Trail Talk – January, 2021
TRAIL TALK
An Interview with Gerry MacDougall
(KHC member since January 2016)
As Interviewed by Lori Rilkoff
January 2021
I have crossed paths with Gerry MacDougall several times over the years, initially in 2001 when he was the Rotarian lead on a Rotary Group Study Exchange and I was a member of the team, spending a month together touring the country of Denmark. Since then, we’ve run across each other on various KHC hikes and at the annual AGM. I knew Gerry was a professional forester and has spent a lot of time in the great outdoors (as illustrated in the photo of him atop Yak Peak), so I was eager to interview him for Trail Talk to hear his thoughts on KHC and its impact on his life and hiking experiences.
LR: How did you initially hear about KHC?
GM: After moving to Kamloops in December 2015, I was curious about local hiking groups and so I reached out to a contact I knew to be an active hiker and that was you, Lori Rilkof ! I became a member in January 2016 during a limited window to join.
LR: What was your hiking experience prior to joining KHC?
GM: A university roommate and I would get out for hikes local to the Vancouver area and my backcountry experience began with Mt Cheam in 1980 and Berg Lake in 1984. Of course, during my career as a forester I’ve also navigated many kilometres through the woods. In more recent years, in 2012 and in 2014, I walked the Camino de Santiago from Ponferrada and Porto.
LR: You have been hiking for a long time, for work and fun! Can you recall the first hike you did with KHC?
GM: My first KHC hike was called “On the Beach Wanderweg” with (KHC hike leader) Michelle Dressler and we followed the Rivers Trail past the airport. It was posted as a hike for new members and it was an early season and easy hike. It was tricky to find the trailhead, being that I was unfamiliar with the location, and there are a number of parking lots along the Rivers Trail there. Everyone was friendly and we figured it out. The wide range of ages that turned out for the hike is one of the things I’ve come to appreciate the most about the Kamloops Hiking Club. I enjoy the range of interests and backgrounds and I am inspired by the health and vitality of the older members.
LR: How else has your life changed since you began hiking with KHC?
GM: Hiking with KHC is a richer experience with the friendships and opportunities to learn about tips on backcountry hiking, and new locales. It’s also safer to hike with a club like KHC that places a priority on safety, rather than hiking alone. With COVID, the limits on group size has raised my awareness that it’s time to give something back to the club that has given me so much enjoyment. So, I’ve recently applied to be a hike leader.
LR: All of KHC members appreciate you becoming a new hike leader for our club! What would you say to a new KHC member who may be hesitant to come out for a first hike with KHC or maybe the first hike they’ve ever done?
GM: Look for the hikes labelled as “For New Members” as registration spots are more available, and ask lots of questions! Don’t be dissuaded by how hikes book up quickly. KHC is popular because of the caliber of leadership and high standard for safety. The AGM, pot lucks and training sessions are often easy to sign up for and are great ways to learn more about hiking from top notch mentors. More hikes are being posted with future opening dates for registration which can also help new members secure spots.
LR: What is it about hiking that keeps you on the trails after all these years?
GM: I enjoy the sensory experience and adventure along the way. There’s the scent of vegetation and soil, the sounds of the forest and beautiful features along the way like dew on a spider web, alpine blossoms or spectacular vistas. I suppose foresters have known “forest bathing” long before it became a thing.
LR: Can you tell us about one of the best moments you’ve ever had on a KHC hike?
GM: Sometimes the combination of fellow hikers, trail features and conditions and the weather make a hike stand out as particularly memorable. The Juan de Fuca hike with (KHC hike leaders) Katherine Roberts and Paulette Gendron this summer was like that. There was rain, blue sky, mud, decrepit stairs, switchbacks, incredible views and a monsoon or two. Yet there was also persistence, beauty, good humour and courage along the way and an incredible sense of accomplishment at the end. The experience reminded me of a Japanese proverb that says “no road is long with a friend at your side”.
- Trail Talk – March 2021 - March 10, 2021
- Trail Talk – Carole and John Moslin - February 10, 2021
- Trail Talk – January, 2021 - January 9, 2021