Category Archives: trip photos

Trip Report – Morton Lake Provincial Park – 23-25 May 2023

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Tuesday:  There were seven of us on this camping, kayaking and hiking trip, with flexible arrival and departure times.  Les went out early and stayed Monday night at Morton Lake Provincial Park.  The rest of us arrived on Tuesday morning and set up our campsites right away.  After a picnic lunch at the Mohun Lake boat launch in the sun, we launched and paddled south into Mohun Lake with a light northwest breeze following us and fabulous views of Strathcona Park ahead.  We checked out two campsites on the way and then got out at the Pacific Yew Rec Site to stretch our legs before heading back.  The Lake and campgrounds were very quiet and we only saw two canoes all day.  The water levels were high everywhere, sometimes making it tricky to get ashore.  After returning to the Provincial Park, most of us took a short walk along Morton Lake to a rocky outcropping along the shore where people had made many, many cairns.  We enjoyed a great happy hour at Les’ campsite with much too much yummy food, before a restful evening at our campsites.

(click to enlarge photos)

Wednesday: We were on the water shortly after 9:30 on a clear day with a light northwest breeze.  We headed north through the old trestles into Goose Lake, with the Menzies Massif high above the Lake.  We made leisurely progress checking out the campsites on the shore and getting out at G6 and G7 for closer inspection.  We continued north to Seagull Bay and hauled out there.  After lunch on the dock, most of us walked the portage trail connecting to Twin Lakes.   The forest walk was lovely with dappled light in a good forest and the trail often following a creek.  There was a guided group of students at the north end with four canoes, just about to launch.  We returned to the boats and headed south, enjoying the many islands and islets, before turning into the lagoon to explore.  We paddled the very shallow waters over to the campsite at Loon Bay, which had a great location and set-up.  We headed back to the campsite and again had great appies at Stephen and Carrie’s campsite before another quiet evening.

Thursday: Terry had to head home and Les departed at check-out time.  The remaining five of us first walked the loop trail north of the campground leading to Andrew Lake and then back.  Next, we walked the old railroad line out to the trestles at the narrows between Mohun and Goose Lakes.  There were flowers and lake views along the way.  We went a bit further through the forest to open shore by an islet, with a spectacular view of Mohun and the mountains beyond it.  After returning to the campground, Bonnie, Norris and Debbie departed, with Stephen and Carrie remaining another night. They explored Morton Lake by kayak and poked into Mohun Creek.

Friday:  Stephen and Carrie took a trail south of Morton Lake to a lovely lake perhaps named Oglarama, if you can believe the sign on the tree.

This is a beautiful area book-ended by Menzies on the north and Strathcona Park on the south.  This was the perfect time to visit with excellent weather and very few people on the Lakes and in the campsites.

Debbie

Thanks to Carrie, Bonnie and Norris for the photos

Multi-day kayaking and camping – Morton Lake Provincial Park – 23-25 May 2023

Trip Report – Maud Island and Petroglyphs – 18 May 2023

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Five paddlers put in at Whalebone Cove and set off by 0900 on glassy seas, with bright sunshine, and warming temperatures. A beautiful summer day in the spring! And finally, after many attempts to undertake this trip, we were doing it.

Working with and against the ebbing current we made our way northward, close to shore and observing the life below. An hour’s paddling brought us to the fish farm near Maud Island and then we decided that our early lunch stop would be at the entrance to the saltwater lagoon which was at this point not navigable.

We then headed for “Kawston”, the ancient village site and its petroglyphs at the mouth of Morte Creek just east of Maud Island. Locating the flat-topped large rock with the quartz line was easy and on it was a fairly obvious petroglyph as indicated in Inglis’s little guide book. Over the next 45 minutes or so we searched for further examples and came up empty handed. However the many canoe pull outs were quite evident as we walked across the top of the beach.

As we paddled back, southward, with an increasingly strong flood current, we stayed close to shore and were passed by a solitary cetacean (porpoise?), spotted an otter, and a sea lion. We rode the fast current for several minutes, got pushed around by boils and whirlpools, and then cruised back into Whalebone Cove. 6½ hours and 17 km covered.

A fabulous outing!!

Vic

Thanks to Vic and Tak for the photos

(click on photos to enlarge)

Kayaking – Maud Island and Petroglyphs – 18 May 2023

Trip Report – Open Bay Beach Clean-Up – 15 May 2023

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Five hardy club members started early Monday morning, May 15, braving the unseasonal extreme heat to show our community pride by participating in Quadra’s Beach Clean-Up. We began at Big Beach in Open Bay where Les and Neil hauled two heavy piles of already collected debris from the beach-side trailhead back up the steep trail to our large collection bag. This pile turned out to be the most garbage we would see for the entire clean-up. The three beaches (Big, Redonda, and Valdes beaches) have obviously been well cleaned in the last few weeks, by other Island teams and/or the geology students from VIU.

