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The Black Tusk is one of the most recognizable features of Southwestern British Columbia. It is an ancient volcano, whose spent cone has been eroded by glaciers and exposure to the elements. It can be clearly seen from the Sea to Sky highway connecting Vancouver and Whistler, and it is a scenic backdrop to the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort.

Despite its rugged appearance, it is possible to reach the top of the Tusk by climbing inside one the volcano's chimneys. This is not for the faint of heart - the climb involves a nearly vertical pitch of about 10 metres with only loose volcanic rock to hang on to. The hike itself also requires careful planning - you walk over 15 kilometres each way, and gain over 1700 metres of elevation.

Since coming to Vancouver, we talked many about climbing the Tusk, but only in the summer of 2008 did we feel prepared enough to attempt it. We picked a perfect weather day, brought tons of food and couple of helmets, hit the trail at 6:25 am, and went for it. 14.5 hours later we were back at the parking lot, exhausted and ecstatic at having completed one of our best hikes ever.