I awake with a start, pale light is seeping in – oh no! Did I oversleep? I look at the clock, it's only 1:30, it's a crescent moon that is bathing the forest in dim light. Now I'm wide awake. I turn on the light and busy myself with preparations for the day ahead. At about 3:00 I start to feel sleepy again, so I go back to bed - and this time oversleep for real!
Luckily, my 1:30 prep session has me ready. I throw some gruel down my throat, quaff a cup of tea and shoot out the door. I arrive at the trail head about an hour before sunrise, it’s going to be difficult to make my goal - to be at the top of The Crack for sunrise - considering it's a good hour-long hike in full daylight and I’ll be starting out in the dark.
My headlamp does its job well on the mostly level first leg of the trail and I am able to make good time. I reach Kakakise Lake and stop for a moment. It’s a still morning, the only sound I hear is my own breathing. The lake is just beginning to reveal itself in the first light of day. Somewhere out in the distant mist a loon announces with an eerie warble that dawn is coming.
Luckily, my 1:30 prep session has me ready. I throw some gruel down my throat, quaff a cup of tea and shoot out the door. I arrive at the trail head about an hour before sunrise, it’s going to be difficult to make my goal - to be at the top of The Crack for sunrise - considering it's a good hour-long hike in full daylight and I’ll be starting out in the dark.
My headlamp does its job well on the mostly level first leg of the trail and I am able to make good time. I reach Kakakise Lake and stop for a moment. It’s a still morning, the only sound I hear is my own breathing. The lake is just beginning to reveal itself in the first light of day. Somewhere out in the distant mist a loon announces with an eerie warble that dawn is coming.
From here, the hike increases in difficulty, an uphill slog over rocks and roots and in the woods, it’s still dark. Taking it slowly, I make my way up to the top of first incline and pop out of the forest into dim light. Then, almost immediately, I am back in the forested hollow and need my headlamp again.
As it gets lighter and lighter, I make better time. My desire to watch the sun rise over the Georgian Bay from the top of The Crack energizes me; I practically bounce across the rough field of broken quartzite leading to it's mouth.
The Crack is filled with giant boulders; I pick my way up and over them with care, a misstep here could lead to a significant fall. The thirty pound camera pack swaying on my back doesn't help my balance, but I make it to the top without incident. I turn around just in time to see the first sliver of sun revealing itself – perfect timing!
Coming soon – Part IX: Ravens and Wolves and Bears - Oh My!
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