Hiking – Main Lake and Yeatman Bay – 3 Aug 2022

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Postponed

Activity Hiking
Destination Main Lake and Yeatman Bay from Surge Narrows Rd
Date 3 Aug, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info debbie.quigg@ualberta.ca or 3710.  Please contact the coordinator by Monday evening.
Description This recently improved trail is a pleasure to walk through some excellent mature forest, meandering along a creek down to Main Lake.  From there we can follow the old portage/logging road route to Yeatman Bay.  There are multiple opportunities for swimming if the weather cooperates.  About 10 km round trip.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Tru Value parking lot
Departure Time 9:30
Difficulty Moderate
Costs none
Trip limits 10
Dogs?
Notes: Bring lunch and a bathing suit if you want to swim.

Trip Report – Beaver Lake and Open Bay Creek – 29 June 2022

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Our group of seven parked on Hyacinthe Bay Rd and followed the flagged trail through a mossy and open swale, over a ridge and down to Beaver Lake.  After rounding Beaver Lake on the south, we crossed the creek and stopped for elevenses on a rocky bluff above the lake.  We continued through the transition zone of a recent cut block and then followed the path descending along the creek draining Beaver Lake.  We stopped at a water fall and took a short side trip on an old logging road now covered in moss and grass.  We continued more steeply down to the junction of the creek with Open Bay creek and stopped for lunch.  The route then followed a well maintained trail upstream along Open Bay Creek. This passes through a mature forest often on a high bluff with great views of the meandering creek.  We saw a number of interesting plants along the way.  Since we had arranged a car shuffle, we drove back from the junction of Open Bay Creek and Bold Point Road.  5.7 km; 3 hours.  

Debbie
 

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Notes on the plants:
The gnome plant or Hemitomes congestum is quite rare, though found over a large territory in dense forests.  It is the only member of its genus.   It lacks chlorophyll and cannot carry out photosynthesis.  Instead the gnome plant gets nutrients directly from fungi.

Menzies’ pipsissewa or Chimaphila menziesii is also quite rare and found over a large territory in dense forests.  ‘Pipsissewa is a Cree name meaning “it breaks into small pieces” in reference to the leaves, which are thought to help dissolve kidney stones.’

Hiking – Beaver Lake and Open Bay Creek – 29 June 2022

Trip Report – Hyacinthe Creek – 28 June 2022

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Our group of seven worked for about 1½ hours cutting brush and clearing the first leg of the South Chinese Mountain trail before lunch.  We then went to see the new Hyacinthe Creek trail which was build over the winter.  This very short and easy loop includes some beautiful trees, a bench, an excellent trail with amazing stone work, three viewing platforms and the lovely Hyacinthe Creek.  We had lunch grouped around one of the platforms.  It was cool and peaceful by the creek under the dappled light of the trees.  400m, 3/4 hour

Debbie
 

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Work party and Hike – Chinese Mtn and Hyacinthe Creek Trail – 28 June 2022

Hiking – Manzanita Bluff – 27 July 2022

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Activity Hiking
Destination Manzanita Bluff and Darkwater Lake
Date 27 July, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Norris Weimer
Contact Info norris.weimer@ualberta.ca or 3710  Please contact the coordinator by Monday night.
Description Manzanita Bluff is an amazing viewpoint toward the north end of Discovery Passage.  It’s quite a long drive on logging roads and about 250m uphill without a trail, but the view is worth it.  The best route is through relatively open forest with some mature Douglas fir.  We will make the side trip to Darkwater Lake after the hike and swimming is an option.  About 5.6 km; 4¾ hours.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot.  We will drive out in a group.  All- or four-wheel drive vehicles with some clearance are recommended for the drive.
Departure Time 9:00
Difficulty
 Moderate, quite short but no trail.
Costs None
Trip limits None
Dogs? No.
Notes: Bring lunch, poles if you use them, bathing suit if you want to swim  This is a trip better done in good weather and would be postponed if the forecast is poor.

