Category Archives: Quadra Island

Hiking – Blenkin Park – 18 Dec 2024

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Activity Hiking and social
Destination Blenkin Park
Date 18 Dec 2024, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info dmquigg@gmail.com or 3710.  Please RSVP by Monday night.
Description Starting at the Community Centre, we will hike a complex loop through the Blenkin Park trails.  The walking is easy but likely wet and muddy with some great variety in this forest.  About 6 km and 2 hours.   After that we will have some lunch and share some seasonal cheer in room 3 at the Community Hall.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Easy
Costs None
Trip limits None
Dogs? Okay, but must not run through the group.
Notes: You are encouraged to bring and share any Christmas goodies you have. But it doesn’t all have to be sweets.
If the weather is really bad, we may shorten the walk by starting later.

Hiking – Big Tree Woodlot – 9 Dec 2024

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Activity Hiking
Destination Big Tree Woodlot
Date 9 Dec 2024, Monday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info dmquigg@gmail.com or 3710. Please contact the coordinator by Saturday night.
Description We will start at the sign at Benner’s woodlot. We will meander along his logging roads to Open Bay Main and then do a loop back to Village Bay Road. The last part of the loop is on the Bold Point Rd.  Roughly 7 km.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Easy
Costs none
Trip limits 10
Dogs? Okay, but must not run through the group
Notes: Bring a snack and gear for the weather

Trip Report – Beaver Lake and Open Bay Creek – 14 Nov 2024

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Ten hikers started out on the Crikey Creek Trail on a chilly but sunny morning. It was nice to get a day without rain for a change. We came out at the Open Bay Main logging road and proceeded down Open Bay Creek. We followed the trail along the creek and were delighted to see chum salmon still spawning in the creek. It has been a record year for returning salmon. Farther down the trail we ran into three large trees that had blown down and were a bit of a challenge to scramble over. We continued on through the mossy forest and turned up the hill to follow the creek to Beaver Lake. Because of the heavy rainfall the Creek was high with many small waterfalls. We had lunch on the rock bluff at the end of Beaver Lake. The creek was a bit of a challenge to get across, but the group managed and continued up the trail beside the lake. As we continued to climb up to Village Bay Lake Road we were treated to rock bluffs with very heavy deep green moss and many different varieties of mushrooms to look at. From there we proceeded back to the vehicles via the Nugedzi parking lot and logging road. (7.4 km and 3 1/2 hours)

Les
 
Thanks to Les and Norris for the photos
 

(click on photos to enlarge)

Hiking – Beaver Lake and Open Bay Creek – 14 Nov 2024

Exploring – Two Mines and Some Karst – 4 Dec 2024

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We won’t be doing this outing.  The forest has overwhelmed the sites.  Expect an update.

Activity Exploring
Destination Two Mines and Some Karst Formations
Date 4 December 2024, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info 3710 or dmquigg@gmail.com; please RSVP by Monday night
Description We will visit an old mine off of Open Bay Main, a limestone cave and grikes in the limestone.  We will also stop at the Lucky Jim mine before continuing on to some sinkhole formations.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking to carpool or by arrangement
Departure Time 9:30 am
Difficulty
 Easy.  This will more a visit to multiple sites than a lot of exercise, however the trails will not be maintained
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? No
Notes: Be prepared for wet.  Bring a good flashlight if you have one.

Hiking – Nighthawk Lake – 20 Nov 2024

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Postponed due to weather!

Activity Hiking
Destination Nighthawk Lake and bluffs to the west
Date 20 Nov 2024
Trip Coordinator Valerie van Veen
Contact Info vvv@qisland.ca, 250 285 2329, 778 242 5774
Description We will start at the Mud Lake parking area and follow Yellow Mud trail to the south end of Nighthawk Lake, route back via Rob’s Ride and Plaything to Yellow Mud to return back to the Mud Lake parking lot.
Meeting Place Community Centre at 10:00 or Mud Lake parking lot at 10:10
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Moderate, one steep downhill
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? Must be under control and stay with owner at front of group
Notes: Bring lunch, snack, dress for the weather. Be sure to sign up as the final choice of location for this hike will be entirely weather dependent … weather alternatives will be in the south end.

