Monthly Archives: January 2020

Trip Report – Surge Narrows Logging Roads – 29 Jan 2020

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Changeable weather at its best.  Leave home in winter wind and rain, and arrive at the trailhead in sunny spring.  We did delay the hike by a few minutes, to allow the weather to get over it, by visiting the old Union Steamship dock at Bold Point.  The steamships stopped running in 1953.  The dock was built sometime after 1901.  The dock itself is gone except for the concrete part.  The bridge is still there.

Six of us hiked an old logging road from the Bold Point Rd over to the Surge Narrows Rd.  The route rolls gently through some fine forest.  Then we had lunch at Mine Lake (very high water level!).  We walked the Surge Narrows Rd south to join another logging road back to the Bold Point Rd and make a loop.  This last section took us by a sunny knoll and a wetland meadow with a pond and a bufflehead duck.  7.1 km, 2½ hours.

– Norris

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Hiking – Surge Narrow Logging Roads – 29 Jan 2020

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Hiking in Silence – Hopespring-Thompson Trail Loop – 5 Feb 2020

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Postponed due to weather

Activity Hiking in silence
Destination Hopespring-Thompson Trail Loop
Date 5 Feb 2020, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Sandra Burns
Contact Info sandraburns.ca@gmail.com or 3977.
Please, no phone calls after 8 pm.
Description We will start at the Hopespring trailhead, slowly following the very typical Heriot Ridge trail, dropping down and around, possibly doing the old growth section, if the trail permits and ending at the Thompson road exit.  About 2 – 2 1/2 hours.
Please bring a warm drink and possibly a snack.  Dress for the weather as some sections might be wet and slippery. Also, poles (1 or 2) are helpful where it is slippery or steep.
This will be a silent walk, with a very short piece read at the beginning, middle and end.
Meeting Place Hopespring trailhead
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Moderate
Costs
Trip limits 6
Dogs? No
Notes:

Trip Report – Mt. Washington – 22 Jan 2020

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Nine of us ventured out to Mt. Washington with the forecast a bit sketchy for travelling and the snow expected to turn to rain in the evening.  What we found was lots of great fresh snow and more continuing throughout the day.  The trees were plastered with snow and beautiful.  Not many snowshoe trails were open, so we started on Great Big View.  This did not provide any view, given the heavy snowfall, but was a work out as we ascended the steep path.  We returned to Raven Lodge for lunch out of the snow and wind, before heading out in the afternoon on Snow Paws.  This started downhill, winding along a narrow path between trees bent over with snow.  We continued until the trail was closed because the trail groomer had fallen through the snow and into the creek below – definitely early season conditions still. The snow was wonderful and the day invigorating, but it was easy to get very wet.  4.9 km, 2½ hours without lunch.

Debbie

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Snow – Mt. Washington – 22 Jan 2020

Trip Report – Hopespring-Thompson Trail Loop – 15 Jan 2020

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Although the forecast threatened considerable snowfall and high winds, five hikers and Luna-dog braved the snowy trails of Heriot Ridge. Trail conditions were slightly tricky as old snow and icy patches were covered with an inch of fresh snow. We expended a little more energy than usual being careful not to slip, and the hiking poles came in handy. Beginning at the Hopespring Trailhead we hiked Hopespring Trail up and over the ridge, turning right on the Gowlland Trail and right again onto Thompson Trail to the trailhead at Thompson Road. Snow fell lightly throughout the hike offering us lovely Christmas card surroundings in the forest.  4.9 km, 2 hours.

Janis

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Snow – Mt Washington – 19 February 2020

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This trip was cancelled.

Activity Snow sports
Destination Mt. Washington, Raven Lodge
Date 19 February 2020, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Vic Gladish
Contact Info vicgladish@gmail.com; 250-285-2111; (cell 250-287-0459)
Description  We will x-country ski and/or snowshoe from Raven Lodge. Skiers and snowshoers will decide on their routes once we are at the Lodge.
Carpools will need to be arranged in advance so, if you can drive and take passengers, please let the coordinator know at least a week in advance (vicgladish@gmail.com).
Meeting Place Q-Cove Ferry; Drivers need to be on time to make the busy 9:00 AM sailing.
Departure Time 9:00 AM ferry from Quathiaski Cove
Difficulty
Costs Ferry, shared fuel and nordic passes.  The passes are more economical when purchased as a six pack.
Trip limits Depends on number of vehicles going. Please register early with vicgladish@gmail.com
Dogs? No
Notes: Please let the coordinator know by Feb 15th if you plan to go, which sport, drive or not.
If you want to be a driver BE ADVISED: The BC Ministry of Transportation require all vehicles on Strathcona Parkway to be equipped with good winter tires and have chains available to use if the chain-up light is on.
Bring equipment, warm clothing and lunch. Double check your equipment before leaving home.

