High on Hiking by Anne Dimon
Overlooking the evergreen-studded Comox Valley, Georgia Strait and the mountain range beyond, the timber-framed west coast-style lodge houses 12 guestrooms, kitchen, dining room, fitness studio and a small spa. There’s also a Great Room with a stone fireplace hand-crafted by a local artist.
Following yoga class, breakfast is served on a dining room table carved from one massive tree trunk. Over fruit, yogurt, cereal toast and eggs cooked-to-order, lead hiking guide Mike Blake, explains today’s outing. From a selection of about 100 nearby options, a different hike is scheduled each day based on the interests and fitness levels of guests.
We pick up bottles of water, our picnic lunches and head to the nearby town of Campbell River. Since, today’s hike will take us to Cortez Island, our little group is hitching a ride from Captain Dan Williams and The Morningstar, a study, six-passenger, aluminum work boat. An hour later we cruise into Cortez Bay for the 90-minute hike up to Hague Lake in Kw’as Park where we stop for a lunch of quinoa salad, baby carrots just pulled out of a local farmers garden, an organic peach and a trail mix of almonds and dried cranberries. Healthy eating is all part of the deal.
Today’s hiking excursion is shorter than most because there’s an afternoon cooking class with Chef Cathy. Good thing too, says Mike, because today’s hike is simply, “an appetizer for tomorrow.”
Back in the kitchen, while snacking on miniature heirloom tomatoes, we learn how to make gazpacho and a low-fat roasted tomato vinaigrette. Except for the last night of each seven-day program, there is no alcohol served here – but during the cooking class, the chef surprises us by opening a bottle of sparkling wine to enjoy during the demo and tasting. Dinner, always served at 6:00 p.m., is a group affair and meals are delicious and artfully presented. “And, so satisfying,” says Rene, a San Francisco lawyer, “that you don’t even notice you’re eating healthy.”
Andrea and Shayne set the tone for the care, nurturing and relaxed casualness that gives this place a special feel. One afternoon finds Andrea in the kitchen hand-rolling sushi for dinner. One evening Shayne grabs his guitar and entertains as we all sit around the fireplace. It’s a nice, warm family feel. “The feeling of being nurtured and cared for made me extend my stay by another two weeks,” says Libby Lumley, an English school teacher who lives and teaches in China.
Evenings are very quiet. Guests enjoy massages in the two lower-level treatment rooms, sit around the fireplace reading or chatting, or simply head to bed. Each day brings another day of hiking – like the big one – a 27 km trek across Forbidden Plateau. Yes. I did it, and to reward myself I passed on the Sunrise Yoga and slept in.
Following yoga class, breakfast is served on a dining room table carved from one massive tree trunk. Over fruit, yogurt, cereal toast and eggs cooked-to-order, lead hiking guide Mike Blake, explains today’s outing. From a selection of about 100 nearby options, a different hike is scheduled each day based on the interests and fitness levels of guests.
We pick up bottles of water, our picnic lunches and head to the nearby town of Campbell River. Since, today’s hike will take us to Cortez Island, our little group is hitching a ride from Captain Dan Williams and The Morningstar, a study, six-passenger, aluminum work boat. An hour later we cruise into Cortez Bay for the 90-minute hike up to Hague Lake in Kw’as Park where we stop for a lunch of quinoa salad, baby carrots just pulled out of a local farmers garden, an organic peach and a trail mix of almonds and dried cranberries. Healthy eating is all part of the deal.
Today’s hiking excursion is shorter than most because there’s an afternoon cooking class with Chef Cathy. Good thing too, says Mike, because today’s hike is simply, “an appetizer for tomorrow.”
Back in the kitchen, while snacking on miniature heirloom tomatoes, we learn how to make gazpacho and a low-fat roasted tomato vinaigrette. Except for the last night of each seven-day program, there is no alcohol served here – but during the cooking class, the chef surprises us by opening a bottle of sparkling wine to enjoy during the demo and tasting. Dinner, always served at 6:00 p.m., is a group affair and meals are delicious and artfully presented. “And, so satisfying,” says Rene, a San Francisco lawyer, “that you don’t even notice you’re eating healthy.”
Andrea and Shayne set the tone for the care, nurturing and relaxed casualness that gives this place a special feel. One afternoon finds Andrea in the kitchen hand-rolling sushi for dinner. One evening Shayne grabs his guitar and entertains as we all sit around the fireplace. It’s a nice, warm family feel. “The feeling of being nurtured and cared for made me extend my stay by another two weeks,” says Libby Lumley, an English school teacher who lives and teaches in China.
Evenings are very quiet. Guests enjoy massages in the two lower-level treatment rooms, sit around the fireplace reading or chatting, or simply head to bed. Each day brings another day of hiking – like the big one – a 27 km trek across Forbidden Plateau. Yes. I did it, and to reward myself I passed on the Sunrise Yoga and slept in.