Hiking – Beaver Lake to Open Bay Creek – 14 Nov 2024

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Activity Hiking
Destination Beaver Lake to Open Bay Creek
Date 14 Nov 2024, Thursday
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info lhquadra@gmail.com 285-2029
Description We will leave from Hyacinth Bay Road and follow a flagged trail down to Beaver Lake. From there we will continue on to Open Bay Creek and follow it back to Village Bay Road.
Meeting Place Community Centre parking lot
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Moderate
Costs none
Trip limits 10
Dogs? O.K. but must not run back and forth
Notes Bring a lunch or snack and dress for the weather.

Trip Report – Morte Lake Loop – 24 Oct 2024

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Nine hikers set out on a cool, cloudy day to go around Morte Lake. We went up Lower Deadfish Trail from the parking lot to get a better view of the creek, which was running well after all the heavy rains. At the first junction, we crossed back over the creek and proceeded on to the lake. The moss and foliage has really greened up since the rain. There was also an abundance of mushrooms, but some types are dying back now. We decided to go counterclockwise around the lake and stopped at the first beach to look at all the ducks that were at the end. We proceeded up the newer mountain bike trail that has many switchbacks up the side of the hill before we went out on to the rock bluffs. There are many great views of the lake along this portion. We stopped at the picnic table at the west end for lunch. A wind came up a bit so it was quite cool. The lake level was very high for this time of year. After this we proceeded through the Conservancy land and back around Morte Lake.

When we got back to the small bridge close to the parking lot, we were treated to a special event. There were 100 or more chum salmon spawning at the bridge. We were all amazed at that amount of fish churning up the water there. After this, we decided to stop down at the salmon viewing platforms at Hyacinthe Creek. There were a few hundred there with some of them having died already. It would seem that all of the work that the Salmon Enhancement Society has done is paying off. (10.5 km and 4 hours)

Les

(click on photos to enlarge)

Hiking – Morte Lake Loop – 24 Oct 2024

Hiking – Morte Lake Loop – 24 Oct 2024

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Change of date and time!

Activity Hiking
Destination Morte Lake Loop
Date 24 Oct, Thursday 23 Oct, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info lhquadra@gmail.com or 285-2029
Description We will go around Morte Lake. Exact route will be determined by who comes along.  Bring a lunch.
Meeting Place Morte Lake parking lot
Departure Time 11:00 10:00
Difficulty
 Easy
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? O.K. but must not run back and forth through the group
Notes: Dress for the weather as this will take 3 or more hours. If it is raining hard it will be canceled so be sure and sign up so I can contact you.

Trip Report – Blindman’s Bluff – 16 Oct 2024

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There wasn’t a lot of interest in the original destination, so those who wanted an outing opted for a change to Blindman’s Bluff.  A short hike worked well because of deteriorating weather in the afternoon.  Five of us approached the hike from the traditional Copperhead logging road.  After crossing the creek, we found a newly constructed logging road spur that we decided to explore.  From the end of the spur we continued on a short bushwhack through open forest, to more directly join the Blindman’s Bluff trail.

We followed the loop around clockwise, quickly arriving at the high, open bluffs with 180° views to the east. It was a perfect autumn day, with great views at the right temperature.  We stopped for a snack/lunch at the southeast viewpoint with great views over Gowlland Harbour and Vancouver Island.  We stopped again at the southwest viewpoint before continuing back on the trail and the logging road to the vehicles.  (3.7 km; 2 hours; 170 m ascent)

Norris and Debbie

(click on photos to enlarge)

Kayaking – Round the Cape – 31 Oct 2024

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This trip has been cancelled.

Activity Kayaking
Destination Round the Cape (QCove to Smith’s Rd)
Date 31 Oct, Thursday
Trip Coordinator Vic Gladish
Contact Info 250-287-0459
Description This is about a 4 hour paddle from Quathiaski Cove to the shore access at the bottom of Smiths Rd. The trip requires a shuttle which will be arranged once I know who is participating. The day/time is picked with the tidal movements in mind so the trip is easy to moderate depending on wind. The trip will be canceled if the weather forecast is for wind and/or rain.
Meeting Place Quathiaski Cove parking lot at 1000 h.
Departure Time On the water by 1030
Difficulty
 Easy, but wind could be a factor.
Costs Parking ($2-4) and launch fee ($4)
Trip limits 8
Dogs? No
Notes: I have a kayak trailer that holds up to 5 kayaks, and which could play a role in the shuttle, if necessary.
Ocean going kayaks that meet club and coast guard safety standards are required.