 

Hiking – Surge Narrows logging roads – 29 Jan 2020

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Activity Hiking
Destination Forested area east of Mine Lake
Date 29 Jan 2020, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info norris.weimer@ualberta.ca or 3710.
Please contact the coordinator in advance.  With the winter weather, stay in touch with the coordinator.
Description We will leave from near the Mine Lake access and walk logging roads through a woodlot.  The roads are relatively flat.  There may be wet areas.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Tru Value parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Easy
Costs None
Trip limits None
Dogs? Okay, if they do not run through the group. This is wolf habitat.
Notes: Bring lunch and gear for the weather.

Snow – Mt Washington – 22 January 2020

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Activity Snow
Destination Mt. Washington
Date 22 January 2020, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info debbie.quigg@ualberta.ca or 3710; please contact the coordinator by Monday night.
Description  We are expecting early season conditions.  This will probably be a snowshoe outing.  Whether we go to Ramparts Hill or the Raven Lodge area depends on the group interests.
Meeting Place Quadra ferry terminal to Campbell River.  Car pools need to be arranged in advance.
Departure Time 9:00 ferry.  Drivers should be in line early.
Difficulty
 Depends
Costs Ferry, shared fuel, and the cost of the nordic pass if we go to Raven Lodge.
Trip limits Availability of cars going up to Mt. Washington.  Drivers should have chains.
Dogs? No
Notes: Bring your gear for the conditions and lunch.

 

Trip Report – Morte Lake Loop – 8 Jan 2020

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Twelve hikers and two dogs came out for this classic Quadra hike around Morte Lake, and several had not done this hike before.  We hiked up the old logging road to the north beach on the lake, with lots of water in the lake, the creeks and on the trail in places.  After a short stop to enjoy the view we continued up the hill, following the newly constructed route, hiking counter-clockwise around the lake.  Between some very wet places on the trail, we enjoyed views from the high bluffs, before descending to the lake level, over some under-construction trail, and stopping for lunch at the southwest beach.  We carried on through the Conservancy Lands, past the southeast beach and over the undulating trail on the east side of the lake.  After re-joining the main approach trail, we crossed the creek and followed Lower Deadfish back to the parking lot.  Even on an overcast day, the forest, water features and forest were beautiful.   9.9 km, 3½ hours.

Debbie

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Hiking – Morte Lake Loop – 8 Jan 2020

Trip Report – Open Bay Trails – 1 Jan 2020

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Instead of a New Year’s paddle (postponed due to weather forecast) seven hikers got together on the first day of 2020 to explore the trails and roads of Open Bay with a local guide – Val – followed by lunch and socializing at the Van Veen residence.

The day started out with outstanding weather – calm, dry and sunny breaks – and we took great advantage of it with nearly a three hour walk, some on the road and several legs through the beautifully sunlit forests that rim Open Bay. We stopped briefly at the beach access at the end of Valdez Rd where we enviously watched a lone kayaker crossing the mouth of Open Bay on the glassy calm water. We again accessed the water at the other end of the bay with a hike down the forested switchbacks to Big Bay and the We Wai Kai Reserve #8. None of us took a polar bear dip into the chuck and the tide was too high to walk the beach back to Valerie’s so we made our way back up to the road and to our indoor lunch spot complete with fabulous view and fresh hot coffee! We had a great vantage point to watch the weather deteriorate quickly into another winter storm. Thank you to our hosts.

And our day wasn’t over yet! We made a stop along Valdez Road and walked less than 100 m off the road into a spectacular grove of old growth Douglas Firs. Another hidden gem on Quadra Island.  8.5 km, 2¾ hours.

Vic

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Hiking – Open Bay Trails – 1 Jan 2020