucky enough to spend Thanksgiving up on Sunshine Coast with new friends this year. There were a couple knitters in the group who helped me finish my first little project: a snood/neck-warmer for Whiskey. I just ordered some knitting needles so I can…
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| heading up the trail |
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| Whiskey takes all kinds of side trails |
Earlier this year, we had completed the same hike in snow and found a section to scramble, which was easy enough without having to worry about safety, but tough enough to get your heart racing. Every dog is different, and although we’re really struggling to get Whiskey to say, fetch, she LOVES agility, climbing, and balancing on things. I was keen to try this scramble with her, with full intentions on taking the normal trail if she showed any sign of fear, hesitation, or lack of balance/safety.
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| This is the scramble |
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| starting up, Whiskey is patient with us |
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| going between Daddy and me |
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| see! no worries! |
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| My mountain dog |
Well, even in my wildest dreams I wouldn’t have imagined how impressive she would be. While we were struggling to find handholds and routes, Whiskey was up and over our heads going back and forth between us, sure-footed and happy. There were only two times she needed to be lifted up a meter or so. She’s been on another hike with a steel ladder section where she’s learned to stay on my partner’s shoulders in a fireman’s carry, so we had no problems. Whiskey can also follow if we point her a new route, and when one way doesn’t work out, she will work out another path herself (something we’ve been patiently teaching her).
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| hurry up mommy! |
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| She’s so graceful, I love watching her |
I just can’t believe my little puppy is a mountain goat! She’s been constantly surprising me with her fearlessness since we got her. Every time she slips, she gets right back up and tries again. I only wish I could have taken my cat scrambling too!
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| Whiskey follows Daddy up the boulder |
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| but she refuses to jump over. Great decision making! |
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| Moo is a true acrobat but refuses a harness/collar/leash |
I can’t wait for our next weekend hike and I’m so ecstatic to have the hiking dog of my dreams.
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| Best dog ever! |