8/9/08

Saturday morning in Clearwater we swung by the local farmers market to restock the rations and pick up some local produce. Against my first instinct Rebekah procured two hefty rib-eyes and one very large cabbage – both decisions which I have since come to appreciate. After a quick trip through the local grocery and a stop and the Country Drive-In, a permanent trailer providing free Wi-Fi, we were on our way to Mt. Robson Provincial Park.

A fairly full day of driving through some rainy, gray weather landed us at the Meadows Campground in Mt. Robson. After perusing all available facilities we pitched our large tent, in an effort to both familiarize ourselves with and utilize the entirety of our gear.  We set off initially for an evening hike on a campground trail but promptly linked to the Overlander Loop Trail which promised (and delivered) spectacular views of Overlander Falls and the Overlander Peak. A slight map reading/navigational error resulted in our traversing the loop in the direction contrary to our original decision. It seems the “You Are Here” area on most every sign bearing a trail map in Mt. Robson Park has been rubbed bare. Nevertheless, it worked out absolutely for the best. We exited the canopied trail at the base of Mt. Robson just as the final clouds were dissolving from its peak. The entire 3954 meters of rock and glacier came to light, as if upon request. We had been cautioned by local residents that viewing Mt. Robson was a treat reserved for an extremely lucky few. That lucky few is most certainly us! Unfortunately for the rest of you, we were camera-less upon this viewing.

Upon return to the campsite, the rib-eyes became top priority as we were planning to fuel up for a full day of hiking in the morning. The steaks were purchased wrapped and frozen and the unwrapping revealed two of the most significant slabs of beef one could imagine as being unreasonably butchered as single steaks. Grilling the steaks on the open flame of the fire grill seemed like an excellent idea until it became apparent that they actually exceeded the dimension of the grill rack. This issue was further complicated by the lovely marbled fat of the steaks both fueling the fire and creating a moderate adhesive to the rack, resulting in one steak actually making a brief stop in the dirt while being flipped. Nothing some water won’t rinse off. Preparing dinner in the dark is bound to have its complications.