Category Archives: moderate

Morte Lake Loop – 17 Dec 2014

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 This trip was originally scheduled for 17 December, but took place on 7 January

Activity Hiking
Destination Morte Lake Loop
Date 17 December 2014, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info qioutdoorclub@gmail.com
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.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Tru Value parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs?
Notes: Bring lunch and rain gear.  This trail can be quite wet in places.

Blindman’s Bluff & Eagle Ridge – 10 Dec 2014

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 POSTPONED

Activity Hiking
Destination Blindman’s Bluff & Eagle Ridge
Date 10 December 2014, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator TBA
Contact Info qioutdoorclub@gmail.com
Description These are two short hikes linked by proximity.  The route takes us through open forest over mossy bluffs leading to great views.  About 2 1/2 hours.But we think this trip may not go as scheduled.  There is no volunteer as coordinator and there are gale force winds forecast.  However, if you want to do something on December 10th, respond by e-mail to qioutdoorclub@gmail.com
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Tru Value parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs?
Notes: Bring lunch and rain gear.  Hiking poles may be useful but not needed.

Back Door – Silk Stocking Loop – 3 December 2014

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Activity Hiking
Destination Back Door – Silk Stocking Loop
Date 3 December 2014, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info 285-3710 or norris.weimer@ualberta.ca
Description A pleasant walk in trees and along ridges.

We will explore some of the mountain bike trails south of the WalCan Road,  Starting from the North Gowlland Road, the route follows Cash Only to Back Door, Silk Stocking, the logging road leading to Blindman’s Bluff, Bite the Bullet (which has been affected by logging), and Sam’s Shorty,  There is the possibility that we will have to walk a short distance on the North Gowlland Road.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Tru Value parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs?
Notes: Bring lunch and warm clothing.  It’s supposed to be cold and some parts of the trails may be wet.  Hiking poles may be useful.  About 3 hours.

Shellalligan Trail – 29 November 2014

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Activity Hiking
Destination Shellalligan Trail
Date 29 November 2014, Saturday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info 285-3710 or debbie.quigg@ualberta.ca
Description We will start along the rocky bluffs overlooking Hoskyn Channel and Village Bay.  After that, there is a choice of return paths, to be decided by the group and the weather.  3 to 6 km, 2 to 4 hours.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Tru Value parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty moderate
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs?
Notes: Bring lunch and warm clothing.  It’s supposed to be sunny and 3° C.  Hiking poles may be useful but not needed.

Trip Report – Mt. Seymour 12 Nov 2014

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To celebrate the end of a month with 320 mm of rain, nine people and one dog made the trek to the top of Mt. Seymour in crisp sunshine and cold temperatures. The trail was in good condition. We stopped at the bluff above Nugedzi Lake for snacks and at the top (620 m) for lunch. There was a light, but cool breeze and great views all around. 8 km, about 420 m elevation gain, 4 hours.

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Hike Mt. Seymour – 12 November 2014

Hike Mt. Seymour – 12 November 2014

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Activity Hiking
Destination Mt. Seymour
Date 12 November 2014, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info 285-3710 or norris.weimer@ualberta.ca
Description This is a great hike and we’re hoping for wonderful views on a clear day.  It’s a steady climb up old logging roads, until the trail branches off and follows open bluffs and forest to the summit at 620 m, the highest point on Quadra Island. We will then descend by the same route.  Four to five hours.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Tru Value parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty moderate to difficult
Costs none
Trip limits none
Dogs?
Notes: Bring lunch and warm clothing.  It’s supposed to be cold.  Hiking poles may be a good idea.

Trip Report – Cortes and beyond 15-17 Sept 2014

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Debbie, Norris, Margot, Lonn and Darcy boarded the 9:05 ferry to Cortes on Monday morning and launched at the foot of Sea Vista road – a bit of a carry from the parking area made much easier by loading all the gear except boats on Lonn’s truck which he was able to drive to the beach. We left near high tide on a beautiful, sunny, windless day and paddled north through Plumper Passage and on to the entrance to Von Donop Inlet, with a short lunch break at Carrington Bay.

Our first plan for a campsite was to select one of the two reported on either side of Robertson Creek, about a kilometer northwest of Von Donop entrance. The first site showed a good beach, but tent sites appeared to be well back in the bush and rather dark. The second site would have been fine had it not been littered with derelict boats, floats, Styrofoam blocks and other detritus. So, following a futile hunt by Margot and Lonn to the north, we paddled back into Von Donop Inlet, to a beautiful, flat, open spacious site among huge cedars at the entrance to Von Donop lagoon. There’s even a picnic table!

