The majority of family vacations include parents transporting their children to a new location.
Last month, a guy in his 50s from the Lower Mainland took his 78-year-old father from West Kelowna on a lengthy and memorable trip in northwestern British Columbia.
Clayton Cunningham of North Vancouver says he’s been on a lot of great walks with his father, Don, but nothing quite like their trip to Mount Edziza Provincial Park.
According to BC Parks, Mount Edziza is a composite, four-million-year-old volcano and reaches 2,787 metres high. The park encompasses 230,000 hectares, features five significant lakes and is located close to the Alaskan panhandle.
The Cunninghams say they’ve hiked Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine, did the Bowron Lakes chain and ascended Kilimanjaro, along with many camping, fishing and backcountry ski weekends.
“We’re both well-travelled,” said Clayton Cunningham.
Don Cunningham is a former teacher, but also adores the outdoors, along with being a firefighter in his youth.
So, of the many parks and mountains to hike in B.C., why that one?
Don said he learned about Mount Edziza years ago via a TV documentary, which he recorded. He kept the tape and showed it to Clayton, who, according to Don, thought it would be a great trip one day.
“I thought that would be the end of it,” said Don. “And then last year, he said, ‘Dad, how would you like to do Mount Edziza?’”
Don said prior to the trip, he did plenty of training by hiking Bear Creek Park in West Kelowna with a pack weighing between 30 and 50 pounds.
“I’d go around two or three times, and I did that three times a week,” said Don. “I thought I was fully ready for Edziza,” he said.
“But it turned out that Edziza was more of a challenge than I thought it was going to be.”
Parents transport their children to a new location for the bulk of family holidays.
A man in his fifties from the Lower Mainland brought his 78-year-old father from West Kelowna on a long and enjoyable journey to northwestern British Columbia last month.
Clayton Cunningham of North Vancouver says he’s gone on many wonderful treks with his father, Don, but none compare to their visit to Mount Edziza Provincial Park.
Source_ globalnews.ca
