Trip Report – Mt. Washington – 12 Mar 2025

Since the planned paddle was cancelled due to a wind forecast, we switched to a snowshoe trip.  And the weather at Mt. Washington was a surprise – sunshine and 18 cm fresh snow.  Three of us went up Great Big View following a broken track, then we went on Finger Glades.  The snow and the views were great.  We stopped for lunch and shortly after the broken track ended.  We decided to continue anyway and the route carried on and up.  Eventually we joined a track left by skiers for a while.  Then we were breaking trail again.  We followed the wands for Marmot’s Mess in the wrong direction until we cut cross-county back to the Great Big View trail. Jim was the champion trail breaker and super fixer of a broken crampon.
(5.7 km, 4 hours, 275m ascent)

Norris

Thanks to Jim and Norris for the photos

(click on photos to view larger)

Snow – Mt. Washington – 12 March 2025

Previously scheduled on March 3rd.

Activity Snowshoeing
Destination Mt. Washington
Date 12 March, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info norris.weimer@ualberta.ca or 3710.  Please contact the coordinator by Saturday evening
Description We will head uphill from the Nordic centre taking the trails for Big View and Finger Glades.  Some sections are quite steep. About 5.5 km, 250 m elevation gain, 3.5-4 hours.  Snowshoes can be rented if needed and there is a $16 day pass that is required.
Meeting Place Quathiaski Cove Ferry terminal
Departure Time 9:30 ferry
Difficulty
Moderate
Costs Ferry, fuel and $16 Day Pass
Trip limits 10
Dogs? No
Notes: There is a lot of recent snow on the mountain now.. Bring lunch and gear appropriate for the weather.

Snow – Mt. Washington – 6 Feb 2025

This trip was cancelled

Activity Snowshoeing
Destination Mt. Washington
Date 6 Feb, Thursday
Trip Coordinator Louise Squire
Contact Info lsquire@sasktel.net or 306-539-3813
Description Mt Washington snowshoe excursion leaving from Raven Lodge through the meadows, passing by Battleship Lake and Helen MacKenzie Lake to return. Approx distance of 7.5 kmAs Thursday is Cortes guaranteed sailing, we will be taking the 8:30 ferry to Campbell River. Snowshoes can be rented if needed and there is a $16 day pass that is required.
Meeting Place Quathiaski Cove Ferry terminal
Departure Time 8:30 ferry.
Difficulty
Moderate.
Costs Ferry, fuel and $16 Day Pass
Trip limits 10
Dogs? No
Notes: We will not go if rain is forecast at 1,000m. Bring lunch and gear appropriate for the weather.

Trip Report – Mt. Washington – 8 Jan 2025

Seven of us put on snowshoes and wandered around the Mt. Washington official snowshoe trails in two groups, one more ambitious than the other.  The day was sunny and warm and the trees were raining as the snow in the trees melted.  There were the sounds of “tree bombs” around us as clumps of snow also fell out of the trees.

The more ambitious group did Rossiter’s Rise, Tree Beard, Crooked Creek, Lookout and some of Old Cabin Loop .  (7.3 km, 3.5 hours, 215m ascent)

Norris

Thanks to Jim and Norris for the photos

(click on photos to view larger)

Snow – Mt. Washington – 8 Jan 2025

Activity Snowshoeing
Destination Mt. Washington
Date 8 Jan, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info norris.weimer@ualberta.ca or 3710.  Please contact the coordinator by Monday night.
Description We will follow some of the Mt. Washington snowshoe trails leaving from Raven Lodge.
Meeting Place Quathiaski Cove Ferry terminal
Departure Time 9:00 ferry.
Difficulty
Easy to moderate.
Costs Transportation costs and trail pass. The price of a snow shoe day pass is $16.
Trip limits 10
Dogs? No
Notes: Bring lunch as we may not eat at Raven lodge.  Have reliable equipment and winter gear.  Expect warm conditions

Trip Report – Mt. Washington – 6 Mar 2024

This date was originally scheduled for a moderate hike, but the recent snow on Quadra made that a sketchy plan, so we opted to take advantage of the recent weather and snowshoe at Mt. Washington.  The mountain and Forbidden Plateau still don’t have the snow pack they normally would at this time, but the conditions were absolutely perfect for us.  The snow was light and powdery, still hanging on the trees.  The sunshine made it feel warmer than it was.

With eight participants and modest ambitions, we started out on Tree Beard’s Trail, enjoying the slight rise to a viewpoint on a bluff.  We continued on the Crooked Creek Trail, stopping for lunch in the open, overlooking the snow-covered Paradise Meadows.  When that trail turned back, we decided to extend the outing by using the Old Cabin Loop as a connector back to the Tree Beard’s Trail.  From there we retraced our route back to Raven Lodge.  Half of the group stayed a bit longer to socialize at the Lodge.

This was a beautiful day with perfect conditions.  (4.4 km, 2¼ hours)

Debbie

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