Sound of Silence

I stood here, and heard nothing. No matter how much I strained to listen there was not a sound.  No birds, no breeze in the trees, even the grasshoppers that had accompanied us along the trail stopped their chirruping. There were no aeroplanes overhead, and the roads were too far away to intrude with the drone of engines. I cannot recall ever being in a place with such serenity.  At that moment there was perfect silence, and it was beautiful.

This is a small creek on Cypress mountain.  In the winter this is a bustling ski resort just outside of the city of Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. My brother snowboards here, and my sister in law skis here. I'm told there is a very real community spirit in this resort.  Despite the perennial debate over which sport is more skillful, I can picture everyone coming together to enjoy the slopes, against backdrop of the seemingly endless forest covered mountains that surround this corner of the planet.  One day I may be able to witness it first hand, and perhaps take my chances on the learning slopes myself.

 Cypress Mountain was one of the venues for the 2010 Winter Olympics.  In the summer it's hillsides appear is criss crossed by the treeless ski runs that snake down the mountains to the resort center, however elsewhere in the park that surrounds them there are well protected conservation areas, and carefully placed trails that allow visitors to enjoy the environment without causing damage, or getting lost in the wilderness.

The road to Cypress Mountain affords a magnificent over the city of Vancouver. It's difficult to gauge from this stitched together panorama, but it really is a city among the trees. It is only when you get to the center of the most commercial district that you lose sight of them.