Hiking – Chauntaluf Farm to Open Bay – 28 July 2022

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Change of start time to 9:00

Activity Hiking
Destination Chauntaluf Farm to Open Bay
Date 28 July 2022,  Thursday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg and Heather Kellerhals
Contact Info debbie.quigg@ualberta.ca or 3710; please contact the coordinator by Tuesday night
Description Heather Kellerhals has generously arranged for us to hike from the family property through to a private property on Open Bay.  This will be a relatively short hike, but an unusual opportunity.  There is the possibility of side trips on the return to Coast Mountain Lookout or the Pond.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay Store parking lot to convoy to the property.  We will limit the number of cars parking on the farm.
Departure Time 11:00 9:00
Difficulty
 Easy
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? No – not allowed on the farm
Notes: Bring la snack and a bathing suit

Hiking – Morte Lake Loop – 20 July 2022

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Postponed

Activity Hiking
Destination Around Morte Lake
Date 20 July, Wednesday
Trip Coordinator Les Hand
Contact Info 285-2029 or lhquadra@gmail.com  Please contact coordinator by Monday evening.
Description We will go around Morte Lake with the possibility of a swim if nice
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot
Departure Time 10:00; may change to 9 if hot
Difficulty
 Easy to moderate
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? O.K. but must go back and forth thru group
Notes: Bring a lunch

Trip Report – Kayak Practice – 23 June 2022

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Five club members met at Mine Lake to practice kayak rescues. As it was sunny, but cool and windy, blowing onshore, the decision was made not to paddle to another location and practice was held close to the boat launch. Participants discussed deck layout, paddle floats, and a dry running of a paddle float rescue and a group rescue.

Participants got in their boats or entered the water to practice solo rescues, including paddle float rescues with and without a sling assist. One couple also practised an assisted rescue involving two boats. Everyone seemed to be happy that they tried at least one rescue, and all came to the conclusion that rescue skills greatly diminish over a year’s period, and that at least two practices a year would definitely be beneficial and make paddlers more confident.

We had a relaxing lunch onshore as the day warmed up and two paddled along the south shore of Mine Lake and into the narrows, while the others returned home.

Brent Henry

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Kayaking Practice – Mine Lake – 23 June 2022

Trip Report – Discovery Passage Bluffs – 22 June 2022

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Four of us parked at the official end of Leishmans Rd and continued along it as a forestry road.  After only a very short distance, we turned off onto a flagged path.  The first point of interest is a pair of huge rocks, or one gigantic rock split into two with a narrow walkway between them.  Continuing along the flagged path cleared through salal, we ended up at a splendid viewpoint of Discovery Passage facing south.  And it was a warm, sunny day.  From here we went north, sometimes following deer trails and sometimes walking on the rocky shore (tide dependent).  This whole section has good viewpoints and interesting cairns.  Finally as the grassy meadows that we had been walking through started to turn into forest, we had lunch and then headed up hill.  We climbed the grassy slopes and skirted the occasional rock band.  Once on top of the ridge, we could follow it back down to the south, keeping to open understory.  The east side of this ridge is quite a big cliff, bit it gradually diminishes and it’s easy to rejoin the original logging road.  We stopped to admire the big Douglas fir.   3.1 km; 3 hours

Norris
 

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Hiking – Discovery Passage Bluffs – 22 June 2022

Work Party and Hike – Chinese Mtn and Hyacinthe Creek – 28 June 2022

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Activity Work party and Hiking
Destination Chinese Mtn and Hyacinthe Creek
Date 28 June, Tuesday
Trip Coordinator Debbie Quigg
Contact Info debbie.quigg@ualberta.ca or 3710; please contact the coordinator in advance of the outing.
Description We will cut brush from the South Chinese Mtn trailhead to the start of the bluff.  Then we will go a short distance down the Hyacinthe Bay Rd to the new trail along the Creek with viewing platforms.
The Trail Committee provides tools.  Bring your own gloves, and your own tools if you prefer them.
Meeting Place Heriot Bay store parking lot to organize tools and carpool to the trailhead
Departure Time 10:00
Difficulty
 Moderate work then a short, easy hike
Costs None
Trip limits 10
Dogs? No
Notes: Bring lunch.  If you have a packable folding chair, you might bring it for lunch on or around the platforms.

Trip Report – Rousseau Ridge Loop – 15 June 2022

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Our group of eight started at the trailhead for North Gowlland Trail and hiked quickly up to Rousseau Ridge.  From there we followed a flagged route descending toward Gowlland Harbour Rd, with a few short steep sections.  This is a very lovely hike over open, mossy bluffs with great views of Discovery Passage and the Vancouver Island mountains, which were in cloud for us.  We stopped for a lunch break on a bluff overlooking North Gowlland Harbour, noticing that the wreck off of May island was visible due to the very low tide.  We continued undulating down to a logging road heading east and then picked up a flagged route over lower, but still open bluffs taking us back to North Gowlland Trail.  We enjoyed the three very old Douglas firs, the Three Sisters, on the way back to make our loop.  We were concerned about rain in the forecast, but instead the day improved as we hiked.  6.7 km; 3¼ hours.

Debbie
 
Thanks to Norris and Carrie for the photos.
 

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Hiking – Rousseau Ridge Loop – 15 June 2022