Category Archives: Quadra Island

Trip Report – Surge Narrows Trail – 13 May 2026

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Our timing was perfect on our Surge Narrows hike, arriving at the rapids just at full
flood of 7.4 knots. We decided to make the rocky viewpoint our lunch stop so that we could enjoy watching about a dozen kayakers who appeared on cue. We suspected that they were local guides in training for the summer season, and were impressed by the rolling and self-rescue skills of some as they tackled the rapids.

Over the years, the Surge Narrows trail has been greatly improved. The trail to the viewpoint is easy to follow and the old, dodgy bridges have been replaced with culverts by our hardworking Trail Committee.  There is even a port-a-pottie at the trailhead. The
trailhead, well signed, is now at the upper parking lot; old-timers will recall that the trail
originally began at the lower parking lot. To the viewpoint is a moderate 2 km hike, with “suitable undulations” to provide some cardio, through typical West Coast forest. We saw several outcroppings of oyster mushrooms and one bunch of coral root on the trail to the viewpoint.  Beyond the viewpoint, the trail is signposted as a route and is not maintained, overgrown with deadfall and salal.  This route is challenging, hugging the steep shoreline until reaching a rocky beach. At low tide it would be possible to walk north along the shoreline for intertidal viewing, but the tide was too high for this on the day of our hike.

As always, parking at Surge Narrows is a challenge, carpooling is a necessity.
5.14 km, about 2.5 hours including on-water entertainment.

Valerie van Veen

Many thanks to Norris for photos.

Click on photos to enlarge
 

Hiking – Surge Narrows Trail – 13 May 2026

Hiking – Mt. Lolo – 10 June 2026

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Activity Hiking
Destination Mt. Lolo
Date 10 June 2026, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info dmquigg@gmail.com or 3710. Please contact the coordinator by Monday night.
Description We will begin on the trail to Maud Island and then follow old logging roads, deer trails and routes to the Mt. Lolo bluff overlooking Discovery Passage.  After exploring the short ridge with great views we will return the same way.  About 8 km; 4+ hours.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot.  We will drive out in a group.
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Moderate, much of this will not be on maintained trails.
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs?
Notes: Bring lunch, poles if you use them and gear for the weather.  This is a trip better done in good weather and might be postponed if the forecast is poor.

Hiking – Mt. Seymour – 27 May 2026

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Activity Hiking
Destination Mt. Seymour
Date 27 May 2026, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Vic Gladish
Contact Info vicgladish@gmail.com; 250-287-0459
Description We will meet at Community Centre and then drive the half hour out to trailhead. We will go out and back the lower route so it will be easier. About 9km and 4 + hours including lunch.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot
Departure Time 9:00
Difficulty
 This is one of the toughest hikes due to its length and steepness.
Costs Gas
Trip limits 10
Dogs? Must be under control. Please be aware that FMCBC excludes dogs from its liability insurance.  Owners need to sign a waiver indicating that they are aware of their responsibility.
Notes: Bring lunch, poles if you use them, and gear appropriate for the weather, and extra water is its a warmer day.

Hiking – Surge Narrows Trail – 13 May 2026

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Activity Hiking
Destination Surge Narrows Trail
Date 13 June 2026, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Valerie van Veen
Contact Info vvv@qisland.ca, 250 285 2329, cell: 778 242 5774
Description This trail affords spectacular views of the infamous Surge Narrows rapids, especially when the current is running strong. The trail follows the coastline going north/northeast and steeply undulating. The first, shorter section to a rocky viewpoint is well used, the longer section beyond to an even better viewpoint is more challenging, narrow, generally rougher. Altogether not a long hike. On May 13, Surge Narrows will be in flood, 7.4 knots, at 11:44, so we should have some good views of the rapids in action.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot at 10 am; carpool in vehicles suitable for the gravel road north of the Valdes turnoff; Village Bay Lakes boat launch parking lot at 10:20 am (approx.) where I will meet the group.
Meeting Time 10:00
Difficulty Moderate
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? Must be in control, especially along the second section where the narrow trail hugs the hillside.
Please note that the FMCBC has a new policy where dogs are explicitly exclude from liability insurance and owners need to sign a waiver of understanding.
Notes This trip is only worth the effort of the long drive on the unpaved road if the weather is pleasant and trail conditions are dry . An alternative hike will be offered if the weather does not justify the effort. Bring lunch, poles if used. Participants MUST register by Monday evening, March 11. Only registered participants will be advised of any changes in plans. Contact the coordinator if you have any questions.

Kayaking – Main Lakes Provincial Park – 21 May 2026

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Activity Kayaking
Destination Main Lake Provincial Park
Date 21 May, Thursday
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info 285-2029 or lhquadra@gmail.com
Description We will meet at Mine Lake boat launch at about 9:30 to get ready to leave at 10. We will paddle out to from Mine Lake to Main Lake and to the far campground. Then walk across to Yeatman Bay to stretch our legs and have lunch. After lunch, we will walk back to the kayaks and make a decision if we just go back to Mine or paddle a bit farther. The route may depend on wind conditions.
Meeting Place Mine Lake boat launch
Departure Time Leave at 10:00
Difficulty
 Easy; depending on wind.
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? No
Notes: Bring full paddling gear, lunch, and clothes for changing weather.

Trip Report – Rousseau Ridge Loop – 15 Apr 2026

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Eight of us hiked this loop starting from North Gowlland Road.  Part of the reason for choosing this hike was the recent trail work on the west end of the North Gowlland trail.  The work has been extensive by widening the trail, draining wet areas and putting in culverts.  Thanks, as always, to our wonderful Trail Committee volunteers.

