Two weeks ago I set out on an epic adventure. To summit Terrace Mountain in a day from Westside road. I can see the summit from our back yard and in contrast to the blooming flowers and double-digit temps in town, it kept taunting me with it’s snow-capped summit.

I decided I was going to make it happen.

It’s a 40km trip that’s a stretch to pull off in daylight under the best of conditions. An added challenge this time of year is the spring conditions at the bottom and winter conditions at the top. One does simply not walk/run to the top of Terrace Mtn in this scenario.

I had learned this during a failed attempt last January, consuming every minute of daylight but still ending up well short of the top. A different strategy would need to be undertaken.

You won’t find this trip in a “Top 10 hikes in the Okanagan” list. There is no guidebook saying: “Attach your skis onto your fatbike, bike up the road until you repeatedly fall over in the slush, then ditch the your bike in the bushes earlier than expected and hope rodents don’t eat the tires. Don’t accidentally go off a cliff or impale yourself on a tree on the way down either”

This is the type of adventure I love dreaming up, making a plan for, and then actually attempting it knowing failure is both possible and likely.

Being out there on my own was both empowering but also humbling. I didn’t see a single other human for 8 hours. I knew that I and I alone was responsible for making the right decisions along way and getting myself in and out of however far I would make it. I knew that risks were relatively low overall, but also acknowledged that if problems occoured, they could escalate suddenly and severely. Some people are afraid of this space but I suggest you dip your toe into it occasionally.

This is type of adventure I needed, and the type of adventure I live for.

Total distance: 39km (17km bike, 22km ski)
Elevation Gain: 1500m