"I think people tend to forget that trees are living creatures. They're sort of like dogs. Huge, quiet, motionless dogs, with bark instead of fur."
This is by far the most strenuous cache in the Deep Thoughts series, one that will literally take your breath away. You will be taken to a spot in amongst the living creatures of the forest where you can rest for a while and just think.
How you reach the cache site is your choice. You can follow the Lawson Creek Forestry Heritage Walk, counter-clockwise as the brochure suggests. You can take the old logging road and switch over to the Baden-Powell Trail at Skyline, which will get you to your destination a little sooner. Or you could take the direct route on the Brewis Trail to head straight for the cache and ignore all the interesting little historical tidbits to be found on Hollyburn Ridge. Link to Lawson Creek Forestry Walk Brochure.
The upper lands areas of West Vancouver were logged extensively from the late 19th century right up into the early 1950s. The lower portions (as high as Skyline Trail) were clearcut so most of the trees in this area are second-growth. There are also many charred stumps, evidence of forest fires that scoured the area in 1910 and 1916.
The higher elevations were logged selectively for the lumberman’s most sought-after prize - the Western Red Cedar. Many hundreds of these trees were harvested to make shakes and shingles. As a result of this practice, you will find a magnificent ancient Douglas Fir, called the Hollyburn Fir, at your destination. Estimated to be nearly eleven hundred years old, it measures just under 3 metres in diameter and rises to around 44 metres, its top lost long ago to a windstorm. You’ll have to admit, that’s one pretty huge, quiet, motionless dog!
The 4-star terrain rating reflects the fact that the trails can be slippery in wet weather, and you'll be facing an elevation gain of about 300 metres.
You are looking for a camo-painted, medium-sized PB container. I hope you enjoy this cache and take some time to explore more of the trails in this area. There are a few other caches nearby that are pretty cool as well, so feel free to check them out while you’re up here. And remember to keep thinking Deep Thoughts.