Just Passed Capilano, Across the Dam

As we drove closer towards Grouse's summit, the feathery clouds seemed to drift directly over us. The temperature dropped, similar to being in a cloud forest somewhere South. There were no rain droplets, but the humidity was very high; I could tell based on the curls that turned into frizz, and the nice dewy feel on my face. I'm so glad we live in a rainforest. It's walks like these that justify the months of rain.

To get to the trail we took, we drove up Capilano Road, passed the Capilano Bridge. About half a kilometer passed the bridge, on the left hand side is a parking lot labeled 'Capilano Regional Park'. There's only one way to go - over the Cleveland Dam. This is a great spot to check out the amazing sites of the canyon, the mountains, the water, and even the Grouse Mountain Gondola. Before you head over the bridge, there's a grassy mound that makes for a perfect photo op.

Jamie can be seen here with the two dogs. Just behind is the water reserve, and the dam to the left. You can see the clouds drift between mountains,
and over ravines seemingly effortlessly.
The grassy area is large enough to bring a frisbee or ball for a game of fetch, and off to the side they've included a few picnic areas for when the temperature rises.
We took a fairly easy route. Once over the dam, we took the trail furthest to the right - it immediately climbs a short ways up, and right around the bend there's a small trail that jets off to the left yet again. Once in the forest, you can tell this is an old one; the trees are absolutely huge, with a bunch of smaller undergrowth. I took a moment to let the little ones know they would soon (a hundred years or so) be as big as the rest. The trails as seen in this photo are moderate to easy. They're well marked, somewhat paved and only climb and descend small hills on the mountain sides. You can take steeper trails in towards the Canyon, but if you stick to the trail we did, it's an easy one for dogs and people alike. The trail takes you in a big loop, and it's hard to miss the exit. Simply keep following once you've taken the second left into this part of the trail pictured to the right. You will come across you first obstacle, but for those with stairs in their homes, this is no feat.

As we walked down the stairs, the forest seemed to lighten up a little. It became a lot less dense, but had a lot of water. There was lichen dripping off the trees, puddles on the ground, and of course, mud. Follow the water, and make sure to step on the stones as the mud is deeper than one would expect. Bikini took a moment to drink from the mini-flowing creek. It was so crystal clear, and obviously came directly from what little glacier we once had this season.

Bikini can be seen here doing her jumping exercises :P. We came across a few other hiking pooches, but for the most part, we were solo. All in all, I really enjoyed this walk. The wind dies down once inside the protection of the trees, and the dogs seemed to really enjoy this one as well. They took their time chasing squirrels up trees, climbing mountain sides, drinking from the water, and just enjoying the few rays of sun we stumbled upon.
Happy trail walking!