Category Archives: trip photos

Trip Report – B&B Trail Exploration 21 Jan 2015

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With Janis’ help we explored the B&B trail and routes on the nearby ridge. We started on the Thompson Trail and turned off at the first viewpoint. We scrambled to the top and enjoyed good views of Hyacinthe Bay and islands to the northeast. The day was overcast, but on a clear day the views would be excellent. We continued down this mossy, open ridge following a flagged route to the north. The trail off the ridge into the forest descends steeply into an area of huge old big leaf maples. The left-hand flagged route joins up with the B&B trail, which winds up the creek and re-joins the Thompson trail. We then explored another flagged route, which goes south on the ridge, more or less paralleling the Heriot Ridge Route and later descends to the Hope Spring Trail. This also follows lovely open, mossy ridges with occasional views to the east. 6.4 km, 3¼ hours.

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B&B Trail – 21 January 2015

Trip Report – Mt. Washington 14 Jan 2015

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Five of us went to Raven Lodge at Mt. Washington and hiked their snowshoe trails. We were way above the fog, so it was sunny and warm (9°C).  It was spring skiing conditions, with only about a foot of packed snow, which was enough for snowshoeing.  Only four snowshoe trails were open, but we did all of them, about 8.5 km, about four hours.

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Mt. Washington – 14 January 2015

Trip Report – Morte Lake Loop 7 Jan 2015

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This trip was scheduled on short notice, after the postponement of the hike to the Stramberg old growth grove due to snowfall. There was virtually no snow on the Morte Lake trail, most of the snow was in the parking lot. The four of us took a leisurely pace on the gradual walk up the old logging road leading past lovely forest, glowing moss, creeks and ponds. It was very quiet and foggy. We stopped for lunch at the picnic area on the south shore and took the side trip to the viewpoint on the southeast. Near the end, we crossed the creek and returned to the parking lot on the mountain bike trail. About 4 hours; 10.8 km.

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Morte Lake Loop – 17 Dec 2014

Trip Report – New Thompson Trail Loop 30 Dec 2014

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The group of eight met up on a beautiful, cold day to hike a loop consisting of official and unofficial trails, new and old logging roads. We hiked in from the Thompson trailhead to the recently renovated B&B trail. We took this briefly until it is crossed by a new logging road which we followed as it passed by some great mossy bluffs and occasional views. After a few junctions we took a left-hand turn onto an old logging road and then turned left again on the Gowlland Harbour trail. A few in the group took a side-trip down a mountain bike trail, but we all met up for lunch on Rousseau Ridge. The sun and the views were great. We continued on the Gowlland Harbour trail making a side-trip to the old growth grove, which is always impressive. We returned to the Thompson trail making our way back to the cars. 9 km, about 3 hours.

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New Thompson Trail Loop – 30 December 2014

Trip Report – Kay Dubois Loop – 17 Dec 2014

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At the last minute, the destination was changed for the convenience of the participants. The forecast called for rain, but it held off until later in the day, though the forest was definitely saturated. We started at the entrance to the woodlot on Cape Mudge Rd and walked logging roads until we met up with the trail to the beach. We continued on the trail north along the shore and then up hill at the big sitka spruce tree. We returned to the cars following logging roads. Two hours.

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Morte Lake Loop – 17 Dec 2014

Trip Report – Back Door-Silk Stocking 3 Dec 2014

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The group of seven and two dogs hiked a series of mountain biking trails on a cold and mostly clear day. The loop was new to everyone on the trip. We started on North Gowlland Rd and hiked up Cash Only to an old mining site. We continued on Back Door and Silk Stocking through mostly open forest past some interesting old mining operations, complete with old cars and rails. We met up with two mountain bikers who were very gracious about our using their trails.

We stopped for lunch at an open copper mine. Instead of continuing on the planned route over Bite the Bullet and Sam’s Shorty, we backtracked a bit and returned via Little Black Dress. This route was recommended to us and had the advantage of avoiding the logged area and the walk on North Gowlland Rd. Little Black Dress is under construction and in some places only a flagged route. Most of the loop winds through open forest and high bluffs with peekaboo views of Gowlland Harbour, and Vancouver Island and mainland mountains, with quite a bit of up and down. After we joined up with Back Door, we used the old logging/mining road to return to the vehicles. 13 km, 3 3/4 hours.

