MOUNTAIN LIFE - Coast Mountains | Summer 2018

92 MLCM SUMMER 2018 Even after being blown to Bowen on a previous attempt,Trevor McDonald returns to uncover some brilliance on Anvil Island. JIMMY MARTINELLO Our mighty vessel performed well, until we crested the south shore of Anvil Island and entered the winter winds. A phone call home to our wives revealed that Howe Sound weather was calling for gale force winds and a frigid Arctic outflow, we were strongly advised to hunker down and stay on Anvil. But with a full moon energizing our spirits we opted to go for it, figuring a few hours of paddling downwind would land us in Horseshoe Bay. As the frozen tempests tore us away from Anvil Island, however, we realized a different destination was in store. Fifteen kilometres of moonlit, chilly and massive swell later and we paddled into Bowen Island’s Snug Cove just before midnight to warm welcomes, hot baths, and steak and eggs – from one extreme to the next (thanks Rosie and Pete!). Likely we should have listened to our ladies, but these sorts of adventures are to be expected when you’re out hunting for the sweet gems of the Sea to Sky. It may be a lengthy paddle, a gnarly bushwack, or a Tyrolian traverse over a raging river, but when the time comes, just dig deep, collaborate, take some risks and most of all appreciate the beauty of the quest. Sometimes the journey there (or back) is just as valuable as the gem you’re searching for. Accessing these spectacular Sea to Sky climbs will require a bit of effort, a little research, and a willingness to just get out there off the beaten track.