Kudos to Debbie and Norris who made a valiant effort at Big Beach to remove the tires/styrofoam/wood remains of an old dock.  Too heavy and bulky to wangle up the steep hill, it was finally, regretfully, left at the beach above the high tide line.

Small amounts of debris were found at Redonda and Valdes beaches, dutifully packed into the big white bag for later disposal at the Beach Clean-Up event on May 27.

The heat on the exposed beaches precluded any socializing afterwards, so we all headed back to find our cool spots at home. (about 2.5 hours; about 27° C)

Valerie van Veen
 
Thanks to Valerie and Norris for the photos
 

(click on photos to enlarge)

Beach Clean-up – Open Bay – 15 May 2023

Trip Report – Gowlland Harbour – 10 May 2023

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Ten kayakers met at Gowlland Harbour resort for our spring wildflower paddle. It was a beautiful sunny summer day with only light wind. Gowlland Harbour Resort was very gracious and allowed us to launch from their beautiful Resort. Les had hurt his shoulder earlier in the week, so was not able to join the group on the water. He showed up to help everyone get launched, but Debbie shepherded the group on the water.

After launching we paddled over to Vigilant Island, where about half the group went ashore to explore the wildflowers. There were Sea Blush, Monkeyflowers, Death Camas, tiny Blue Eyed Marys, and Chocolate Lilies, so it was a great show. From there we crossed the channel to Steep Island and chatted with the couple on the three-masted sailboat before crossing the Gowlland Harbour entrance. We skirted the outside of May Island and got a glimpse of the submerged wreck, which was less than a metre under the water. We headed east across North Gowlland Harbour checking out the old stone house and glimpsing large anemones around the islets. The cliffs along the Quadra shore were a perfect rock garden in places, with sedum and Monkeyflowers on dripping walls. We dipped into the bay and chatted with Jill and Vibeke before paddling east around the islets in Gowlland Harbour where the Harbour Seals were basking on the rocks in the sun. Passing by two large sailboats at anchor, we continued on by Fawn, Stag and Doe Islands with the Sea Blush coming out and the Canadian Geese nesting.  As we landed at Les’ place, there were Geese with goslings making their way along the shore.

Les fixed appetizers for the group. We had Nan bread with cheese, ham and turkey, as well as rice crackers with cream cheese and crab, a mixed vegetable platter and cookies.  After that the group paddle back to Gowlland Resort. Les met them there to load up.  (11.2 km; 5 hours with all breaks)

Les and Debbie

(click on photos to enlarge)

Kayaking – Gowlland Harbour – 10 May 2023

Trip Report – Carrington Bay & Grandmothers’ Grove – 1 May 2023

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Eight of us were very happy to return to this hike on Cortes after a long break.  The weather was perfect for hiking and the trails were in very good condition although there were the usual large puddles on the logging road.  We enjoyed the excellent forest along the old road down to Carrington Bay, stopping briefly at the old Borden homestead.  We were impressed by the new aluminum bridge across the outlet from the lagoon. In a few years this crossing went from a slippery log, to the wooden bridge to this metal bridge.  There was some good variety of intertidal creatures to view at the lagoon exit before we made our way over to the granite rock on the lagoon for lunch.  It was wonderfully warm and quiet as we enjoyed lunch and the water birds.  We continued around the lagoon on a trail through the mossy Children’s Forest to the Grandmothers’ Grove.  The old trees and James Creek were very beautiful and serene.  We followed the trail until it joined the logging road ascending the hill back to the vehicles.  We hurried a bit at the end and were able to return on the earlier ferry.  9.2 km; 3½ hours.

Debbie

(click on photos to view larger)

Hiking – Carrington Bay & Grandmothers’ Grove – 1 May 2023

Trip Report – Elk Falls Loop – 24 Apr 2023

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Five of us hiked the loop from the logging bridge on the Campbell River up to Moose Falls and back. This is an excellent hike with many points of interest along the way, but it is particularly special in the spring with the wildflowers in bloom. We parked on the north side and followed the path upstream.  The timing was perfect and there were pink and white fawn lilies, trillium, and wild bleeding heart all along the way.

