Elk Mt.

March 15 - Stats: 8 km / 770m gain / 1410m high

Local and eye popping makes this a popular hike.

It being a Monday meant we missed the masses of people. We did run into Lucy & Sue from our club and even had the famous ultramarathoner, Gary Robbins from the Big Chill video run past us. He ran 176 km in 37 hours from Chilliwack Lake through the mountains to Elk Mt.

In only half an hour, by the FSR crossing we had to put on our micro-spikes.

On the steep slope just below the first viewpoint. Here the ice turned into snow.

Chilliwack River Valley and Cultus Lake -- southwest.

Sumas Mt & prairie -- northwest.

The steep slope leading to the summit.

Looking back -- west.

North.

Foreboding dark clouds hovering low to the east.

South to west.

Its another small hour's hike along the ridge to Thurston Peak. It would've been best to swap the micro-spikes for snowshoes to get there.

Canadian Border Peaks to the left.

McGuire Mt to the right -- south.

Siti wasn't so sure about feeding the Whisky Jacks (now named the Canadian Jay).

They certainly were not shy.

Wendy sharing her lunch. They liked the salmon sandwich.

A sheet of cloud obscuring the sun.

Heading back down.

McFarlane & Slesse Mts. to the far left.

Back on the steep slope below the first viewpoint.

Siti grew up in Yarrow. This was the first time she hiked Elk. The last time I hiked with her was when we did Kilimanjaro.

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