Four intrepid hikers went for this challenging hike on a clear, warm day.  We hiked up to the Seymour summit with excellent views of Little Nugedzi Lake, the outer islands, coastal mainland and Vancouver Island.  The trail was in excellent condition after being cleared from winter damage by volunteers for the Trails Committee.  We continued on to Nugedzi Lake for lunch.  There was an amazing display of wild tiger lilies around the lakes.  The hike then followed the Nugedzi trail through the forest and past the beaver ponds, with a side trip to the viewpoint over Georgia Basin.  There has been significant wind damage in this forest over the past winter.  From this point the route followed an unmaintained track along the ridge to Beech’s Mountain.  Progress was very slow, as the wind damage was severe in this area also.  After bush whacking and climbing through fallen trees, the group reached the Beech’s Mountain with rewarding views to the east.  The wild flowers were still very good along the way.  On the descent to the Chinese Mountain parking lot we encountered a grouse with chicks.  It took us 7 1/2 hours to go the 12.2 km, with lots of breaks and stops for photos.

Hiking Seymour Ridge 13 July 2013

Six people hiked to Maud Island on a warm, sunny day.  The views were good from Mt. Lolo cliffs and the Seymour Narrows overlook.  There was a spectacular grove of foxglove and lots of fringed pine sap.  At the narrows, there were whale watching boats, yachts, log booms, fishing boats, and eagles.  There is a lot of nice variety to this trail — mossy forest walk, descending the cliffs on Mt. Lolo, the causeway to Maud Island, and Saltwater Lagoon.

Hiking Maud Island 30 June 2013

Six people and two dogs hiked to Nugedzi Lakes.  The day was sunny with northwest wind and a perfect temperature for hiking.  There have been a lot of trees blown down in the Nugedzi – Mt. Seymour area over the winter, so progress was a bit slow, but there were no major obstacles.  The trail committee has cleared most of the problems on this trail and flagged detours around the rest. The group had lunch at the lakes and made the side trip to the viewpoint past the beaver ponds on the way down.

Hiking Nugedzi 2 June 2013

Eight hikers took advantage of the Kellerhal’s generous offer to hike on their 160 acre property.  The route followed mossy bluffs over Raven Crag and out toward Hyacinthe Point with great views of Hyacinthe Bay, Sutil Channel, and Chinese Mountains.  The lunch stop at Coast Mountain lookout added views to the east.  We also walked to the pond, the beach and the old Schoolhouse.  Rolf and Heather provided excellent commentary about the history and natural history of the area.

Hike Hyacinthe Point and Ridge 18May2013