Hiking – Heriot Ridge Loop – 29 Mar 2023

 

Activity Hiking
Destination Heriot Ridge  Loop
Date 29 March 2023, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info lhquadra@gmail.com or 285-2029
Description We will do a circle of Heriot Ridge leaving and returning to the end of Hopespring Road. There will be two short side trips to see old growth. We will also go to Rousseau Rock for lunch and the view.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Moderate
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? Okay if under control
Notes: Bring a lunch, clothes for the weather, poles recommended. Will be postponed if heavy rain.

Hiking – Haskins Farm and Fircrest Loop – 15 Mar 2023

Activity Hiking
Destination Haskins Farm, Fircrest and Golf Course Loop
Date 15 March 2023
Trip Coordinator Vikki O’Brien
Contact Info resvo2004@yahoo.com, 250-938-2864
Description We will begin at the Haskin Farm parking area at Smith and Heriot Bay Rd, walk over to the golf course and walk a bit of the golf cart trails, then catch the Fircrest trail back towards Haskins farm, down to the beach and back through Haskin Farm to the vehicles.
Meeting Place Haskin Farm parking area
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Easy
Costs Zero
Trip limits 12
Dogs? Yes, if on leash in the Golf Course and under control elsewhere.
Notes Bring a snack, gear for the weather

Hiking – Maud Island – 13 Mar 2023

This outing has been postponed due to snow on the ground. 

Activity Hiking
Destination Maud Island
Date 13 March 2023, Monday
Trip Coordinator Vikki O’Brien
Contact Info resvo2004@yahoo.com, 250-938-2864
Description Maud Island is situated beside Seymour Narrows and has a spectacular view of the narrows and it is a scenic walk in many areas. We will begin the trail from the far end of Morte lake at the Maud Island parking area. This hike is easy walking overall except for a section where it climbs up the bluffs at the base of Mt Lolo and there is a hill to get to the lookout. It is good to have your poles for the bluffs. On the return we will not take the bluffs, but rather will take the shoreline route. Maud Island has a beautiful lookout area where we will have lunch. This is approximately 4 – 4 1/2 hours including the lunch break.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Moderate
Costs Zero
Trip limits 12
Dogs? Yes, if under control.
Notes Bring lunch, water, good footwear and walking poles. This hike is approx 10 km.

Hiking – Rousseau Ridge Loop – 29 Mar 2023

Activity Hiking
Destination Rousseau Ridge Loop
Date 29 Mar, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info dmquigg@gmail.com or 3710; please contact the coordinator in advance of the trip
Description We will start from the North Gowlland road and hike the Gowlland Harbour trail to Rousseau Ridge.  We will take a flagged route and logging road to circle back to the Gowlland Harbour trail and back to the vehicles.  This is an interesting route over open bluffs with great views.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot to convoy to the trailhead
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
Moderate
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? No
Notes: Bring lunch; dress for the weather; bring hiking poles if you use them.  We will not do this trip in very poor weather.

Trip Report – Surge Narrows Trail – 24 Feb 2023

Eight of us joined the Surge Narrows hike on Feb 24th. It was a nice crisp day with no rain. The first part of the trail was a new route with some up and down areas after we crossed the impressive new bridge. We noticed it was quite crunchy underfoot with crystallized ice formations and rocky over the new section. We crossed two other dilapidated bridges along the route, taking turns crossing, and then wound down to a scenic outcrop where we had lunch and checked out the ebbing tide forming rapids at the narrows. Heading back the same way we arrived, someone commented that the trail was good for cardio even though it isn’t too long a hike. Once we finished the trail we walked the road leading to the boat ramp and took a short trail off to the right to check out the dock. There was a marine radio on the dock for emergencies. It was an enjoyable hike and worth the drive. (3.8 km; 2 hours)

Vikki

Thanks to Vikki and Norris for the photos

Click on photos to enlarge
 

Hiking – Surge Narrows Trail – 24 Feb 2023

Trip Report – Little Black Dress-Back Door-Silk Stocking Loop – 20 Feb 2023

Five of us walked the Little Black Dress – Back Door – Silk Stocking loop.  Instead of the predicted rain, we got a very fine mist, but it was calm and not cold.  The atmosphere was well suited to the very green, mossy bluffs, which these trails wind through and over.  On Little Black Dress we had a lunch break near the high point and remarked how quiet it was.  No signs of animals or birds, but we did hear a distant frog.  After lunch, it was mostly downhill on Silk Stocking, passing by artifacts from several old mining attempts.  (6.2 km; 2 ¾ hours)

