Ancient Cedars of BC’s Inland Temperate Rainforest

posted in: Canada, Travel 2

Ancient Cedars of BC’s Inland Temperate Rainforest

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIncomappleux Valley, Mix Hart

The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness

-John Muir

This the final instalment in a series documenting my quest to find a hidden interior, temperate rainforest with ancient trees–over 1000 years old! The valley I search for is called “Incomappleux.” The Incomappleux Valley is the southern tip of the inland temperate rainforest and home to fabled old growth forests.

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Incomappleux Valley, Mix Hart

After finding the oldest tree in the valley–a magnificent 1300+ year old majestic cedar tree–we headed toward Trout Lake to explore a section of forest with massive old growth cedars.

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Notes from the field:

We find the old growth cedar forest that Patrick told us about near Trout Lake.

We follow a man-made trail through the towering giants–this small section of old growth forest has so many massive cedar trees in it that it reminds me of California’s Redwood Forest.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIncomappleux Valley, Mix Hart

The inland temperate rainforest is a rare paradise found no where else on earth but in British Columbia, Canada. So much of it has been logged and or completely altered by human encroachment. If we save this rainforest we save the rare, critically endangered mountain caribou that call it home.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed following along on our quest to find the secret  Incomappleux Valley.

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Incomappleux Valley, Mix Hart

Enter into the life of the trees. Know your relationship and understand their language, unspoken, unwritten talk. Answer back to them with their own dumb magnificence, soul words, earth words, the God in you responding to the God in them.

-Emily Carr

Incomappleux Valley, Mix Hart
Incomappleux Valley, Mix Hart

After spending much of my life in the forests of BC, I have come to understand that trees are magnificent life forms that possess a form of consciousness.

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Incomappleux Valley, Mix Hart

I feel at home in the forest. I find comfort in the trees’ presence, as though they are companions. In my darkest hours, I seek the safety of the forest to breathe again. In these times, trees have supported me; I’ve leaned on them and they’ve helped hold me up.

-Mix Hart

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Incomappleux Valley, Mix Hart

This giant beauty has reached the end of her time on Earth; she makes a great shelter:

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Incomappleux Valley, Mix Hart

Pip fell into a stream and soaked her runners & Tabs fell into stinging nettle and blistered her leg. We poured water on Tabs’ leg and I gave her an antihistamine–within 20 minutes the blisters vanished!

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Ancient Cedars, Mix Hart

2 Responses

  1. sharon
    | Reply

    Has Interfor done its damage yet?
    I cannot believe, in the year 2018, Canada has not yet recognized the vital importance of Old Growth Forests.
    Mother trees nourish the young ones and the soil.

    • mixhart
      | Reply

      Canada has few ancient forests remaining due to excessive logging, mining and recreation.The lack old growth forests in BC is the reason the BC Interior caribou and so many other species are extinct and/or facing extinction.

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