We admired the Canyon View and continued up to the Millennium Trail.  We took an unmarked side path to a lovely mossy bluff with an excellent view of Elk Falls and stopped for elevenses.   We continued by some big old growth Douglas fir trees to the Elk Falls viewing platform and suspension bridge.  There was not much water in the falls, but it is always beautiful

We took the gradually ascending Old Growth trail followed by the very steep descent to the rocky viewpoint for Moose Falls and the Dolphin Pool, where we stopped for lunch.  We returned along the river, passing more old growth trees and Deer Falls.  We crossed at Station View, with its totem poles and interpretive information about the generating station, and continued on the south bank, with more wildflowers, back to the vehicles. The weather was perfect for this hike and it was a great way to end the “winter” schedule.  (11.8 km; 4½ hours)

Debbie

(click on photos to view larger)

Hiking – Elk Falls Loop – 24 Apr 2023

Trip Report – Trout Creek Falls Trail – 12 April 2023

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Five of us took advantage of the perfect weather (recently very rare) to hike the Trout Creek Falls loop, which for some historical reason is on Mohun Creek.  The trail was dry and in good condition, with evident clean-up after winter and some new ropes since we visited last.  It goes uphill, as you might expect for waterfalls. Multiple waterfalls.  There are three main ones and a cascade.  The first is near the trail head and is impressive.  The second is bigger and higher and even more impressive.  The third is beyond impressive, though the height of the drop is less than the second falls.  This last falls drops into a narrow gorge and the trail is just on the opposite gorge edge, as close as you would want to be.  But watch your step!  We had lunch on the open, mossy bluff just above the falls.  There was lots of water in the falls after all the recent rain, and it was a sunny, blue day, with sunshine on all the falls.  Perfect.

After lunch we visited the calm pool in the creek just above the falls, then hiked on upstream to where the trail joins the Mary Lake (forestry) Road, which we followed back down, with a short stop at Mary Lake.  Mary Lake is a beautiful lake, but somewhat spoiled by slobs who leave garbage, shotgun shells and bits of fluorescent orange shotgun targets everywhere on the otherwise lovely mossy bluff.  (7km, 3 hours)

Norris
 
(click on photos to enlarge)
 

Hiking – Trout Creek Falls Loop – 12 April 2023

Trip Report – Mt. Washington & Mt. Elma – 22 Mar 2023

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Reports are that Mt. Washington has lots of snow.  It’s true.  We started out on the snowshoe trail from Raven Lodge with the vague intention of going to the lakes.  Snow conditions were perfect for snowshoeing.  The trails were broken and there was a sparkling layer of fresh snow.  The sun was bright and warm, the air temperature was good, there was no wind.  The sky was clear and blue.  As I said, conditions were perfect.

Except for one thing.  The trail to Lake Helen Mackenzie crosses a stream on a bridge.  The bridge was packed with snow, up to about a metre above the hand rail.  It was well packed, but too narrow for snowshoes.  And there was no way to avoid it since the stream was open.  We crossed it, but once was enough, so we came back the Battleship Lake route.  It also has a stream crossing with a snow-packed bridge.  That one felt much safer, but it looked as if it might collapse sooner or later.

So we arrived at Lake Helen Mackenzie and stopped for lunch.  We looked around for a further destination.  Mt. Elma looked perfect, so we headed there.  The trail was broken already, so it was an easy, though steep, climb up to the ridge.  The summit ridge was amazing, open meadows with fabulous views.  In particular the mountains io the Forbidden Plateau skyline, all snow covered in bright sun with no clouds blocking the view for once. (13.1 km, 6 hours)

Norris

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Snow – Mt. Washington – 22 Mar 2023

Trip Report – Haskins Farm-Fir Crest Loop – 15 Mar 2023

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On March 15, 2023 a small group joined the Haskins Farm and Fir Crest walk. It was an easy walk which took approximately an hour and fifteen minutes. We began at the head of the Haskins Farm trail and at the first intersection took a left and walked through the forest, and through the new growth area over to the golf course where we walked along the cart path, past the Fir Crest trail parking and onto the start of the Fir Crest trail continuing down behind the houses of the subdivision to the bottom of the trail where we began the Fir Crest to Haskins Farm trail along the ridge. Deciding to skip the trail down to the beach, we took the trail back through Haskins Farm up to the vehicles.. The whole way is very lovely with a mixture of forest, new growth, and open fairways, while the ridge is particularly beautiful with the moss covered trees and ocean views. (5.9 km)

Vikki

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Hiking – Haskin Farm & Fir Crest Loop – 15 Mar 2023

Trip Report – Mt. Washington – 8 Feb 2023

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The month-long delay, in the hopes of getting some snow and decent weather, mostly paid off when we finally hit the snowshoe trails on Feb 8. Two guests joined me, one experienced snowshoer and one newbie eager to find out more about the sport, and both eager to see what Paradise Meadow snowshoe trails have to offer.

Recent rains had left the snow crunchy, but not icy and we crunched along the pleasant Old Cabin Trail at a steady pace. Feeling comfortable, the “newbie” was happy to go further, so we added the Crooked Creek loop. We stopped for a short lunch break out of the chilling wind in a copse of trees at the turn around point, just after the quite challenging bridge crossing. We were soon back at our car after a very pleasant day on the mountain. (about 5 km, 3 hours)

Valerie van Veen

Thanks to Valerie for the photos

(click on photos to view larger)

Snow – Mt. Washington – 8 Feb 2023