Category Archives: Hiking

Trip Report – Snowden Demonstration Forest – 27 Apr 2016

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Five members explored the trails in the Snowden Demonstration Forest. Because the road over the dam is closed due to of construction, the access is via Duncan Bay Road (access map available at Outdoor Addictions), but the roads are good. We parked at the Lost Lake parking area and hiked around Lost Lake. We stopped for a snack on the eastern viewpoint and had lunch at the western viewpoint. The forest has quite an open understory, and there were trillium and other early wildflowers. The trails and routes we used were named Mudhoney Pass, Sanitarium, Scotty’s, T’aint, Riley Lake, and Tri Mac. The trail map is available at the Outdoor Addictions store or online at https://gocampbellriver.com/files/MapsForDownload/Snowden_Forest_Trail_Map.pdf

The trails range from flat grades that used to be logging railroad lines to walks along moss covered rocky ridges. We didn’t see anyone else while we walked. It was a very enjoyable walk, and it barely scratched the surface of what is available there. 7.6 km, 3.5 hours.

Norris

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Hiking – Snowden Demonstration Forest – 27 Apr 2016

Hiking – Mt. Seymour logging roads- 13 May 2016

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Activity Hiking
Destination Mt. Seymour logging roads
Date 13 May 2016, Friday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info norris.weimer@ualberta.ca or 3710.  Please contact the trip coordinator prior to the trip.
Description We will hike around Mt. Seymour on old logging roads and flagged routes.  There are several lovely small lakes along the way.  The route goes up around the backside (west) of the mountain but does not go to the summit.  There are some good viewpoints on the north side. A car shuffle will be done.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot, to arrange carpools
Departure Time 09:00
Difficulty
 moderate but long
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs?
Notes: 14.3 km.  The logging road going up is very rough walking.  Once we are high, the logging roads are mostly flat and easy, but not maintained.  There may be wet places and bugs.

Trip Report – Cortes, Linnaea Farm – 18-20 Apr 2016

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Eight members met at Cortes Ferry line-up for our three day hiking trip to Cortes Island. A lovely cruise on the ferry and a time for details about the trip. We first took a quick visit to Whaletown, a sweet community, then onto Gorge Harbour; walked the property and the dock. On to Linnaea Farm to leave our baggage. We began the first hike and hiked up to Easter Bluff, gorgeous views overlooking the south and west ends end of Cortes, Quadra and the mountains beyond. In the afternoon we walked at Hank’s Beach Forest Conservation Park, spent time on the beach.  The group enjoyed a delicious dinner around the big table at the farm.

Tuesday, Sabina, a marine biologist, took us on a walk from Smelt Bay to Manson’s Landing. This was a day filled with marine knowledge: identified wolf prints, sea-weeds, shells, grasses, birds, ducks, history of Cortes etc. It was a wonderful experience. Lunch near the beautiful maple trees and onto Manson’s Landing. Afternoon we walked Siskin Forest Park, one of the newer parks on Cortes. Again, a delicious dinner.

Final day we hiked in Kw’as Park. This is a large network of trails filled with old growth. We hugged the sides of Gunflint Lake and Hague Lake. Managed to climb up to the summit, a lovely display of wild flowers, arbutus and manzanita. We marveled at the huge red cedar trees and the dear survivor Douglas fir tree. We only managed to hike part of the park and certainly want to return.

Gunflint Lake was inviting and some chose to swim in order to cool down. Packed and onto the ferry, returning to Quadra.

I truly enjoyed this trip: the weather was a plus, the group was fantastic, the farm stay enjoyable and the hikes amazing. We all expressed what a gem Cortes Island is.

Margot

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Multi-day Hiking – Cortes, Linnaea Farm – 18-20 Apr 2016

Hiking – Sooke – 16-18 May 2016

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Activity Hiking
Destination Sooke
Date 16-18 May, Monday-Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info debbie.quigg@ualberta.ca or 3710; please contact the coordinator by May 1.
Description We will spend three days (two nights) in Sooke. The suggested accommodation will be camping at the Sooke River Campground. They also have three rustic cabins for rent. We have reserved three tent sites.  Please contact the coordinator about these.  If you want an RV site or a cabin, please make the arrangements yourself (250-642-6076).

The primary hiking destinations will be the Coast Trail in East Sooke Regional Park, the Sooke Potholes, or other trails in the area. There is also the opportunity to bike along the Galloping Goose trail, or kayak in the harbour.
Meeting Place Sooke River Campground; 2259 Phillips Rd, Sooke
Departure Time na
Difficulty The Coast Trail is challenging. The walk along the Potholes is easy.
Cost Transportation and camping ($25/night/tent or $40 or $60/night for the cabins)
Trip limits none
Dogs? Possible, but challenging
Notes: This is a very historical area on Vancouver Island. Recommended reading: West Coast Pioneer – John Muir

Trip Report – Mt. Seymour – 13 Apr 2016

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Ten people and two dogs climbed Mt. Seymour. We all stayed dry while watching rain clouds over Vancouver Island. We visited the east, north and west viewpoints and enjoyed a short lunch stop trying to huddle out of the wind (6° C).  We hiked quickly and enjoyed the workout.  3½ hours, 8 km, 425m elevation gain.

