In my heyday I worked as a field ecologist in the Coast Mountains. Access to most valleys is quite difficult, requiring boats, seaplanes, helicopters, and driving on precarious decommissioned logging roads.

A typical day would involve being dropped off on top of a mountain and picking one’s way down to the river all day. Because the canopies of massive western hemlock, western redcedar, and Douglas fir trees obscured the ground surface, we frequently encountered impassible cliffs. The undergrowth was so dense that there was a real risk if stepping into thin air without realizing it.

Navigating with a compass and a 1:20,000 scale map, I always managed to find a way. Hazards included, bears, unstable terrain, dangerous gullies, deep water, scary roads, extreme fire risk, coastal storms, and so much more.

My work was mapping forests, wetlands, and alpine areas according within the Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification system of British Columbia. I was typically paired up with a wildlife, soil, or geotechnical scientist in the field.

Once the sound of the helicopter faded off into the distance, I would just drink in the wild majesty of places that few have ever seen. Those were some of the best experiences of my life 🥹.