We hiked North Gowlland Trail up to Rousseau Ridge with a short break to enjoy the view though there were some very low, wet clouds around.  We back-tracked to the North Gowlland trail and continued more-or-less easterly until we joined the Thompson and then the B&B Trail.  Unfortunately there were multiple issues once we followed the B&B trail.  First, we had some quite hard, cold and wetting hail, and the B&B trail has been abandoned, so the deadfall and  salal had overwhelmed the trail.  This section was quite brief however, and once we reached the logging roads, walking was very easy.  We hiked up a mossy bluff for lunch and then continued along the logging road toward the North Gowlland Road.  This area is quite changed from recent logging including new roads, which made it trickier to find the intended connection back to the North Gowlland trail.  However, we achieved the same objective by simply following the logging roads, making the loop slightly longer. 

In spite of the hail and threatening showers, it was a lovely spring day for this hike to some areas we had not visited for quite a while.  The improved trail will be reason to hike here more often.   (7.8 km; 3⅓ hours)

Debbie
 

(click on photos to enlarge)

Hiking – Rousseau Ridge Loop – 15 Apr 2026

Hiking – Rousseau Ridge – 15 Apr 2026

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Activity Hiking
Destination Rousseau Ridge Loop
Date 15 Apr, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info dmquigg@gmail.com, 3710 or 250-850-9848; please contact the coordinator iby Monday
Description We will start from the North Gowlland road and hike the Gowlland Harbour trail to Rousseau Ridge.  We will probably continue on short sections of the North Gowlland, Thompson and B&B trails, and logging roads to make a loop.  There has been recent trail work on the North Gowlland trail.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot to arrange carpools
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Moderate
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs?
Notes: Bring lunch and bring hiking poles if you use them.

Trip Report – Blenkin Park Loop – 2 April 2026

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This walk around Blenkin Park was postponed one day and we were rewarded for it. It turned out to be a calm, sunny, warm day for a casual walk in the woods. We did a zigzag path so as to cover all trails in the park without having to do one twice except in two short areas. The sun was glorious shining through the trees, and especially through the long hanging moss. We took a short side trip out to the edge of the low wetlands before we headed up to the big old Maple at the Homestead. After this we wandered to the fire hall and back before continuing on our zigzag path. We wandered down Homestead Trail, and then took a side trip on Swale Trail before going back to the tennis courts. Many trees had come down in this area from the heavy snowfall and high winds. They have all been cut back now, though, and the trail is open. (7.4 km and 2 hours)

Les

(click on photos to view larger)

Hiking – Blenkin Park Loop – 1 April 2026

Trip Report – Rebecca Spit – Heriot Bay Walk – 11 Mar 2026

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Three hikers, and one honorary member, were able to participate in a last-minute posting for a
ramble around Heriot Bay. Braving very inclement weather, we set off at 10:10 am from the Boat Ramp parking lot to walk out to the end of Rebecca Spit, with the intention of making a go/no-go decision when we got back to our vehicles. The immediate hailstorm and blustery winds were not auspicious for a longer outing. However, by the time we got back to our cars, the skies had lightened, the wind dropped, and a light rain was falling so we decided to continue with the trip plan. We walked through the campground, turned south onto Heriot Bay Road then soon crossed over to the trails in IR 9. We followed a northerly route to eventually come out onto Hooley Road, then Buker to Heriot Bay Road. At this junction, Georgia, with her low slung carriage and bare feet, was quite cold and wet so she took her human back to Rebecca Spit to their warm, and dry, truck, meeting up with the rest of the group at Java Bay Café in Heriot Bay.

The remaining hikers walked along the water-side of Heriot Bay Road up to Pilot, up Pilot onto
Schooner, Schooner to West Road to the mall and Java Bay Café for very welcome
refreshments, and were soon joined by our third hiker. Having endured continual bouts of heavy rain and hail throughout the ramble, we gratefully accepted the offer of a drive back to our vehicle at Rebecca Spit. 3 hours including Café stop. 8 km walking; 2.5 driving

This Ramble is a great winter hike when wilderness trails are too wet/icy/snowy . The Café
break is a very welcome bonus. The route allows for several go/no go decision points, and
having one car parked at the Café is suggested in really bad weather.

Valerie van Veen

Thanks to Valerie for the photos

Click on photos to enlarge
 

Hiking – Rebecca Spit – Heriot Bay Ramble – 11 Mar 2026

Ramble – Rebecca Spit – 11 Mar 2026

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Activity Ramble
Location Rebecca Spit, Heriot Bay
Date 11 Mar 2026, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Valerie van Veen
Contact Info vvv@qisland.ca, cell 778 242 5774, 250 285 2329
Description This will be a Hot Chocolate Ramble for exercise, fresh air and friendship. Given the variable weather, this trip can be easily altered, and ramblers can do as much or as little as they wish. We will meet at the boat launch parking lot in Rebecca Spit Park, walk to the end of the Spit and back, and then out of the Park, cross over Heriot Bay Road and take the “Hooleyville trails” coming our onto Heriot Bay Road. A short walk along the road, then up Pilot, down Schooner, along West Road to Java Bay Cafe for Hot Chocolate, or ??? We can then either head back down Heriot Bay Road or take the longer route retracing some or all of our steps.
Meeting Place Rebecca Spit boat ramp parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty Easy
Dogs On leash in the park and on roads
Trip Limits None, but will be single file on Heriot Bay Road
Cost None, unless you buy hot chocolate
Notes: MUST CONTACT VAL TUESDAY NIGHT   (tonight) IF INTERESTED FOR TRIP TO GO AHEAD.  If there is no interest, the trip will be cancelled.