Category Archives: trip photos

Trip Report – Ripple Rock – 26 May 2015

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On Tuesday, May 26, seven of us carpooled to and hiked the Ripple Rock Trail north of Campbell River. We tried out the new (to us) bridge over Menzies Creek and admired the huge Sitka spruces on the banks. We passed many old fir trees as we hiked through the lovely open forest, while grazing on salmon berries. We stopped at each viewpoint and had lunch on the bluff overlooking Seymour Narrows with great views of Discovery Passage and Maud Island. There are still wild flowers, but the moss is extremely dry. On the way back, there were oyster mushrooms for picking and a few of us splashed or bathed in Menzies Creek.

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Hiking – Ripple Rock- 26 May 2015

Trip Report – Newton Lake, Small Inlet & Waiatt Bay – 17 May 2015

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Seven of us set out on a hike to Waiatt Bay on Sunday. It was overcast and cool but just right for a long hike. The road from Granite Bay to the trail head is much better due to the logging road expansion. The trail in to Newton Lake is in good shape and the uphill hike makes for a good warm up. We stopped at the swimming spot for a snack and to admire the blue/green aqua color of the lake. As we descended to Small Inlet we passed the waterfall from the lake, which was gorgeous as usual. As we passed the head of the inlet we took the inland route which seems to be the preferred route now for hikers.  The tide was out at Waiatt Bay so made for a variety of spots for lunch.

On the return trip we took the portage trail to Small Inlet. It is in poor shape and much in need of some chainsaw work. It is always amazing though to see the bubbling spring near the ocean. From there we returned the same route in sunshine. The total trip was 14 km and took about 5 and a half hours.

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Hiking – Newton Lake, Small Inlet & Waiatt Bay – 17 May 2015

Trip Report – Noel’s Pizza Peak – 13 May 2015

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The weather forecast for this trip had been “60% rain” for a long time, so we had a back-up plan in place for an alternate destination. On the day of the trip, we awoke to rain. But by the time we arrived at the meeting place, the rain had stopped and it looked like it would be a nice day. So, back to Plan A. Seven of us went up the North Chinese Mountain trail to the flagged route up the ridge parallel and to the northeast of the Beech’s Mountain ridge. We followed Beaver Lake logging road for a while and then the flagged route to Noel’s Pizza lookout for lunch. Great views from there even though the mountains were in cloud. After lunch we went up the ridge to the upper cairn (475 m), descended to the saddle and took a short-cut to the flagged route to Beech’s Mountain. We enjoyed the views from the top, then down the maintained trail to the parking lot. 8.0 km; 5 hours. The moss is already dry, but the wild flowers were superb: columbine, wild bleeding heart, monkey flower, blue-eyed Mary, chocolate lily, coral root orchid, death camas, wild rose, yellow violets, penstemons, and many more.

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Hiking – Nole’s Pizza Peak – 13 May 2015

Trip Report – Kayaking Gowlland Harbour – 6 May 2015

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Six members met at April Point marina. The very low tide provided an excellent opportunity to see intertidal marine life. Paddled the east side of Gowlland Island, picking up two further kayakers. We kept out of the way of the tug boat coming in with a log boom. The islands gave us a beautiful display of wildflowers, the yellow/pink blush. We enjoyed floating amongst the seals, they put on quite a display. The sea urchins and starfish were amazing along the rock and floor of the ocean.  Paddled over to the shipwreck off May Island and held our lunch on May Island. The island was covered with flowers, such a beautiful wild garden. Margot showed us the old eagles nest and the disaster that happened a couple of years ago.  We then paddled over and along the shore of Quadra Island, beautiful rock faces coloured with an array of flowers. We paddled past Gowlland Harbour Resort, Fawn, Stag, and Doe islands, and eventually on to April Point. The day felt like summer, a brilliant blue sky and warm sunshine all day. The eagles and seals delighted us, a lovely paddle and a good start off for further kayaking trips.

What a magnificent way to spend a day.

Margot Wood

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Kayaking – Gowlland Harbour – 5 May 2015

Trip Report – Maud Island – 29 April 2015

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The weather forecasts varied wildly, but in the end we had a good day for the hike to Maud Island. The nine of us hiked through the mossy forest and along the old logging road leading to the foot of Mt. Lolo. Even with some cloud, the views were good. We descended the trail down the south bluff, continued through the forest and along the coastal trail to the area north of the causeway where Canoe Pass Tidal Energy Corp. has recently built a dock and rearranged the rocks. The work leading to constructing tidal turbines was not as far advanced as we had expected.

http://www.newenergycorp.ca/Portals/0/documents/case_studies/Canoe%20Pass.pdf

We hiked to the overlook on Maud Island for lunch and were rewarded with sightings of sea lions and a whale (humpback?)  in Seymour Narrows. We returned via the saltwater lagoon. About 4 hours, 10.2 km.