Norris

Click on photos to enlarge
 

Hiking -Little Black Dress – Silk Stocking – 20 Feb 2023

Hiking – Surge Narrows Trail – 24 Feb 2023

 

Activity Hiking
Destination Surge Narrows Trail
Date 24 February 2023, Friday
Trip Coordinator Vikki O’Brien
Contact Info 250-938-2864, resvo2004@yahoo.com
Description The Surge Rapids Trail is the farthest trail from Heriot Bay and from civilization on Quadra Island. It perhaps provide the most dramatic scene on Quadra: the rapids. It is a 45-minute drive from Heriot Bay, north, past Village Bay lakes to the end of the main road, at Hoskyn Channel Landing, near the adventure lodge there. I have room for up to 4 people in my truck. The trail goes through fir forest for 25 minutes or so until you arrive at a rocky lookout point where you can sit and watch the tremendous tidal rapids. This rocky outcrop you sit on is in the Surge Narrows Provincial Park. The trail continues past this viewpoint for 20 minutes along a steep face in the forest then ends at a small bay. You follow the trail back the way you came. It is a great little adventure to walk this trail and sit on the rocks above the rapids.
Hiking total is about 1½ hours plus stopping for views and a snack along the way.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Short, with some steep sections
Costs Zero
Trip limits 15
Dogs? Yes if  under control;  owners must bring a leash along.
Notes Please contact the trip coordinator by 7:00 pm Feb 23, Thursday evening if you plan to attend.

Trip Report – Shellaligan Pass Loop – 15 Feb 2023

Seven hikers did a clockwise shorter loop walk on an overcast but dry day. Starting at the second parking lot, the short loop trailhead, we headed directly into the forest. Being late winter, most vegetation was beaten down and we had a better look into a beautiful mossy forest. We descended down to the junction above Village Bay, and elected to take the left trail down to the old oyster lease. The tree that fell on the trail last year had been cleared, making it a lot easier to get to the small beach. Not yet ready for lunch and it being a bit chilly, we headed back up to our junction, shortly after which we found another large tree down on the trail. We arrived at our lunch stop, the point at the entrance to Village Bay, where we sought out a bit of shelter from the wind for a quick lunch. Continuing along the coastal part of the loop, back to the parking lot, we arrived at the forest road trailhead, greeted by two friendly canine hikers, excitedly waiting to start their hike on the loop. We spent about 2½ hours in total, covering a distance of 4.7 kilometers.

Brent

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Hiking -ShellaliganLoop – 15 Feb 2023

Hiking – Shellaligan Loop – 15 Feb 2023

Activity Hiking
Destination Shellaligan Loop
Date 15 Feb, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Brent Henry
Contact Info brenthenrys@gmail.com or text: 250-205-1106. Please contact the coordinator by Monday night.
Description This will be the shorter loop, most often started near the second parking lot, with a short walk down the road to access the coastal trail. This follows the shoreline and rocky outcrops to the point near the entrance to Village Bay. It then continues to the oyster farm, from where we would head inland, up the drainage and further on to the parking lot. As this is done so often in this direction, we may do this trail in the opposite clockwise direction, just for a change, heading inland from the parking lot.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
Moderate, with pronounced step-ups over the rocks on the coastal section. Somewhat steep on parts of the interior section between the fish farm and the parking lot. Not a bad idea to bring hiking poles.
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? Yes, if under control. Owners must bring a leash along.
Notes: This will be in winter, but will proceed unless we have severe weather, such as strong coastal winds. Please bring good rain wear, proper footwear for rough walking and spare clothing. this will be a 2-3 hour walk, and will have a stop for lunch, most likely midway at the point.

Trip Report – Kay Dubois Loop – 30 Jan 2023

Ten intrepid January hikers set out from the WaWaKai end of the Kay Dubois trail. The sky was milky and made a white canopy, the air nippy, and there was a pretty frosting on the fir branches and icicles in the ditches.  Our group followed the trail that turned right at the big tree and looped up the hill, following the logging trails to meet eventually with Cedar Road. We returned via Smiths Road back to warm up at the cabin of 665 WaWaKai Road. Many thanks to all who joined in!  (6.3 km; 2 hours walking)

Amanda

Many thanks to Amanda for her warm hospitality and snacks.
 
Click on photos to enlarge
 

Note: Hair ice forms on moist, rotting wood from broadleaf trees when temperatures are slightly under 0 °C (32 °F) and the air is humid.  In the year 2015, German and Swiss scientists identified the fungus Exidiopsis effusa as key to the formation of hair ice.  [Wikipedia]

Hiking – Kay Dubois Loop – 30 Jan 2023