After cancelling this trip in February due to icy conditions, the weather could not have been better. Fifteen hikers, including five guests, enjoyed the cool of the forest and then the warmth of the sun at the lookouts. Some chose to go up and take in the views from Mt. Lolo, giving themselves a wonderful, varied hiking loop, and others chose to do the lower route to the lookout over Seymour Narrows both ways.
Sandra
(click on photos to view larger)
-
- Mt. McBride
-
- Elkhorn Mtn. & Kings Peak
-
- Looking toward Cape Mudge
-
- The causeway to Maud Island
-
- Bumble bee
-
- View north
-
- Looking toward Duncan Bay
-
- Looking north in Discovery Passage
-
- Steller sea lion
-
- The Saltwater Lagoon
Trip Report – Mt. Washington – 20 Mar 2019
This was our last scheduled trip to Mt. Washington for the season. On this first day of spring, the weather was very warm, up to 14°C on the hill. Five of us snowshoed under absolutely clear skies and the snow was better than expected considering the heat. Terry lead us up the Great Big View trail and on to Finger Glades, with wonderful views of the Vancouver Island mountains. We stopped for lunch near the high point of the trail before making our way back down to the vehicles. 184m elevation gain; 5.6 km; about 3½ hours.
Debbie
(click on photos to view larger)
-
- Mt. Albert Edward
-
- Great Big View trail
-
- Rees Ridge
-
- Albert Edward & Jutland
-
- Mt. Alexandra
-
- Still lots of snow
-
- Mt. Washington summit
-
- Steller Jay
-
- Gray Jay
Hiking – Stramberg Old Growth Grove – 2 April 2019
This hike has been re-scheduled to Tuesday
| Activity | Hiking |
| Destination | Stramberg Old Growth Grove |
| Date | 2 April 2019, Tuesday |
| Trip Coordinator | Norris Weimer |
| Contact Info | norris.weimer@ualberta.ca or 285-3710. Please contact the trip coordinator prior to the trip. |
| Description | This trail begins near Village Bay Lake and follows open meadows leading into and through the forest on old, unmaintained logging roads. The forest is varied with occasional old growth, creeks, and wetlands. This is not an official trail. Expect blow-down and brush. About 13 km; 5 hours or more. |
| Meeting Place | Heriot Bay store parking lot, to arrange carpools |
| Departure Time | 09:30 |
| Difficulty |
Moderate, due to unmaintained trail and quite long |
| Costs | None |
| Trip limits | None |
| Dogs? | Dogs must not run through the group |
| Notes: | Bring lunch and water. |
Snow – Mt Washington – 20 March 2019
| Activity | Snow |
| Destination | Mt. Washington |
| Date | 20 March 2019, Wednesday |
| Trip Coordinator | Debbie Quigg |
| Contact Info | debbie.quigg@ualberta.ca or 3710; please contact the coordinator by Monday night. |
| Description | We are expecting warm, spring conditions. We will find a route that works for the group. |
| Meeting Place | Quadra ferry terminal to Campbell River. Car pools need to be arranged in advance. |
| Departure Time | We can take the 9:00 or 10:00 ferry depending on what the group wants. Drivers should be in line early. |
| Difficulty |
Depends |
| Costs | Ferry and shared fuel. |
| Trip limits | Availability of cars going up to Mt. Washington. |
| Dogs? | No |
| Notes: |
Trip Report – Haskin’s Farm Loop – 13 Mar 2019
Eight hikers arrived on such a magnificent day for the Haskin’s Farm hike. We did a short hike through the woods to join the main trail and headed down to the beach. We enjoyed time to sit in the warm sunshine and take in the magnificent views of Sutil Channel and other islands. After leaving the beach we took the trail to the north, to view some old growth trees. Returned to the main trail and up the hill, kept right walking on a wood lot road to eventually reach the abandoned orchard of Haskin’s Farm. Continued on the trail arriving at Fir Road. Back tracked down the trail and returned to our starting point. We took two dogs with us and they loved the attention. It was a joy to hear the birds singing and chatting to each other. We were certainly blessed with a gorgeous day and a lovely, leisurely walk in the park. 4.7 km; 2 hours.
Margot Wood.
