Hike Cruickshank Canyon 29 July 2014

Activity Hiking
Destination Cruickshank Canyon Lookout at Strathcona Park
Date Tuesday, 29 July 2014
Trip Coordinator Emily Toman
Contact Info 250-923-7122
Description This is a moderate, but a day long hike of 20-22 kilometers round trip with a few steeper sections. Estimated hiking time is 7 hours, plus lunch & drinking breaks (add another hour). The daylight is long and to our advantage. The hike is planned as a loop. Starting at Paradise Meadows going up to Battleship Lake – Lady and Croteau Lakes – Kwai Lake.  Past Kwai Lake we take a fork to the plateau with Lake Beautiful (& many other lakes) to Cruickshank Canyon Lookout. Our way back will take us back to Kwai Lake fork from which we go up the hill towards Hairtrigger lake. From there it shall be downhill to Helen McKenzie Lake, back to Paradise Meadows & to trail head at Raven Lodge.
Meeting Place Ferry parking lot on Quadra Island at 7:30 a.m. for car pooling for 8 a.m. ferry sailing
Departure Time 10:00 a.m. at Paradise Meadows trailhead next to Raven Lodge
Difficulty Moderate terrain with some steep sections & long day
Costs the ferry and carpooling costs
Trip limits none
Dogs? Allowed, but according to Park’s rules they must be leashed
Notes: Awesome lookout over Cruickshank Canyon 600 meters deep with river at the bottom and Comox Lake visible is the final reward. During a sunny day the massive ridge of Albert Edward, Frink and Castlecrag mountains should be just across the canyon valley.   The Comox Glacier and Red Pillar are visible a little further south. Emily will meet Quadra hikers at the ferry terminal on Campbell River side and will have 2 seats available in her car for ride to Mt. Washington trail head.

 

Hike Main Lake from Surge Narrow Rd. 14 June 2014

POSTPONED

Activity Hiking
Destination Main Lake from Surge Narrow Rd
Date Saturday, 14 June 2014 TBA
Trip Coordinator John Brears
Contact Info 250 285 3853.  Please confirm no later than one week ahead (by June 7) if you will be participating.  Leave a message with your phone number if no answer.
Description The trip will follow a flagged route from Surge Narrows Rd to the east end of Main Lake.  The walk to the Lake has attractive features, including some large old growth timber, the first lake and Main Lake, a small waterfall, two beaver dams, beautiful moss-covered terrain.  The walk involves tricky navigation through a lot of deadfall, blowdown, and confusing gullies. There is no established trail for about 50% of the trip. The route crosses a few small wet areas. Depending on the return route there may be some disgusting salal bashing.  People should be fully prepared for the above, with proper footware etc. and prepared to stick with the group for the whole trip. It is easy to get disoriented. Hiking time about 4 hours.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Store for car pooling
Departure Time 9:00 A.M.
Difficulty
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs? You know your dog best.
Notes: Bring lunch and bug repellant.  Not on if the weather is foul/wet.

 

Hike Morte Lake Loop – 21 May 2014

Activity Hiking
Destination Morte Lake loop with variations
Date Wednesday  21 May 2014
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info 285-3710;  Please contact the coordinator not later than Sunday, May 18th
Description Circumnavigate Morte Lake using George’s flagged route up to and along the southern ridge, mountain bike trails to Dead Fish, and the main trail around the west and north sides of the lake.  Allow four hours or more.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Store for car pooling
Departure Time 10:00 A.M.
Difficulty
moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs? Okay on leash – we may encounter bikes or animals
Notes: Bring lunch.  Expect some steep sections, wet sections, flagged routes, mountain bike trails, sandy beaches and great views.  If the weather is horrible, we’ll re-schedule.

(map coming soon)

 

 

Trip Photos – Deepwater Bay – 1 May 2014

Started off the month of May with great weather and an adventurous hike. We were headed to Deepwater Bay via the old logging road but decided to take time out to look for the old logging train trestle. Debbie, Norris and Les had looked for this before but to no avail. It seemed that everyone we had talked to had not been there in a few years back and you know how memories are. This time though we found it, much to our pleasure. There is not much left but sure leaves you with a great appreciation for old engineering skills. It was quite a feat to cross that canyon and the old pilings give you an idea of the immense size.

