Since the forecast for Wednesday called for full-on monsoon weather, we moved the trip to Tuesday. We started at the logging bridge, which crosses the creek along North Gowlland road, and hiked up Marlow’s Climb. We followed a short, flagged route from the logging road to the official North Gowlland hiking trail and followed that down to the creek and the road. After walking up the Missing Link logging road we joined the Silk Stocking mountain bike trail to a small lake and from there we followed Little Black Dress. After a short dipsy-doodle on Back Door and other trails we took Cash Only and Lady Lumps to return to the vehicles.

This walk combines a lot of trail sections into a very nice hiking loop. Although there are no big views along the way, the hike includes trails along and over mossy bluffs, an old open copper mine, wetlands and creeks, and always interesting trails. We had all the trails to ourselves with the moss and mushrooms. The rain held off until afternoon, so we had only a light sprinkle. 9.1km; 3 hours.

If you know what the mushrooms are, please let us know.

Debbie

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Hike – North Gowlland Bike Loop – 2 Nov 2016

We left from the Morte Lake parking lot thinking that we would follow George’s flagged route up the hill to the bluff south of Chinese Mountain. However, we found that the mountain bike trail, Breakfast Beer, had been completed, so we followed that instead. It’s a steep climb up to good views, at least the views are good if the weather cooperates.

We continued on mountain bike trails, following Ridge Trail, Seven Sins and Nirvana, for more views, and to join up with the official maintained trail around Morte Lake. We took that trail clockwise around the Lake.  We stopped for lunch at the picnic table at the northwest corner of the lake and the water level in the lake is so high it nearly reached the table. We continued along the north bluff and the access trail, turning off on the Dead Fish bike trail to return to the parking lot. These are great trails through beautiful, often open forest. The views, the lake and the fungi were wonderful. We only had occasional light rain during the hike, but it rained hard by the time we returned to Heriot Bay. 10.9 km; 4 hours.

Debbie

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Hike – Alternate Morte Lake Loop – 26 Oct 2016

Five of us hiked to Eagle Ridge on a beautiful, warm, clear fall day.  We walked down to the beaver pond, hiked through the forest and up onto the mossy, rocky bluffs to great views of the wetlands and Discovery Passage.  It was still early, so we hiked out to Blindman’s Bluff for lunch.  It was quite warm and the views were great in all directions.  We had the trails all to ourselves.  5.6 km; 3 hours.

Debbie

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Hike – Eagle Ridge – 28 Sept 2016

Five of us set off to see some of the Stramberg big trees. It was going to be a very hot day, so we moved the start time of the trip an hour earlier and we were thankful that this was a trip in the shade of the forest. So we started down the deactivated logging road called Little Main Road, which is now part of Main Lakes Park. It’s a pleasant stroll apart from being prone to the occasional attempt by huckleberry bushes to retake the path. The road probably goes all the way to Shadowbrook Creek, but the last 50 metres are definitely overgrown. Instead, the path crosses Stramberg Creek, a very nice gravelly stream this season. After that, the flagged route turns back south and winds gently up hill through the old forest, passing one huge big fir tree and reaching a lovely grove of old fir trees where we had lunch before returning home. This grove is just a bit north of the Stramberg big trees we go to more often. These trees aren’t quite as big, but the grove itself is nicer. 11.7 km; 4½ hours.

Norris

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Hike – Stramberg Creek and North Grove – 24 Aug 2016