To celebrate Father’s Day, reporter Nikki Fredrikson and her dad Neil, each wrote their own account of hike here in the Columbia Valley:

Neil – the dad:

During one of my visits in early spring to see my daughter in Invermere, she convinced me to come for a hike at the Hoodoos in Fairmont. Now I let her pick the hike but before she even got out of the truck. I took charge of the route we were going to take up the hill.

Luckily we somehow managed to get up to the top of the Hoodoos following my choice of the trail. As it was spring, about halfway up the trail I started thinking about bears.

Immediately I started searching for a club or a walking stick all while my youngest daughter rolled her eyes right behind me. But it seemed other dads had the same idea because they were few and far between.

Finally, I found one and we reached the top of the Hoodoos, taking in the views of the Columbia Valley. I thought how lucky I was to be up there with my photographer daughter, who captured pictures of the view, me and our family dog.

After looking down and seeing the long drop to the bottom I silently cursed her desire to get the perfect photo as she directed me farther out along the edge.

Nikki – the daughter:

Personally, I wouldnt say it was just me directing my dad farther out along the Hoodoos as he is equally into photography and is ever so the perfectionist, like me.

We decided to head back down the trail. Dad decide to lead us off the beaten trail once again, leading us right to a herd of deer.

It was at that point that I had enough of my dads attempt to hike, which was ending up more and more like a bushwhacking adventure. Finally, I took the lead and led us right back the parking lot coming from the opposite direction that we started.

The hoodoos are the perfect Sunday hiking activity for any father-daughter duo. Its short, easy and fairly relaxing. One piece of advice from this hiking duo, we recommend you find your walking stick early as you wont find any halfway up, and it’ll save you from waiting for your old man.