July 16, 2009 Alberta - BC Border

On July 16 1969 40 years ago the Apollo 11 was launched carrying the first man to walk on the moon.

At about 9:00 AM on July 16, 2009 I looked up the cutline marking the border between Alberta and British Columbia. I was just beginning a steady ascent up this cutline. My objective was to see if I could hike to Forum Peak using this route. I was doubtful, at the time, that I could reach that peak from where I was at because of a rock face more or less 100 feet high that would eventually block my progress.

As I looked up the side of the mountain and toward the sky I saw the silvery crescent moon perfectly centered over the cutline. At that moment I remembered the significance of the date and the Apollo 11 Lunar launch. And here I was launching my own journey of discovery, albeit in a much quieter manner. I was and am still pondering the synchronicity of me hiking a cutline on a day and at a time that lined up so perfectly with the moon and this day coincided with the Apollo 11 lunar launch.

This hike began at the trail head of the Akamina Pass trail in Waterton National Park. I hiked the 1.5 km up to where the trail intersects the Alberta – BC border. On the drive to the trail head I had decided that today I would hike the boundary and see what possibilities there are for reaching Forum Peak by that route. There is a well worn foot path on this route but there is also a considerable amount of dead fall to hinder hikers who venture here. However I remained undaunted, partly because I had hiked this trail on June 23, 2008 and I wanted to see if I could or would get beyond my previous mark. A few hundred metres down this trail where it descends into a swale there is heavy deadfall and there is no alternative but to pick your way around it. The trail then starts a steep ascent. I found crawling upward or pulling myself up by any tree branch that was handy. In places the trail is eroded out to the depth of my knees.

As I walked and observed the crescent moon above me and pondered Apollo 11 I concluded that today this hike was not so much about achieving Forum Peak but it was more about exceeding my personal best as set by my previous hike up this trail. And exceed it I did. On my previous attempt I had set a waypoint at the point where I turned back. It wasn’t long before I had passed that point. Not far beyond that waypoint the trail became less steep and more open. I began to get welcome breezes that would momentarily drive the mosquitoes away. It was welcome respite for me to be out of the mosquitoes. As I ascended the ridge that I was on and the tree cover became more open so that I was able to start to see the mountains and valleys around me. I felt a profound feeling of good fortune that I was able to hike in places of such grandeur. I also had a growing sense of assurance that there would be no way over or around the rock wall ahead of me. No way at all. So I was certain that my hike would soon end and that I would likely be returning to my car early and on my way back. Perhaps I might even have a chance to visit my grandchildren for awhile.

While hiking this ridge I was profoundly moved by the synchronicity of events that had occurred that day and how fortunate I was to be in that place at that time. This gave me a deep sense of purpose. A sense that every step that I was taking that day had meaning and purpose. Of how important it is for we humans to have purpose and meaning in what we do.

At about 10 am I stopped and rested. I had pushed myself a bit up to this point and I needed to take a few minutes to make myself aware of how I was doing physically. It wouldn’t be long now before I would be up to that rock wall and what, if anything that lies beyond. Would I get to Forum Peak or not? The prospects were not looking too good but this had already been a grand hike so either way I was elated.

Little did I know what lied ahead.