The slightly apocalyptic story about the hyper-popularity of the Quarry Rock trail in Deep Cove rates a 9.5 on the absurdity index. How absurd is it? It’s so absurd that:
This wilderness trail is going to need crowd control officers.
Or, there’s not enough parking at the wilderness.
Or, only 70 people will be allowed on this wilderness trail at a time.
This is actually a thing. The three-plus kilometre trail to Quarry Rock’s stunning view of Indian Arm is so popular that the District of North Vancouver council has given park rangers the power to close it when it’s full – maximum capacity 70 hikers.
But Quarry Rock, which is the easternmost terminus of the Baden Powell trail across the North Shore mountains is hardly the most absurd juxtaposition of wilderness and urban density on the North Shore.
For that, I nominate the multiple allure of Capilano: The Capilano Suspension Bridge, the fish hatchery and the Cleveland Dam and the Grouse Grind. We’ll throw in the BCMC trail, which starts right next to the Grind, and ends up at the same place – the top of Grouse Mountain, as the most absurd victim of its own success. A 10.
On any given sunny Sunday, Capilano Road is clogged from the intersection of Marine Drive to the base of Grouse Mountain. People in search of tranquility gnash their teeth, honk furiously at each other, argue over parking spots and parking in peoples’ driveways, which, they might be surprised to learn, are not parking spots.
The suspension bridge is an orderly, safety-first introduction to the coastal rainforest, although full-price admission for two adults nears $100. No wonder many seek the no-charge wonders of the wilderness – the trail leading to the fish hatchery, the dam, the climb up the mountain.
And so, on any given sunny Sunday, trails like the Coho Loop, the Capilano Pacific, the Grind and the BCMC are about as crowded as Robson Street. And, as far as I can tell, they’re the same people, only they’ve swapped their Aritzia and Lululemon bags for water bottles and trail mix. Too bad they didn’t swap their footwear – I’ve actually witnessed Hikers in Heels.
In the summer, you really have to work hard to find yourself alone in the forest anywhere on the North Shore. From the Seymour Conservation Area to Shannon Falls, my only advice is to get there early to find a parking space, and by early, I don’t mean 9 o’clock. I mean 8 o’clock. 7:30, to be safe.
And if you turn up just after sunrise, it’s like the good old days (pick your era) for at least a half an hour.
Maybe you don’t find it absurd that hordes of people are crawling over each other to experience the sanctuary of the woods. Maybe you’ve never been on one of these trails at peak times. Maybe you feel more comfortable in a crowd, especially in the dark woods. Less opportunity to present yourself (and your little dog too) as prey for a rapacious cougar.
So while it may seem that the District of North Van council is only adding to the circus atmosphere by attempting to impose wilderness crowd control, it wouldn’t be a bad idea if they or other nearby jurisdictions did the same thing at other popular “remote” locations.
Scratch that. There are no remote locations. Merely locations where there’s not enough parking.
I’ve given up asking why so many people have decided to come-as-you-are to face these special North Shore challenges: mud, gnarly root systems, fallen trees, rocks, really big rocks aka boulders, vertical drops and endless stairways to heaven, when they could just go for coffee.
I get it. The wilderness is awesome, even if it is more crowded than Granville Island on a nice day. Who doesn’t want to hop in the rental car or take the convenient shuttle to get right up close to Mother Nature and all her charms?
Meanwhile, like an old mountain man, I just retreat further into the obscure reaches off the beaten path.
There are still awesome, unspoiled places where parking is not a problem. Mainly because there aren’t any roads. But let’s keep that between you and me, OK?
Journalist and communications consultant Paul Sullivan has been a North Vancouver resident since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the rise of Madonna. [email protected]
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