Julie

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Hike – Mt. Seymour – 9 Mar 2016

Hiking – Snowden Demonstration Forest – 27 April 2016

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 Change of departure time!

Activity Hiking
Destination Snowden Demonstration Forest, Campbell River
Date 27 April 2016, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info 250-285-3710, norris.weimer@ualberta.ca
Please contact the coordinator in advance of the trip
Description There is an extensive network of biking/hiking trails north of John Hart Lake.
We will explore the Lost Lake area.
Meeting Place Q Cove Ferry terminal
Departure Time The ferry leaves at 9:00 10:00 am
Difficulty
 unknown
Costs none except ferry costs
Trip limits none
Dogs? yes
Notes: Bring lunch.  We will arrange car pools in advance.  Due to construction, the drive to the Lost Lake Parking is a bit round-about.

 

Trip Report – Cape Mudge Loop – 6 Apr 2016

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When Wednesday dawned grey and drizzly we decided to postpone the trip to Mt. Washington and go for a walk instead. We set out on a loop on the Cape Mudge Reserve of logging roads, streets and trails. We started on an old road off of the road to the Lighthouse, hopped across the wetlands and continued into the village. We followed the trail along the shore, which has been much eroded from the recent storm surge, continued past the campground, Lighthouse, Tsa Kwa Luten and into the forest trail which returned to the road. There were lots of flowers to admire along the way. 9km; 2½ hours.

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Trip Report – Beech’s Mtn Loop – 30 Mar 2016

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Eight hikers and one dog enjoyed a spectacular sunny day on this five hour hike, including guests Dina and Daryl from the Bulkley Valley. The maintained trail, which branches off South Chinese Mountain trail, was followed to the top of Beech’s Mountain, the second highest point on Quadra Island after Mt. Seymour. Our lunch break was spent overlooking an 180 degree panorama of the east side of Quadra and beyond to the mainland.

From the top of the mountain, we followed a flagged route down and around the mountain, and onto the North Chinese ridge at its north end. From there, the route over sunny mossy bluffs took us back to the North Chinese Mountain trail near the point where it heads up to North Chinese Mountain viewpoint. We headed down the steep rubbly trail/old logging road and back to the vehicles at the Chinese Mountain parking lot.   There were lots of stops to appreciate the views across to both the Vancouver Island and Coast Mountains, as well as views south down Georgia Strait.

I think this is one of the best hikes for stunning views on a clear day. Hiking level is moderate with sustained uphill and a few short difficult sections over bluffs on the way up the mountain. The route on the second half of the hike includes two long downhill sections of rock-strewn old logging roads which can be hard on tender knees. Walking sticks are recommended.

Janis

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Hike – Beech’s Mtn Loop – 30 Mar 2016

Trip Report – Silk Stocking and Little Black Dress – 16 Mar 2016

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Four hikers and one dog set off on the first sunny day we have had after weeks of heavy rain and gloomy skies. The trail was less sloppy than we had feared, which was welcome surprise. The sun filtered through the trees and the moss was a glowing neon green – almost too bright to look at! We made a loop down “Dick’s Ride” to check out the beaver pond with a collection of Mallard and Greater Scaup bobbing about on the calm water. Then we climbed back up the hill to get out on the mossy bluffs and into the glorious sunshine. Our lunch spot was a rocky outcrop with a view back toward Gowlland Harbour. As we ate, a group of wolves started to howl on the ridge to the south-west of us, and they continued their chorus for about twenty minutes as we started our descent – lovely!!

This section of Silk Stocking skirts the old copper mining area, now inactive for 60 to 70 years. There are bits of machinery still around and in some spots the rock has the classic bright green colour of copper ore. It is impressive how much the land has recovered from the scarring of mining activity – moss and young growth now covers the seams where ore had been taken out. It is a gorgeous section of the trail and hopefully will not be devastated by mining activity again.

Our last treat was a view of two Hooded Mergansers on the body of water at the base of the ridge. Then a twisty section of trail along Little Black Dress returned us to our starting point with almost dry feet.

Bird list for the day:
Harlequin Duck
Greater Scaup
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Sooty Grouse
Bald Eagle
Pileated Woodpecker
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Chestnut-sided Chickadee
Pacific Wren
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Dark-eye Junco
Song Sparrow

Kathryn

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Hiking – Bike Trails – 17 Feb 2016

Trip Report – DW1 Copper Mine – 2 Mar 2016

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It was a cloudy but mild day as four hikers set out to do some exploring. We drove to the summit of Deepwater Main and started from there.  There was lots of water in the creeks and on the trail from recent rain.

We first climbed a steep old road for 1.5 km to an old copper mine. It was once probably the largest mine on Quadra. There are many old remnants around the entrance. The main shaft has started falling in so if you go to the mine be very careful. Water has filled the shaft but there is an excellent view from a side shaft. We explored a bit more then returned to where we had parked.

Our next adventure was to explore an old logging road that veers south and up from the Deepwater Main. We climbed for 3.1 km this time until we met an old road that comes in from the Granite Bay gravel pit. We had hoped for this as the other road showed on an old topography map. At this point we decided to call it a day and returned via the same path.

The trip was 9.2 kilometers and 440 meters of vertical in 4 hours. This was a good workout as we had spent an hour looking around at the mine.

Les

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Hike – DW1 Copper Mine – 2 March 2016