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Back Door – Silk Stocking Loop – 3 December 2014

Trip Report – Shellaligan Loop 29 Nov 2014

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Six people and a dog hiked the bigger Shellaligan Loop, beginning at the parking closest to the water, counter-clockwise. It was a beautiful, cold, clear day with a bit of north wind. This hike took us over rocky bluffs with great views and then undulated through forest with some old growth and lovely creeks.  7 km, about three hours.

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Shellalligan Trail – 29 November 2014

Trip Report – Mt. Seymour 12 Nov 2014

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To celebrate the end of a month with 320 mm of rain, nine people and one dog made the trek to the top of Mt. Seymour in crisp sunshine and cold temperatures. The trail was in good condition. We stopped at the bluff above Nugedzi Lake for snacks and at the top (620 m) for lunch. There was a light, but cool breeze and great views all around. 8 km, about 420 m elevation gain, 4 hours.

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Hike Mt. Seymour – 12 November 2014

Trip Report – Cortes and beyond 15-17 Sept 2014

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Debbie, Norris, Margot, Lonn and Darcy boarded the 9:05 ferry to Cortes on Monday morning and launched at the foot of Sea Vista road – a bit of a carry from the parking area made much easier by loading all the gear except boats on Lonn’s truck which he was able to drive to the beach. We left near high tide on a beautiful, sunny, windless day and paddled north through Plumper Passage and on to the entrance to Von Donop Inlet, with a short lunch break at Carrington Bay.

Our first plan for a campsite was to select one of the two reported on either side of Robertson Creek, about a kilometer northwest of Von Donop entrance. The first site showed a good beach, but tent sites appeared to be well back in the bush and rather dark. The second site would have been fine had it not been littered with derelict boats, floats, Styrofoam blocks and other detritus. So, following a futile hunt by Margot and Lonn to the north, we paddled back into Von Donop Inlet, to a beautiful, flat, open spacious site among huge cedars at the entrance to Von Donop lagoon. There’s even a picnic table!

Following happy hour (with smoked salmon), dinner and a campfire, we crawled into our tents and woke next morning to another beautiful day. We first checked out the entrance to the lagoon to see whether it would be possible to paddle in (an exercise we repeated later in the day at a higher tide). The lagoon entrance is full of shellfish and sea stars that obviously relish the rushing water. We then paddled across Sutil Channel to the Penn Islands. We spotted one small group of kayakers (who turned out to also be from Quadra Island) and landed at a campsite on the east side of northernmost Island. The beach has excellent protection from all weathers and several tent sites (occupied by the tents of our Quadra neighbours). After paddling among the islands, accompanied by snorting, blowing and splashing seals, we returned to Von Donop and, starting at the north shore of the lagoon entrance, hiked up to Wiley Lake. On the way back, we stopped to investigate a small cabin, which has been built by local residents to provide emergency shelter for boaters and hikers. We again tried to enter the lagoon, but concluded that tides likely need to be higher than 14 or 15 feet to make entry possible.

After another quiet night (except for the odd owl and the rustle of curious rodents), we broke camp for the return trip. With impeccable timing, the weather started to change and we paddled back in a light headwind followed, as we drove onto the ferry, by the first drops of rain.

In all, we paddled about 60 kilometres over the three days.

submitted by Darcy Mitchell, trip coordinator

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Paddling/camping beyond Cortes 15-17 Sept 2014

Trip Report – Mine Lake Bluff 10 Sept 2014

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This trip was scheduled for Rousseau Ridge, but at a last-minute request it was re-routed to the bluff on the north shore of Mine Lake. The weather was perfect: clear, warm and still. We followed the trail from the Surge Narrows Road to the Camp Homewood campsite, which was closed for the season. After finding the sign to the bluff we climbed through the forest and then steeply on rocks up to great views of Mine Lake and the Mt. Seymour Ridge. We explored the top of the bluff for views and found a trail that descended the north side and then along the base of an impressive cliff. This trail circled back to re-join the trail we had taken up the south side of the bluff. We descended to the lake, stopping for lunch and a swim at the rocky peninsula near the campsite, before heading back.

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Hike Rousseau Ridge – 10 Sept 2014