(click on photos to enlarge)
-
- Snow Drops
-
- Sutil Channel
-
- Rose Hip
-
- Salal
-
- Old Growth Douglas Fir
-
- Haskin’s Farm meadow
-
- Crocus
Gear Sale – Community Centre – 21 April 2019
| Activity | Gear Sale |
| Location | Community Centre, main hall |
| Date & time | 21 April 2019, Sunday; 12:00 – 2:00 |
| Event Coordinator | Valerie van Veen and Darcy Mitchell |
| Contact Infomation | if you plan to participate as a seller, please respond to qioutdoorclub@gmail.com |
| Description | Either as a buyer or seller, come to the gear swap. You don’t have to be a member to participate. “Gear” may include outdoor gear or exercise equipment. If you are a seller you don’t need to pre-register, but an indication of interest would be helpful. A $2 donation to cover costs would be appreciated, but can be flexible relative to the volume of your sales. Set-up will be between 11:00 and noon. Tables will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sellers are responsible for set-up, selling, and removing all of their unsold items. Clean-up will be from 2:00 to 3:00. |
Trip Report – Blenkin Park – 6 March 2019
Five hikers and two dogs enjoyed a one and a half hour hike through Blenkin Park. Starting on the Homestead Trail, we explored two side trails, one called the Swale Trail, and the other a new trail to Smokey’s place on Heriot Bay Road. At the junction of that new trail with the old trail to Smokey’s, we stopped to wonder at the “trinket” tree. Backtracking to Homestead, we continued to Daisy Trail, then west on the Community Trail to Sheppard Trail. Reconnecting to Homestead Trail for a short distance, we turned off onto Blackjack Trail, ending the hike at the east end of the baseball diamond. The weather was dry and partly sunny. Trail conditions were mainly dry with a few snow patches in open areas, but not icy. Along the route we admired many large Douglas fir and beautiful White Pine, large and small, and thick moss draping parts of the forest as the sun shone through the branches. Despite the good trail condition and weather, we saw no other trail users.
Janis
Hiking – Blenkin Park – 6 March 2019
| Activity | Hiking |
| Destination | Blenkin Park |
| Date | 6 March 2019, Wednesday |
| Trip Coordinator | Janis McLean |
| Contact Info | 3614. Please contact the coordinator in advance of the trip. |
| Description | Starting at the Community Centre, we will hike a loop through the Blenkin Park trails. The walking is easy with some great variety in this forest. This is the first time the Outdoor Club has visited these trails. Including the extension to Smokey’s on the Heriot Bay Road, this will take less than 2 hours. |
| Meeting Place | Community Centre parking lot |
| Departure Time | 10:00 |
| Difficulty |
Easy |
| Costs | none |
| Trip limits | none |
| Dogs? | Okay under owner’s control |
| Notes: | This trip was re-scheduled from the Deadfish Loop due to icy trails. |
Trip Report – Kay Dubois Loop – 27 Feb 2019
Since the snow on the local trails has compacted into slippery ice, we moved this trip to a low altitude sunny trail. Six of us and two dogs hiked the Kay Dubois trail then came back on the logging road between Sutil Road and Fox Drive. That part still had ice patches. Then we took the trail down the hill to join the Kay Dubois trail at the strange old sitka spruce tree. 5.2 km; 1½ hours.
Norris
(click on photos to enlarge)
-
- Mt. Van der Est and Estero
-
- Sitka Spuce
Trip Report – Mt. Washington – 25 Feb 2019
For our third trip to Mt. Washington area in less than two weeks, seven of us went x-country skiing at the nordic area. We had yet another day of beautiful weather and snow. We broke into three groups, with two people skiing the Lake Trail, three skiing out through Paradise Meadows to Far East, and two skiing through the Meadows to Jack Rabbit. Linda was getting her ski legs back after many years and she was amazing. Five of us had lunch on the balcony at Raven Lodge. After lunch, one of the five had a “Merry Monday” (mocha and Baileys), two skied out Jutland and back, and two skied out Jutland and up Legacy View before turning back. The longest day was 20.7 km; about 5 hours.
Debbie
Thanks to Norris and Stephen for the photos
(click on photos to view larger)
-
- Comox Glacier
-
- Mainland mountains
-
- Mt. Albert Edward & Jutland
-
- Jutland trail & H’Kusam Mt.
-
- Mt. Alexandra
-
- Mt. Albert Edward
-
- The Lake Trail