We then walked down the old part of the logging road to Deepwater Bay. There are old remnants of a land based fish farm there. We had lunch by a small creek and enjoyed the sun. The hike back up was harder but it is not far and well worth the time.

(click on photos to view larger)

Hike Deepwater Bay 1 May 2014

Trip Photos – Maud Island 31 Mar 2014

The weather could not have been more perfect for our hike to Maud Island. It was a beautiful spring day with plenty of sunshine. We reached Seymour Narrows just before a maximum current of 14.1 knots. It was like a roaring river, complete with whirlpools and back eddies that sea-lions were playing in.

On the return trip we went over Mt. Lolo. This proved to be a bit of an adventure as the trail is not marked as well from that direction. We were rewarded with bright sunny views though.

(click on photos to view larger)

Hiking Maud Island 31 Mar 2014

Trip Photos – Ripple Rock – 19 March 2014

Although the day dawned dark and rainy, the weather was great by the time we started down the trail around 11:00.  The group enjoyed the walk on this well constructed, undulating trail including stairs and a swinging suspension bridge.  Points of interest along the way include a few excellent old growth trees, lush mosses and ferns, an old corduroy road, a few creeks, the view point over Menzies Bay from a rocky bluff, the sandy beach at Nymphe Cove and budding fawn lilies.  After the final push up the hill and stairs to Wilfred Point, the group was rewarded with great views of Discovery Passage and a warm and sunny lunch stop.   There were sea lions and seagulls feeding in the current. The area is steeped in the history of early logging and the major efforts made to blow up Ripple Rock in Seymour Narrows to improve the safety of navigation through those waters.  When we arrived the ebb was running about 7 knots.  Although it can run more than double that speed, the turbulence was quite impressive.  The hike, round trip, is 8 kilometres.

(click on photos to view larger)

Hiking – Ripple Rock 19 Mar 2014

The Ripple Rock explosion was 9:31 a.m. on 5 April 1958.  The Museum at Campbell River is offering a hike to this lookout to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the explosion on April 5, 2014.  Cost is $20, register with the museum at 250-287-3103.

 

Hiking Maud Island 31 Mar 2014

Activity hiking
Destination Maud Island
Date Monday, 31 March 2014
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info 285-2029
Description Hike to Maud Island to view Seymour Narrows at 14.1 knot flood tide at 3:33 pm
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Store for car pooling
Departure Time 1:00 PM
Difficulty
Easy to moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs? Are welcome as long as they will stay by you.  Wolves are a possibility.
Notes: Please let me know at least two days prior if you will be going.

Bring a snack and water.  The hike will take approximately four hours.

Hiking Maud Island 16 Jan 2014

(Rescheduled from 9 Dec 2013 due to freezing rain and snow.)

Activity hiking
Destination Maud Island
Date Thursday, 16 January 2014
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info 285-2029
Description Maud Island to view Seymour Narrows at an 12 knot ebb tide at 11:35 AM.  Weather permitting we will go over the Mt. Lolo viewpoint on the way in to Maud.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Store for car pooling
Departure Time 9:30 AM
Difficulty
Easy to moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs? Dogs are welcome as long as they will stay by you or on a leash
Notes: Please let me know at least two days prior if you will be going. Bring a lunch.  We will eat on Lolo or at Maud. This is a 3-4 hour hike. If pouring rain or high wind an e-mail will be sent out to participants canceling trip by 9AM.

Hiking Mt. Seymour 18 August 2013

Activity hiking
Destination Mt. Seymour
Date Sunday, 18 August 2013
Trip Coordinator Syd Lapan
Contact Info 285-2999.  Please contact the trip coordinator prior to the trip.
Description We will hike to the summit viewpoint with a side trip to Nugedzi Lake on the way down.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot, to arrange carpools
Departure Time 09:00
Difficulty
moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs? yes; owners must bring a leash
Notes: Bring lunch and water

Hiking Surge Narrows 28 Sept 2013

Activity hiking
Destination Surge Narrows
Date Saturday, 28 Sept 2013
Trip Coordinator Julie Mellanby
Contact Info 285-3978
Description Magnificent views of tidal rapids
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot – gravel area, carpool
Departure Time 09:30
Difficulty
Moderate, 3 km round trip
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs? yes
Notes: Bring a lunch & watch Surge Narrows. 1 hour in to ocean, 1 hour out with a possible swim at Mine Lake afterward.