Following happy hour (with smoked salmon), dinner and a campfire, we crawled into our tents and woke next morning to another beautiful day. We first checked out the entrance to the lagoon to see whether it would be possible to paddle in (an exercise we repeated later in the day at a higher tide). The lagoon entrance is full of shellfish and sea stars that obviously relish the rushing water. We then paddled across Sutil Channel to the Penn Islands. We spotted one small group of kayakers (who turned out to also be from Quadra Island) and landed at a campsite on the east side of northernmost Island. The beach has excellent protection from all weathers and several tent sites (occupied by the tents of our Quadra neighbours). After paddling among the islands, accompanied by snorting, blowing and splashing seals, we returned to Von Donop and, starting at the north shore of the lagoon entrance, hiked up to Wiley Lake. On the way back, we stopped to investigate a small cabin, which has been built by local residents to provide emergency shelter for boaters and hikers. We again tried to enter the lagoon, but concluded that tides likely need to be higher than 14 or 15 feet to make entry possible.

After another quiet night (except for the odd owl and the rustle of curious rodents), we broke camp for the return trip. With impeccable timing, the weather started to change and we paddled back in a light headwind followed, as we drove onto the ferry, by the first drops of rain.

In all, we paddled about 60 kilometres over the three days.

submitted by Darcy Mitchell, trip coordinator

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Paddling/camping beyond Cortes 15-17 Sept 2014

Trip Report – Mine Lake Bluff 10 Sept 2014

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This trip was scheduled for Rousseau Ridge, but at a last-minute request it was re-routed to the bluff on the north shore of Mine Lake. The weather was perfect: clear, warm and still. We followed the trail from the Surge Narrows Road to the Camp Homewood campsite, which was closed for the season. After finding the sign to the bluff we climbed through the forest and then steeply on rocks up to great views of Mine Lake and the Mt. Seymour Ridge. We explored the top of the bluff for views and found a trail that descended the north side and then along the base of an impressive cliff. This trail circled back to re-join the trail we had taken up the south side of the bluff. We descended to the lake, stopping for lunch and a swim at the rocky peninsula near the campsite, before heading back.

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Hike Rousseau Ridge – 10 Sept 2014

Trip Report – Beech’s Mtn 2 Sept 2014

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The forecast was for rain, one of the few rainy days in the entire summer. A small group decided to go anyway. The threat of rain was exaggerated, but there was mist and low clouds – not perfect for hike with such great views. We hiked up to the viewpoint and on to the summit. We then decided to make a loop back to the parking lot by taking the route down the west side of Beech’s mountain, continuing on the old logging road for a while, and then following another flagged route along bluffs, finally joining the North Chinese Mountain trail. There are several routes from the logging road to the Chinese Mountain parking lot, but this is the most scenic.

A few people went the following day which was sunny and beautiful.

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Hike Beech’s Mtn. – 2 Sept 2014

Trip Report – Bedwell Area 25-27 Aug 2014

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We began the hike up from the trailhead to Bedwell Lake at 1:00 and walked through the impressive forest of old growth, boulders and stairs up to Baby Bedwell Lake (6 km, 3 hours). We set up camp at Baby Bedwell Lake and took advantage of the warm, sunny weather to go swimming and cool down. This was a trip to try out new gear: foamies, stoves, GPS and inReach.

The next day we hiked up one of the approaches to Tom Taylor. We walked to Bedwell Lake, then west to the south shore of Baby Bedwell and more or less along the west shore of Bedwell Lake on an up and down, somewhat overgrown, flagged and cairned route. This led to excellent views of the area, especially Septimus, Big Interior Mountain, Bedwell and neighbouring lakes. There were also lovely lakes at the northeast foot of Tom Taylor. Progress was somewhat slowed by eating lots of great blueberries and swimming in the lakes. We continued on up the northeast ridge of Tom Taylor, but turned back at 3:00. We retraced our route until we reached Baby Bedwell and then followed a route to the west of the lake back to the campsite. (about 10.5 km, 9 hours)

On the third day, we had expected the weather to deteriorate, but since it was still warm and sunny, we decided to explore more of the area. We hiked to Bedwell Lake and a short way down the trail to Bedwell Sound. We then hiked along the east shore of Bedwell Lake, which is also an undulating, somewhat overgrown, flagged and cairned route. Even without the blueberries and swimming, this was not fast walking. At 1:00 we headed back, broke camp and hiked out. We left the Baby Bedwell campsite following a well cleared and flagged route to the west of the established trail, joining that trail after about a kilometre. (about 16 km, 8.5 hours for the day) This is a truly spectacular sub-alpine destination, which is quite readily accessible and has lots of opportunities for side trips.

Sidebar: As we walked in on the first day, the talk on the trail from those we met coming out was about the 140 lb, injured dog at Bedwell Lake. The dog was unable to walk, and he and the owners were running out of food. All rescue alternatives were problematic. The next day, the dog was retrieved by a volunteer helicopter and rescuers, which was the big news event of the week in Campbell River.

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Backpacking Baby Bedwell & day trips – 25-27 August 2014