Category Archives: Hiking

Hiking – Maud Island – 6 Jan 2025

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Activity Hiking
Destination Maud Island
Date 6 Jan 2025, Monday
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info 285-2029 or lhquadra@gmail.com
Description We will meet at the Community Center and carpool out to the trailhead. Depending on the weather, we may just stay on the lower trail and not go over Lolo.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot
Departure Time 10:30
Difficulty Moderate
Costs None
Trip limits 8
Dogs? OK, but must be under control. And on a leash in difficult areas if we go over Lolo, there is a hard spot that is steep for dogs.
Notes Dress for the weather and bring a lunch. This is about a four hour hike, depending on the course that will not be decided until day of the hike.

Hiking – Haskin Farm and Fircrest Trail – 23 Dec 2024

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Activity Hiking
Destination Haskin Farm and Fircrest Trail
Date 23 Dec 2024, Monday
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info lhquadra@gmail.com or 285-2029
Description We will do a series of small trails – Haskin Farm, Fircrest, golf course and maybe Todd’s trail. In this way, we can adjust the trip according to the weather. About two hours.
Meeting Place Haskin Farm trailhead
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Easy
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? O.K. But must be under control and on leash while at the golf course.
Notes This trip may vary due to weather, but can usually be done. Please dress for the weather and bring a lunch or snack.

Trip Report – Big Tree Woodlot Loop – 9 Dec 2024

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The Outdoor Club hadn’t done this hike for six years.  The day was better than forecast for the eight of us who headed out on these logging roads.  We began at the big painted sign showing the trails and highlights of the Big Tree Woodlot.  We then meandered through recent cut blocks and forest over to the access roads from Open Bay Main and then east into Main Lake Park.  We followed the more enclosed forest trail, taking a side trail down to the view of Stramberg Lake.  We returned to an open area of the woodlot for lunch and then continued on the curving roads, following a newly constructed short-cut back to the Bold Point paved road and the quick return to the vehicles. 

This is a simple and easy hike, with a surprising amount of variety in the forest and environment. (7.1 km; 2½ hours)

Debbie

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Hiking – Big Tree Woodlot Loop – 9 Dec 2024

Trip Report – Snowden Demonstration Forest – 4 Dec 2024

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Snowden Demonstration Forest is a working forest, but also it’s very popular with trail bikers, who have built an extensive network of trails.  Ten of us sampled some of those trails on a foggy day.  
 
Starting at Lost Lake parking, to Mudhoney Pass 🟦, to Lost Lake trail 🟢.  Lunch at the Lost Lake picnic shelter.  Then TriMac 🟢, Riley Lake 🟦, and Oggies ⬥, to Riley Lake parking and finally a new trail (unnamed on our maps) back to the cars. (7.3 km; 3 hours)
 
The trail development is so fast, some of our maps and apps were out of date..
  
Norris 

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Hiking – Snowden Demonstration Forest – 4 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

Hiking – Blenkin Park – 18 Dec 2024

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Activity Hiking and social
Destination Blenkin Park
Date 18 Dec 2024, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info dmquigg@gmail.com or 3710.  Please RSVP by Monday night.
Description Starting at the Community Centre, we will hike a complex loop through the Blenkin Park trails.  The walking is easy but likely wet and muddy with some great variety in this forest.  About 6 km and 2 hours.   After that we will have some lunch and share some seasonal cheer in room 3 at the Community Hall.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Easy
Costs None
Trip limits None
Dogs? Okay, but must not run through the group.
Notes: You are encouraged to bring and share any Christmas goodies you have. But it doesn’t all have to be sweets.
If the weather is really bad, we may shorten the walk by starting later.

Hiking – Big Tree Woodlot – 9 Dec 2024

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Activity Hiking
Destination Big Tree Woodlot
Date 9 Dec 2024, Monday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info dmquigg@gmail.com or 3710. Please contact the coordinator by Saturday night.
Description We will start at the sign at Benner’s woodlot. We will meander along his logging roads to Open Bay Main and then do a loop back to Village Bay Road. The last part of the loop is on the Bold Point Rd.  Roughly 7 km.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Easy
Costs none
Trip limits 10
Dogs? Okay, but must not run through the group
Notes: Bring a snack and gear for the weather

Hiking – Snowden Demonstration Forest – 4 Dec 2024

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Activity Hiking
Destination Snowden Demonstration Forest, Campbell River
Date 4 Dec 2024, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info 250-285-3710, norris.weimer@ualberta.ca
Please contact the coordinator by Monday night
Description We will hike a few trails in this labyrinth of mountain bike trails.  Beginning at the Lost Lake parking area, we will follow Mudhoney Pass, Lost Lake trail, around Riley Lake and back to Lost Lake parking.
Meeting Place Q Cove Ferry terminal
Departure Time 9:30 ferry
Difficulty
 Mostly easy (but I don’t know this area well).
Costs Ferry costs
Trip limits 10
Dogs? Okay, if on leash and not passing through the group
Notes: Bring lunch.   Due to BC Hydro construction, the drive to the Lost Lake parking is a bit out of the way, using Duncan Bay Main.

Trip Report – Beaver Lake and Open Bay Creek – 14 Nov 2024

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Ten hikers started out on the Crikey Creek Trail on a chilly but sunny morning. It was nice to get a day without rain for a change. We came out at the Open Bay Main logging road and proceeded down Open Bay Creek. We followed the trail along the creek and were delighted to see chum salmon still spawning in the creek. It has been a record year for returning salmon. Farther down the trail we ran into three large trees that had blown down and were a bit of a challenge to scramble over. We continued on through the mossy forest and turned up the hill to follow the creek to Beaver Lake. Because of the heavy rainfall the Creek was high with many small waterfalls. We had lunch on the rock bluff at the end of Beaver Lake. The creek was a bit of a challenge to get across, but the group managed and continued up the trail beside the lake. As we continued to climb up to Village Bay Lake Road we were treated to rock bluffs with very heavy deep green moss and many different varieties of mushrooms to look at. From there we proceeded back to the vehicles via the Nugedzi parking lot and logging road. (7.4 km and 3 1/2 hours)

Les
 
Thanks to Les and Norris for the photos
 

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Hiking – Beaver Lake and Open Bay Creek – 14 Nov 2024

Hiking – Carrington Bay and Forest – 27 Nov 2024

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Activity Hiking
Destination Carrington Bay and Forest, Cortes Island
Date 27 Nov, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Allan Liimatta
Contact Info allanliimatta@gmail.com or 250-416-9338
Description Easy walk through mature forest with lagoon that drains by small water falls into ocean.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay ferry terminal
Departure Time 9:05 Cortes ferry at Heriot Bay, so be in the line-up shortly after 8:00
Difficulty
 Easy to moderate.
Costs Ferry travel costs; bring your experience card and ID
Trip limits None
Dogs? Yes, but must be on leash due to wolves in the area.
Notes: Bring a lunch and rain gear.