Trip to Garibaldi Highlands and Black Tusk with graduates from St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission Apostolic Year

By Bishop Mark Hagemoen, Bishop of Saskatoon

Six graduates from St. Therese, Bruno joined myself and several others from the Archdiocese of Vancouver on a spectacular one-day 27-kilometre hike through Garibaldi Park and Black Tusk mountain this summer. The area is utterly spectacular and beautiful. It is also a great introduction to prairie people of the mountainous playground of British Columbia and specifically, the southwest coast mountains.

The six graduates from St. Therese were: Rheal Chartier (St. Boniface Archdiocese, Manitoba); Veronica and Dominique Skuban (St. Paul Diocese, Alberta); Alison Fox (Calgary Diocese, Alberta); Kaitlyn Deck (Saskatoon Diocese, Saskatchewan); Peter Van Leeuwen (Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia). Joining us were: Douglas Pham and his fiancé, Julia Rumpel; Beverly Ng of Vancouver; Josh Dupuis (just moved from Saskatoon to Vancouver); and Rev. Gary Franken of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

The area features vast and majestic topography of meadow highlands, as well as spectacular ridges and peaks – many which fall off into seemingly empty abysses.

 

Josh Dupuis, Fr. Gary Franken, Rheal Chartier, Alison Fox, and +Mark Hagemoen on ascent toward Black Tusk Peak, in the distance.

Peter Van Leeuwen, Rheal Chartier, and Fr. Gary Franken take a needed break in the scree as they ascend the ridge.

Rheal Chartier is thinking: “Gee, there’s nothing this high in Manitoba! What am I doing up here?!!

A quick selfie looking backwards on the ridge approaching the Black Tusk.

The views get increasingly spectacular of the glacial meadows and highlands around Garibaldi Lake as we ascend the ridge.

Peter Van Leauwan carefully watches his next step!! Black Tusk Peak, in the distance.

The group celebrates at the top of the Tusk!

Working our way back down the chimneys.

Josh Dupuis, Fr. Gary Franken, Peter Van Leeuwen, and myself climbing up and down the final ‘chimney accesses’ up the cinder cone of Black Tusk.

The Tusk is both alluring and daunting as its viewed against the sky.

Getting ready to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in the upper meadows following the descent.

A truly epic day with a great group!

Visit to Our Lady Queen of Peace Dominican Monastery in Upper Squamish Valley

The following day we had the opportunity to visit the Dominican religious community of cloister religions women at Our Lady Queen of Peace. The community was formerly established at their home in Upper Squamish Valley in August 2012, having arrived 12 years earlier and working to establish their new community in the Archdiocese of Vancouver in 1999.

The current Dominican community of religious women at Our Lady Queen of Peace.

The spectacular view of the Tantalus Range from the Chapel at the Monastery.

For further information about the community, please visit: www.dominicannunsbc.ca

Other hiking in the area during the trip to the West Coast

It was great to continue to experience other wilderness hiking during the visit to the West Coast. All of these places I have spent much time at during my previous years living in the region, both during my youth and my 23 years as a priest in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

View of the Howe Sound Crest Ridge as viewed looking east from Gambier Island.

Gambier Lake, Gambier Island

Views approaching Brunswick Mountain, Cypress Provincial Park overlooking Howe Sound.

The approach and climb,  and the views from Brunswick Mountain are spectacular. Amazing to still see snow on the back slopes in late August – indicating that the west coast had a more moderate summer than previous years.

The meadow slopes in the upper ridge between Brunswick and Harvey Mountains.

Peaks to the south include Mount Harvey and The Lions – the most famous mountains viewed from Vancouver overlooking the North Shore Mountains.

View towards Mount Harvey – the next destination to the south of Brunswick Mountain.

View from Mount Harvey to The Lions.

Looking up from the base of Mount Harvey at the end of the hike.

Eagle Ridge over Buntzen and Coquitlam Lakes.

Another opportunity to enjoy a great – although hot – day with my nephew, Matthew Hagemoen. Here we have just had a feed of mountain blueberries. They are quite abundant this time of year.

Views from Mount Beautifullooking along Eagle Ridge.

View from “The Pulpit” overlooking Coquitlam Lake.

View up Swan Falls Creekalong the trail descending the ridge.

Dinner with my father, Eric Hagemoenat his cabin at Shuswap Lake.

Rainbow over the Shuswap – a great sign during a wonderful respite.

 

 

 

I have been very blessed to have this time in the mountains in the south-west region of British Columbia, my home for many years. I return refreshed and renewed to the Diocese of Saskatoon, ready to receive further the blessings of the great Prairies and its peoples!

                                                            In Christ,      

+Mark Hagemoen