Category Archives: Hiking

Hiking – Haskin Farm Trail – 13 March 2019

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Activity Hiking
Destination Haskin Farm Trail
Date 13 March 2019, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Margot Wood
Contact Info RSVP to qioutdoorclub@gmail.com or 3710 no later than Sunday and earlier would be better due to the limit of eight people.
Description We will start our walk at 157 Quadra Loop, entering the driveway.  PLEASE take the second road on your right. A short walk through the woods onto the Haskin Trail. We will take a trail eventually coming to the abandoned orchard once part of Haskin Farm. Descending down to the beach with lovely views over Sutil Channel and the outer islands.   This trip is limited to eight people.
Meeting Place 157 Quadra Loop
Departure Time 10:00 am
Difficulty easy
Costs none
Trip limits Eight people
Dogs? No.
Notes: Please try to car pool if possible. On entering 157 Quadra Loop, take second road on your right and please close the gate. I will be outside to meet you. Park near the old truck shed.

Trip Report – Snowden Forest – 6 Feb 2019

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Four club members and two guests, one two-legged and one four-legged, enjoyed a beautiful hike through the Snowden Forest on Feb 6, taking some main trails and several mountain bike trails. Starting out the temperature was about -5 but warmed up to just above freezing later in the morning, full sunshine all day. There was a very light skiff of snow in patches and on exposed areas, frequent frost heaves along the trails, ponds were frozen and Riley Lake nearly so, as determined by our four-footed guest.

We were able to access Snowden Forest via the recently re-opened dam road, considerably reducing the driving time. We parked at the Lost Lake parking lot, headed north on Trimac, then around the east side of Lost Lake, cutting off onto Scotty’s which meandered over the bluffs to the north and west of Lost Lake. We then followed Oggie’s, passing by the west side of Riley Lake. Lunch break was on a small open bluff in the snow. We returned via Trimac again. 2.5 hrs walking, 6 km. We noted the trails to the south and west of Riley Lake for further exploration; with the dam road open, access to this extensive and well-maintained trail network is once again quick and easy.

Valerie van Veen

Thanks to  Les and Val for the photos

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Hiking – Snowden Forest – 6 Feb 2019

Trip Report – Blindman’s Bluff – 30 Jan 2019

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Seven of us set out for Blindman’s Bluff.  We went in from Lieshman’s Road instead of the regular way on the Copperhead logging road because of the washed out culvert.  The forecast sunshine failed to show up, but the overcast was high enough to give us some peeks at the surrounding mountains.  The moss and lichen were wonderful.  On the way back, the group decided to take the regular trail and look at the washed out culvert, the new and improved beaver dam, which replaces the one that broke, and also visit the copper mine site.  5.3 km; 2¾ hours.

Norris

(click on photos to enlarge)

Hiking – Blindman’s Bluff – 30 Jan 2019

Hiking – Morte Lake Loop – 20 Feb 2019

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This trip has been postponed

Activity Hiking
Destination Morte Lake Loop
Date 20 Feb 2019, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info Please contact the coordinator at debbie.quigg@ualberta.ca or 3710.
Description This is a classic walk through forest and around the Lake.  There are a number of variations depending on the access route used and the possibility of following unofficial trails on the south ridge.  We can also explore the improved route up the north shore bluff.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Tru Value parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs? Must not run through the group.
Notes: Bring lunch and rain gear.  This trail can be quite wet in places.

Trip Report – Carrington Bay, Cortes – 23 Jan 2019

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Eight of us had spectacular weather for our trip to the Children’s Forest on Cortes Island, including Carrington Bay and the Grandmother’s Grove.  We took the 9:05 ferry to Cortes and the views of Sutil Channel, the mainland and Vancouver Island mountains couldn’t have been better.  We were met by Sabina who guided us through the forest and told us so much about the efforts of the community to acquire this forest, so that this incredibly diverse and important habitat can remain intact. Sabina shared her amazing knowledge about so many topics including lichen and moss, wolves, wildlife trees, flying squirrels and owls and so much more.  We continued on to Carrington Bay and the tidal lagoon, and crossed the narrow channel through which the tide was rushing out.  We walked to the swim rock and sat in the sun for a leisurely lunch admiring the mergansers, golden eye ducks and a curious seal.  From there we continued on to Grandmothers Grove, a beautiful old growth stand of spruce and cedar, in the James Creek watershed which also supports cutthroat trout and spawning salmon. The greens of the mosses were vibrant after all the recent rain.  We followed the trail and logging roads back in a loop and made a short variation on the James Creek Trail before returning to the vehicles and the ferry. 10.4 km; 5 hours.

Thanks so much to Margot for organizing this event and to Sabina for sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge with us.

Debbie

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Here is a short video of the area using mostly drone footage:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-zs5BjQo2U

Hiking – Carrington Bay – 23 Jan 2019

Multi-day Hiking – Cortes Island – 6-9 May 2019

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This trip is full.  Contact the coordinator if you wish to wait-list.

