Category Archives: dogs OK

Trip Report – Ripple Rock Trail – 13 May 2025

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Three of us and two dogs hiked out from trailhead at Highway 19 to the viewpoint overlooking former Ripple Rock. Blasted in 1958, it was the largest non nuclear blast up until that time. It was a beautiful sunny day with slight breeze so temperature was ideal for hiking. With no significant rainfall for awhile the trail was dry with no mud or slippery sections. We walked the trail at a good pace with dogs helping us along. The whole route out and back was 9 km and took 3 hours and 6 minutes, with a 15 to 20 minute break for a snack at Ripple Rock viewpoint. The last uphill stretch to parking lot was a bit exhausting, but welcome once there.

Allan
 
Thanks to Allan for the photos
 

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Hiking – Ripple Rock Trail – 13 May 2025

Hiking – Eagle Ridge and Blindman’s Bluff – 30 April 2025

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Activity Hiking
Destination Eagle Ridge and Blindman’s Bluff
Date 30 April 2025
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info 250-285-2029 or lhquadra@gmail.com
Description After meeting at the community center, we will carpool out to Copperhead Road parking then hike Blindman’s Bluff and up Eagle Ridge. This is not a hard hike, but you might want to bring poles if you use them as we are on some rocks.
Meeting Place Community Centre Parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Moderate
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? OK but must be under control and on a leash if not kept in front of the group
Notes: Bring water and a lunch or snack

Trip Report – Beech’s Mountain – 16 Apr 2025

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Ten hikers set out from the Chinese mountain parking lot on a beautiful sunny spring day. The trail was dry and in excellent condition. It has been a while since we have had this nice of weather and we were certainly enjoying it. We stopped at many of the open large rock outcrops to look out over Quadra and to the snow on the mountains on Vancouver Island. As we approached the pond, where the trail forks to go to Beech’s or Chinese mountain, there was a huge uproar of thousands of frogs croaking. Often at the first sound of people talking they will stop croaking, but they did not seem to mind us at all and just kept going. We proceeded on up to the large open rock face and decided to have lunch here as we enjoyed the views to the south and east. After we hiked on to the top of Beech’s where we unrolled a large Canadian flag that Val had brought. She took a group photo of us with the flag to send into Global TV. It will be interesting to see if it gets used on the evening news.
With the top and picture accomplished, we took a leisurely pace back down the hill to our vehicles. (7km, 4½ hours, 350m elevation)

Les

Thanks to Carrie and Les for the photos.

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Hiking – Beech’s Mtn  – 16 Apr 2025

Hiking – Yellow Mud Loop – 26 March 2025

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Activity Hiking
Destination Yellow Mud Loop
Date 26 March 2025, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Louise Squire
Contact Info Lsquire@sasktel.net
Description Starting at Reed Lake, we will go south on Straight as a Dime, turn east on Back Door over the rock bluffs and down to the variously named lake with the large beaver dam.  From here we return along the Yellow Mud trail to Reed Lake.
Be prepared for a change weather depending.
Meeting Place Legion parking lot
Departure Time 9:30
Difficulty
 Easy to moderate – may be slick if it rains
Costs none
Trip limits 10
Dogs? On leash
Notes:

Trip Report – Shellaligan Loop – 24 Feb 2025

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On a partially sunny day four hikers and two dogs set out to do the shorter loop counter clockwise. The rocks were wet, but trail was in good shape. The ocean views with the snowy mountain peaks in the distance are very picturesque on this shoreline walk. We paused on the Village Bay rocky point for the views up Hoskyn channel. We did not stay long as there was a cool breeze coming off the water. The group then continued down the shoreline and up the hill to the fork in the trail. From here we traveled down the gully and over the bridge. The creek was running fast and high. We continued on to the oyster farm where we enjoyed a lunch while watching the birds. After we returned back up the hill and to our vehicles.  (4.5 km and 2½ hours)

Les

Thanks to Les and Valerie for the photos

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Hiking – Shellaligan Loop – 24 Feb 2025

Hiking – Shellaligan Loop – 24 Feb 2025

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Activity Hiking
Destination Shellaligan Loop
Date 24 Feb, Monday
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info lhquadra@gmail.com  or 285-2029
Description We will drive out to Valdez Road and to the second parking spot. We will do the route counterclockwise. The first part is scrambling over some rocky bluffs so wear good shoes. We will possibly go down to the old oyster farm as well. Much of this trail is along the ocean shoreline so hopefully there will not be any snow. If there is a need to change the destination, I will contact anyone that has signed up.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot
Departure Time 10 am
Difficulty
 Moderate
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? OK but must not run back-and-forth through the group
Notes: Bring a lunch or snack as we will stop on the open area at the entrance to Village Bay if there is no wind. You may want to use poles on the steeper section.

