The magic of the summer season
by Alex Greenwood, lodge manager
It’s 5:30am and everything is still. Guests and staff alike are still dreaming of their previous days’ adventures. Nessa (the lodge dog) and I are sleepily walking along the path towards the dining cabin, taking in the alpenglow of the early morning. Some birds are starting to sing in the distance, and we can hear the soft sound of the river running along the valley. The face of Mount Ball is bright orange as the first beams of sunlight hit the hanging glacier and the high alpine territory – the rest of the valley awaits the warmth that the August 1st sun will bring.
Last night was a new moon, and I awoke at two in the morning to look at the sky. The stars out here are mesmerizing without any inkling of light pollution – the Milky Way streaming over top of Pharaoh Mountain, pointing the way to Whistling Pass. I try to name as many constellations as I can remember. I remind myself to come out here more often at night but my cozy bed is starting to call me, and I’m so overjoyed to pull up the covers and close my eyes.
Nessa and I reach the dining cabin, flick on the lights, and begin to boil water for coffee. Another magical summer day has begun, another morning memory to be cherished. Today after lunch Nessa and I will be venturing back up to Gibbon Pass – nestled between Storm Mountain and Copper Mountain – our favourite place to go. Nessa likes to watch the ground squirrels and listen to the marmots calling, and I am eager to meander through the larch trees and summer wildflowers. Soon the larches will start to turn, and we will come back up to take in the fall grandeur. I’ve been in the backcountry for the last eight days, and I consider heading up to the summit of Copper Mountain. It’s the closest place to get mobile service, and I love to call family and friends from mountain tops! But I decide that the real world can wait a few more days and I turn back to the splendour of the valley view. Maybe instead of going to the summit, I have time to lie in the grass and watch the clouds for a while. It’s six in the morning now and I’ve been daydreaming…good thing the coffee is ready to drink.
What a summer! When we arrived in early June, there was still snow on the ground. We had to shovel it out and pour hot water on the ground to get the pipes to thaw. Back then it was light until 11:30pm. It seems like a year ago – time passes differently out here. Now, in the midst of a summer heat wave, we spend most days walking out to Shadow Lake for a breathtaking glacial dip to cool off. We’ve had to be extra careful out here lately as there has been a moose sharing our space. I hope I see it from afar!
Tomorrow is fly day, which means five helicopter trips to prepare for. These are mostly bringing fresh food to re-stock our pantry. I’m excited for the plump strawberries to grace the fruit bowl at breakfast tomorrow. But in the meantime the kitchen smells of fresh bread, eggs and bacon. Bliss. Time for another hot cup of coffee and another magical summer day at Shadow Lake Lodge!