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Hiking Maud Island 29 April 2015

Trip Report – Mt. Sweat – 22 April 2015

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This trip was postponed to the raincheck date, which turned out to be a lovely day. Rolf and Heather welcomed the dozen hikers at their property, and Rolf had lots of information about the history and natural history of the area.   He has the 1890 survey of the property and there are fruit trees from the same period. The group hiked past the Kellerhals’ garden and up through a series of mossy bluffs and intermittent forest to several great 270° viewpoints, extending from the Vancouver Island mountains across the Strait of Georgia (Salish Sea) to the mainland mountains. We had lunch at the Mt. Sweat summit and then descended by the same route until we turned off to the pond/reservoir. Along the way we saw the Sequoia trees in their experimental forest, their garden, beautiful spring deciduous trees, some old growth fir, a hummingbird, sapsucker, tree frog, a newt swimming in the pond, and an unusual worm case. Many thanks to Rolf and Heather for showing us this great area.

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Hiking Mt Sweat 21 April 2015

Trip Report – Carrington Bay, Cortes – 15 April 2015

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Imagine a forest in trust to the children of Cortes Island.

On Wednesday, April 15th, 13 walkers plus one black dog experienced a part of this forest. We took the 9:05 a.m. ferry to Cortes and were met by Andy and Andrew who hosted this walk on behalf of ‘Forest Trust’. Andy Ellingsen began by giving us an overview of the walk in the woods. These forest lands, at the heartland of Cortes Island, are ecologically significant and contain wetland, herbaceous plants, woodland and old growth. We followed the old logging road and onto well marked paths.  Andy took us to the site of an old settlement, the old fruit trees in full bloom. We continued onto Carrington Lagoon, a narrow channel through which the tides flows. We sat and had our lunch in this beautiful area with a number of lovely campsites. From here we continued onto ‘Grandmothers Grove’, a beautiful old growth stand of trees, along side James Creek watershed that supports cutthroat trout & spawning salmon. Andy fed us all so much information on identifying trees and what to look for in trees. His father was a logger in Van Donop region and gave Andy a wealth of knowledge.

We then continued onto the parking area filled with the memory of a small part of northern Cortes Island.

We thank our hosts Andy, Andrew & Christine Robinson for organizing this hike.

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Hike Carrington Bay – 15 April 2015

Trip Report – Kayaking Open Bay – 8 April 2015

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On Wednesday, April 8, six paddlers gathered at Len Road and were rewarded with a gorgeous day. The wind was light to nonexistent and water near flat. Sunscreen was definitely a good idea. We headed toward Heriot Island to look at flowers on the small dry islands on the way. After rounding the small islets we headed to Seal Rock, where of course there were seals, and then on to the sandy beach at Open Bay.

After lunch some members wanted to paddle more so the group divided. Two went back to Len Road for a total of about two hours paddling as planned. The other four went on to the Bretons, rounded the south island, and then paddled back. By then the tide was quite low and the inter-tidal viewing was excellent. One could not have hoped for a more ideal spring day for a paddle.

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Kayaking – Open Bay 8 April 2015

Trip Report – Stramberg Old Growth – 1 April 2015

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The weather cooperated this time and gave us a nice day for a lovely walk in the woods.  The first leg of this trip heads west along Vic’s Marsh, after that it turns north and heads into  Main Lake Provincial Park.  The trees are plastered with lichens and moss making it an enchanted forest.  There are very impressive trees scattered along the whole walk, including a gigantic white pine, and there are some huge stumps from before this area became a park.  The destination, the old growth grove, has some big trees!  We didn’t think of it, but we should have taken a tape measure so we could say how big they are. We would also like to know how tall they are and how old they are.

The trail and trail flagging is in good condition, other than all the fallen trees that you have to climb under or over or go around, and except for the little loop that goes through the grove.   13.4 km round trip, 5½ hours.  12 hikers.

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Stramberg Old Growth – 1 April 2015

Trip Report – Karst Formations 21 Mar 2015

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Clouds in the early morning gave way to perfect sunny weather for the Karst Hike on Saturday March 21st, 2015. The previous day’s rain provided plenty of water in the streams, creating ideal conditions in which to really appreciate this distinctive topography.

Karst landscape is largely shaped by dissolving action of water on carbonate bedrock (usually limestone, dolomite, or marble). This geological process, occurring over many thousands of years, results in unusual surface and subsurface features ranging from sinkholes, vertical shafts, disappearing streams, and springs, to complex underground drainage systems and caves.

A narrow band of Quatsino Limestone on Quadra Island extends north from Open Bay and terminates near Luoma Creek. The most significant area north of Canyon Creek contains the most number of caves and karst features. Although the cave sizes are very small, the impressive size of some of the karst features makes this an interesting area for recreational exploration and interpretation.

The Quadra Island Trails Committee has applied to Recreation Sites & Trails BC for two Forest Interpretative Sites to help protect some of finest surface karst features on Quadra Island.

Richard Leicester.

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Karst Formations – 21 March 2015