Activity Multi-day hiking, women only
Destination Cortes Island, staying at Linnaea Farm
Date 6-9 May 2019, Monday to Thursday
Trip Coordinator Margot Wood
Contact Info 250.285.2393; please contact the coordinator well in advance of the trip
Description Planning our annual Cortes hiking trip for women, staying at Linnaea Farm. An eight bedroom rustic farmhouse on the edge of Gunflint Lake, at the gateway to many of the hiking trails on Cortes. We are planning to hike many of the trails: Easter Bluff, Kw’as Park, Hanks Beech Forest Park, Sisken Forest Park, Whaletown Commons, Carrington Trails, etc. A schedule of trails will be developed and presented daily by Janis. We will be offering a short guided group meditation morning and evening to those who wish to participate. (7:45 am meditation and 9:00 pm relaxation meditation).  We are also planning one day of Silence as we hike in Kw’as Park, giving us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in nature without the distraction of conversation. Silence would begin after breakfast and conclude at dinner time on this day. Each person is responsible for their breakfast and lunch; dinner teams will be organized by Margot. Please visit: www.linnaeafarm.org

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Meeting Place Cortes ferry line-up. Vehicles must be in line-up by 8 a.m. This is a busy trades ferry.
Departure Time 9:05 am ferry to Cortes
Difficulty Moderate to easy
Dogs No
Trip Limits Limit of 8 ladies, or 9 if two wish to share a room.
Costs $30/person/night if you bring your own sleeping bag and towel. $50/person/night if you use Linnaea bedding, plus ferry costs and shared fuel. Bring your ferry card.
Notes Car-pooling and dinner teams will be organized by Margot. Let me know your diet needs. Please let me know a.s.a.p. as this trip will fill up fast. This is such a lovely happening on beautiful Cortes Island.

Trip Report – Q Cove Trails – 1 Jan 2019

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The trip into the woods south of the library was scheduled for 2 Jan, but the weatherman was saying heavy rain and high winds, so we moved the trip up to 1 Jan at the last moment.  In the morning there was a very light rain, which was hardly noticeable in the woods.  So nine of us wandered off into the maze of community trails, all unofficial.  This is all private property, so many of the trails connect to someone’s back yard. Some of the trails are on what seems to be easements which extend existing roads.  The main part of property is in the Official Community Plan as a place for future housing.  Until then, it’s a pleasant forest to stroll through, with quite a few small streams and some impressively big cottonwood trees. The trails are well maintained.  The community has decorated the woods with carved masks, beadwork, and a “Word Log”.  We also visited the new stairs connecting Nole Road and Plaza Road.

While we were walking near the end of Nole Road, one of the alders leaning over the trail ahead of us decided to fall across the trail.  There was no wind, no gust of wind, it just decided to fall over for no reason, as alders do. Luckily, we were not too close and not in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Back at the cars, Les provided a little New Year’s tail gate treat with chocolate and pineapple.  4.3 km; 1¾ hours.

Norris

Photos by Norris

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Hiking – Q Cove Trails – 2 Jan 2019

Trip Report – Open Bay and Crikey Creeks – 30 Dec 2018

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We postponed this hike by a day for better weather and were rewarded with a beautiful, sunny winter day.  Ten of us followed the trail downstream along Open Bay Creek.  The trail is wet in a few places with a bit of winter blow-down, but there are great views of the stream rushing through the lush rainforest.  We made a loop by returning on the logging road, then wandered down Open Bay Main to the start of the mountain bike trail Rio.  This trail climbs steeply and near the top there is a banked bridged, which was slippery, with some loose planks.  After a quick snack break, we returned down the Crikey Creek trail, which is the more developed of the two trails.  We didn’t get a lot of sun, with the sun very low in these deep forests, but it was a good, short walk.  5.4 km; 2 hours.

Debbie

Thanks to Norris and Les for the photos.

(click on photos to view larger)

Hiking – Open Bay and Crikey Creeks – 30 Dec 2018

Hiking – Blindman’s Bluff – 30 Jan 2019

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Activity Hiking
Destination Blindman’s Bluff
Date 30 January 2019, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info phone 3710 or norris.weimer@ualberta.ca.  Please contact the coordinator in advance.
Description This is a classic Quadra loop with great views on rocky bluffs.  We may approach it from Leishman Rd, due to the washed-out culvert on the Copperhead logging road.  The section near the pond will be wet.  About 2 hours.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs? Must not run through the group
Notes: Bring a snack and gear for the weather.

Hiking – Snowden Demonstration Forest – 6 Feb 2019

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Activity Hiking
Destination Snowden Forest, Campbell River
Date 6 Feb 2019, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Valerie Van Veen
Contact Info vvv@qisland.ca; please contact the coordinator in advance of the trip
Description Hiking OR snowshoeing through the Snowden Forest, mostly easy to moderate trails. If hiking, we might tackle “difficult” trail depending on group and trail conditions. Bring lunch, suitable gear for conditions. Will snowshoe if enough snow.  8 – 10 km.
Meeting Place Q Cove ferry terminal
Departure Time 9:00 am ferry departure
Difficulty
 easy to moderate
Costs ferry
Trip limits none
Dogs? Must be under control at all times; this is a popular mountain biking area.
Notes: Carpool at ferry. I can take 4 passengers in our 4Runner.