Walk and Social – Rebecca Spit – 29 Jan 2025

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Activity Walk and Hot Chocolate Social
Location Rebecca Spit
Date 29 January 2025, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Valerie van Veen
Contact Info vvv@qisland.ca, text 778 242 5774, call 250 285 2329
Description  CELEBRATE THE CHINESE NEW YEAR … with a brisk walk around Rebecca Spit and share goodies (hopefully some real Chinese goodies) at the picnic spot (most southerly, beside the campground) afterwards. Bring your own hot chocolate  or whatever else you want to toast the Chinese New Year)  and any goodies you might have to share….Christmas cake, cookies? ( NOT required though)
Meeting Place First parking lot in park on EAST side (Sasquatch parking). If unsure wait at entrance gate for my dirty whitish Subaru
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Easy
Dogs Yes, if under control
Trip Limits None
Cost None
Notes: We already have a great outing on Monday, but I thought it would be fun to toast the YEAR OF THE SNAKE together as we plunge into another weird year

Trip Report – Haskin Farm and Golf Course Loop – 23 Dec 2024

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Five people took advantage of the partial sunny day and went for a comfortable hike. We went down Haskin Farm Trail to the beach and enjoyed the sun for a moment, then back up the hill and across Fircrest Trail. Along this portion, we enjoyed the partial ocean views toward Cortes and the old growth Fir. We circled the new housing development at the golf course and then went down to the clubhouse. We took a moment here to look at the mini golf course and all the wonderful driftwood sculptures that have been put by the course. As we circled the golf course we enjoyed how wonderful the greens and fairways are still looking. We traveled partially on Fircrest Trail again and then went up Todd’s Trail and back to the vehicles . (7.6 km and 2½ hours)

Les

Thanks to Les for the photos

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Trip Report – Blenkin Park Loop – 9 Dec 2024

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Seven of us had a lovely day of sun and cloud, sandwiched between days with lots of rain and wind.  We had 46mm of rain in the previous 24 hours, so we knew that the trail would be very wet, and it was.  The purpose of the walk was not to go as directly as possible, but to walk as many of the trails as possible in two hours.  We started out on the old wide path which crosses to the Heriot Bay Road and then circled back to admire the old Big Leaf Maple on the historic homestead.  We tried to avoid the worst of the wet-walk by not going along the marsh.  We took the Sheppard and Black Jack Trails, with short sections of the Homestead Trail, leading to the Swale Trail.  This is a beautiful, open under-storey forest.  The creek, which is usually dry, was very active.  After the walk we had lunch at the Community Centre, with a few more people joining the group.  We enjoyed the great variety of food and refreshments that the group had brought and had a very social gathering.  It was great to walk in the forest and to see everyone on these short, dark days in December.  (6.7 km; 2 hours)

Debbie

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Hiking – Blenkin Park Loop – 18 Dec 2024

Trip Report – Carrington Bay & Forest – 27 Nov 2024

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Nine of us caught 9:05 am ferry from Heriot Bay to Whaletown on Cortes Island. The day was overcast with glimpses of sunshine. We had a short ride up Carrington Rd to the trailhead where there is ample parking. We hiked a counter clockwise loop through Grandmothers’ Grove to the Lagoon, then on to the campsite at the head of Carrington Bay where we stopped for lunch. Grandmothers’ Grove is through mature Cedar and Douglas Fir with lots of moss and lichen covering the ground and low hanging branches making a very soothing hike. The lagoon was very serene with mist hanging over the water which was like a mirror. The campsite is interesting with some old logging equipment, picnic tables and a makeshift shelter. The lagoon is tidal and the water exits through a narrow channel with an aluminum bridge over it. The main trail coming in and out is old logging road and because of the recent rains there are lots of big puddles. This is not a problem because there is enough foot traffic that there are trails around the puddles. We arrived back at Whaletown with plenty of time to catch the 2:00 pm ferry to Quadra. (8.0 km; 3 hours)

Allan

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Hiking – Carrington Bay & Forest – 27 Nov 2024