Klinaklini Glacier and Interior Plateau Heli Tour
By Catherine Geiger
September 14 & 15, 2023
What started out as a trip to get ice at Lagoon Cove ended in the most wildly spontaneous, adventurous, and mind-blowing experience of my life. I will quickly summarize the seemingly normal events leading up to the whirlwind of adventure:
- Woke up and had a breakfast of poached eggs in mom's spaghetti sauce with a side of toast (think shakshouka) on the almost finished kitchen table.
- Spoke of the day ahead and took inventory of our fridge/freezer and cooler - decided we needed more ice for cocktails.
- Hopped in the boat. Dad wanted to invite the neighbors (Dick and Elaine) over for happy hour and we were excited to tell them of our fishing success, so we swung by their house to invite them over that evening - they weren't home.
- Boated over to Lagoon Cove to buy a few bags of ice and top off the fuel tanks... there was Dick and Elaine doing the same thing! After exchanging stories about salmon fishing and speaking of the local forest fires, we extended our invite and they agreed to come over around 5pm.
- We boated over to Boughey Bay to retrieve a crab trap... with no crabs. Weather was beautiful though, so we did a cold plunge instead!
- Back at Hull, Audrey and I each took hot showers.
- Audrey was preparing a charcuterie board, I was just walking out of the cabin, and Dad was just about to hop in the shower when we hear some yelling...
EYYOOOOO! EYYYYOOOOOOO! Audrey looked up from her charcuterie masterpiece and noticed a boat approaching. Confused, Dad walked down to the beach and started laughing and yelling along... here came the Buttle Shuttle with Dick, Elaine, and several other neighbors on board. Before we knew it, Elaine was encouraging us to climb on board a tiny helicopter, with Ronnie as the pilot.
All aboard the Buttle Shuttle, carrying Audrey's charcuterie board with our very own smoked salmon
Takeoff and landing from the ramp... while the boat was cruising. Such precision!
Entrance to Knight Inlet
Caul Inlet - One of many forest fires
Audrey and Catherine, pure joy
Flying over Hull - Dad explaining where Hull was logged, beer in hand
Hull and Triangle Island - Cabin roof is just barely visible
Mistake, Hull, and Triangle Island
After going on this quick heli tour of the local area, we finally had the chance to meet Mike Buttle (crazy to think I had flown in his helicopter before ever meeting him). We couldn't imagine how our humble charcuterie board and few cans of Kokanee beer could ever show how thankful we were for that experience, but I'm sure he could tell of our appreciation through our giant smiles and giddy storytelling. Considering the helicopter is his commuter vehicle to surrounding towns, he knew the trip we just went on was nothing compared to what else he had seen from above. He brushed off our excitement and extended an even more crazy offer: come back tomorrow and Ronnie will take you on a 5hr glacier and plateau tour... you're going to see shit you have never seen before and go places no one has ever been. And so, the next day, we met Ronnie over at the Buttle's place and took off.
Ronnie's Glacier Tour crew, sponsored by Mike Buttle
As you go up Knight Inlet, glacial water swirls in
The end of Knight Inlet
Start of Klinaklini Glacier
Klinaklini Glacier
Stopped for lunch and exploration
Among the beautiful granite rocks, were these odd brown rock piles
Kokanee Advertisement - Think we can get a brand deal?
Cool shades were a heli tour requirement
51.529569, -125.792527
Dad's next purchase?
Klinaklini Glacier
Klinaklini Glacier
Flying inland from the Glacier
Forest fires in the distance
Edge of the Interior Plateau
Quick stop for fuel in Anahim Lake
Freshwater mixing with glacial water
Saw my first bear - Spot the grizzly!
Coming back down Knight Inlet
Different growth and patterns from logging roads
Getting back to Hull after that trip made the last two days feel like a dream... how could I be sleeping on a cot in an uninsulated cabin, cooking over a fire pit, and going to the bathroom in the woods one minute, and then flying in a private helicopter over expansive untouched landscapes the next? It still blows my mind. Maybe that's what I love most about Hull, everything is wild and exciting out there, the neighbors are awesome, and there are endless adventures to be had.
Thank you Mike and Ronnie for an giving us an unforgettable time!
Catherine, this is a fabulous entry into the Hull Island Blog!
ReplyDeleteIncredible story that made feel like I was there with you. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteE.P.I.C. What an amazing adventure; thanks for sharing! An extraordinary part of the world that we are fortunate to experience, thanks to Jon and, in this case, Mike Buttle.
ReplyDelete