Not surprisingly, the Ridiculous season begins and ends with no finite dates, but can generally be expected to run from late Octoberish to round about April. Ridiculous brings temperatures in the range of -10c to +15 with rain, freezing rain, sideways rain, fog, storms, big blue skies, monsoons, hurricanes, snow, sleet, hail, cats, dogs, & frogs.
The first signs of Ridiculous are in October, when we get a late heat wave and the wild berries start to ripen again. But don’t wait to long to pick them, only a few days later there will likely be a heavy frost overnight and they will be toast. The rainforest climate, parched from a long dry summer, is becoming more lush and green with many species of mushrooms and flowers blooming during that period of warm days and cool wet nights. Some tree species are shedding leaves, while others grow thicker, and many are simply blown down by the first heavy winds of Ridiculous. The coastal forests are shaped by Ridiculous every year, if you’ve ever hiked along the JDF or West Coast Trail you’ve probably noticed the strange growth patterns of the trees and thought to yourself “That’s Ridiculous”… You were exactly right.
The Summer season lends a calm, meditative quality to our local ecosystem, but Ridiculous tosses all those calm vibes into the 90km/h breeze it brings! If a tree falls on you in the forest, does Ridiculous hear you say how dumb of an idea it was to go hiking in that storm? No, because you’re under a tree.
The Ridiculous season is an exciting, but dangerous time to go hiking. Some trails are seasonal creeks, and there are different detours to take depending to local terrain and the prevailing weather system that can keep you safer. So check the weather forecast a few times before you set out, but under no circumstances should you believe the weather forecast outright during the Ridiculous season. Dress in layers, bring extra clothes, and stay dry!!