The Treacherous Hike Up:

The day began like any usual winter day. We arrived at the parking lot with a gleaming anticipation of the glorious days ahead despite our fatigue. We prepared to hike up an extra kilometre to the trailhead, when a stranger in a huge pickup truck passed by and witnessed our dismay. He offered to bring our heavy packs up to the trailhead, saving us from a painful start to the day. It was a miracle and a good omen for the trip ahead. When we reached the trailhead, Ms. Contant revealed we’d actually hiked up three kilometres, and not one. We trekked up the mountain, gulping down liters of water and stuffing our faces with Cliff Bars. We tackled the steepest part of our hike, Paul’s Ridge, and were rewarded by a beautiful clearing overlooking a valley. After a few more hours of climbing, we saw the most stunning sunset of our lives. The sunlight christened the snow planes and provided warmth over our motley crew of sweaty high-schoolers. Fourteen kilometres after originally departing, we arrived at a warm hut, where we prepared food and enjoyed the relatively clean outhouses. It was an excellent night, with a meal of burrito bowls and an amazing time of bonding and worship. We were blessed with a great slumber, energizing us for the day ahead.

The Day of Digging:

We woke up the next day, feeling warm and toasty in our heated cabin. Waking up to the smell of a huge delicious breakfast of fried rice, ham and eggs, we rose with high spirits, looking forward to what the rest of the day had to offer. We looked outside. Relentless snowfall. As we put on our damp gear, the sound of buzzing chatter filled the room due to our nervous, yet excited anticipation towards digging the snow caves. Digging the snow caves was one of the most challenging experiences most of us have felt in our entire lives. Digging six feet down and four feet into the hill, we meticulously chipped and carved blocks of snow out of our soon-to-be shelter. Thanks to the help from the beastly beast Zach and Mr. Roosma, who helped dig almost all of the snow caves, we were able to finish creating our new homes in just under six hours! While we dug, time flew and before we knew it, it was dark outside. Just as we finished and went inside the cabin to eat dinner, the freezing temperatures set in and chilled us to the bone. We left our snow-soaked gloves and socks to dry out in another hut before dinner, and when we came back to collect them, they were frozen solid due to the cold that felt like -20 degrees Celsius.

The Climb Down:

We woke up in our snow caves expecting snow, but to our surprise we climbed out to a beautiful and crisp sunrise.  What an amazing blessing and gift from God!  We quickly packed up and ate a delicious, quick oatmeal breakfast. We took a group picture and got ready to begin the long journey down the mountain. On the hike down, we couldn’t stop looking around, turning our eyes to the huge, majestic mountains that surrounded us. It was a time of great bonding and conversations that will not soon leave our memories.  We experienced what perseverance and teamwork truly is.  We returned home as not simply family, but as bros.

Submitted by Bryan Huang

The Senior Boys Basketball Team went into this season with clear eyes and full hearts ready to compete in the competitive Richmond League. This team’s identity was based on hard work and solid effort each and every shift. Led by the captains Terrence Moy , Dru Jao, and Patrick Creighton, this year’s Senior Boys Basketball team stayed very competitive when every team member showed up.

Along with Coach Kawamura it was an honour to have coached these young men this year. In closing, I want to encourage them to continue to develop their skills and passion for basketball. Also, I want to encourage them to give back, when possible, to the younger players who love this sport. You never know when the next Malcolm Brogdon enters the gym and is looking to play some basketball.

submitted by Coach Buller-Taylor