| Activity | Hiking |
| Destination | Drew Creek and Harbour |
| Date | 26 Feb 2020, Wednesday |
| Trip Coordinator | Norris Weimer |
| Contact Info | norris.weimer@ualberta.ca or 3710. Please contact the coordinator in advance. |
| Description | A short easy walk. |
| 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. |
| Notes: |
| Activity | Kayaking |
| Destination | Hyacinthe & Open Bays to Breton Islands |
| Date | 20 Mar 2020, Friday; Vernal equinox |
| Trip Coordinator | Vic Gladish |
| Contact Info | vicgladish@gmail.com; 250-285-2111; (cell 250-287-0459). Please contact the coordinator in advance of the trip. |
| Description | Postponed since NY Day, we will now attempt to have our first group paddle of 2020, on the first day of spring! We will put in on the first high tide of spring 2020, paddle the bays (Hyacinthe, Open, and Moulds) and the Breton Islands and find a sunny, south facing beach for an Equinox picnic. If the forecast indicates that a Gowlland Harbour paddle would be safer, that will be our alternate plan for the day. |
| Meeting Place | Len Road Shore Access at 08:00 |
| Departure Time | 9:00 |
| Difficulty |
Moderate – weather, winds and tides over a 3-5 hour day |
| Costs | None |
| Trip limits | 8 kayaks (ie a double counts as 1) |
| Dogs? | Not sure how that would work? |
| Notes: | ALL paddlers MUST be equipped for ocean paddling in cooler weather. THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST PADDLE SINCE LAST SUMMER FOR SOME OF YOU SO CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT!! If you show up without required equipment you will most likely be turned back at the beach. Please review Transport Canada paddling guidelines (https://qioutdoorclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/paddling-guidelines-aug2018.pdf). Having dry clothes waiting at the take out would be advisable. Bring water and lunch. The alternate plan, in the event of southeasterly winds, will be to put in at April Point and paddle into Gowlland Harbour. The alternate, alternate plan will be to reschedule to Saturday or Sunday. |
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
(click on photos to enlarge)
| 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: |
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
(click on photos to enlarge)
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
(click on photos to enlarge)
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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
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
(click on photos to enlarge)
Quadra Island Outdoor Club 