Bushcamp to Bushcamp
16.8 miles (all off trail)
Mile 2652.6
We slept in a bit, not needing to rush the 8 mile jaunt into Manning Park, Canada. We’d been hassled by hungry mice during the night, so ended up stashing our food in the bear box nearby around midnight. After retrieving our bags, we packed up and headed out by 6.
The trail was gentle and well graded as we hiked together for the final time. My hunger for breakfast at the lodge overpowered any sense of sadness at the approach of our parting of ways, but that would soon change.
By 8:30 we arrived at Manning Park.
After a short road walk we reached the lodge, where I went to the front desk to book a room for the night, while Spikes went to look for her parents. Upon learning that the lodges booking system was down and were unable to take new reservations until it was fixed, I meandered over to the restaurant to grab a table for the four of us.
Two cups of coffee later, Spikes and her parents arrived. Having already met them months ago at Kennedy Meadows, it was great seeing them again. We enjoyed an awesome breakfast while filling them in on all the daring stories we’d neglected to share previously to keep them from worrying.
After breakfast, Spikes and I said our goodbyes, and then she was gone. Bummed, I tried again to book a room at the lodge, but their system was still down. Frustrated, I bought a meager resupply from the small convenience store and a scoop of maple walnut ice cream from the cafe before hiking out.
As I retraced the same steps I’d made only hours ago with Spikes, it finally hit me that she wasn’t ahead of me, or behind me, and that I wouldn’t see her at camp that night. The feeling sucked.
The three hour hike back to the campsite near the terminus was honestly pretty depressing.
When I arrived at the campground I pitched my tent on the opposite side of the river than we’d camped on the previous night, hoping there would be less mice.
After eating a breakfast burrito I’d packed out from Manning Park and a bag of potato chips Spikes hooked me up with before leaving, I went to sleep, anxious to begin my south bound journey.
Cheers!