Category: Capital Regional District

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Mount Bluff

March 15, 2026

~ submitted by Su Castle

After a short drive up Butler Main, we chose a little scamper up the side of the logging road to gain the Mt Bluff Ridge Trail.

Photo of a member clearing off the moss from the very old spray painted trail directions!

The ridge trail is less used, so we did a bit of route finding, made more challenging due to the amount of leftover snow. Great viewpoints along the way to the summit.

Disinclined to hike with the impending forecasted atmospheric river, we decided to forgo the idea of Trap and returned via the Speed Bumps trail.

The Scouts use this trail- it was much easier to follow!



Total distance- 9.5kms
Total elevation gain- 468m

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East Sooke Park – Anderson Cove to Aylard Farm

March 1, 2026

~ submitted by Julianna Wells

East Sooke Park is one of my favourite hikes in the South Island area. There are many different trail options for traveling through the park, and if you have great weather, it can have some of the best coastal views around.

On Sunday, March 1 our group of 8 hikers met at Aylard Farm parking area for 8:50am to start our car shuttle to the Anderson Cove trailhead parking area. With a perfect weather forecast, we were all excited to hit the trail.

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Gowlland Tod Park – Jocelyn Hill hike

February 22, 2026

~ submitted by Julianna Wells

Gowlland Tod Park is a beautiful South Island area with a myriad of trails.  The green moss, beautiful arbutus trees, view-point hills and bluffs make it a favorite place to explore, get lost, and find your way back in.

Our plan was to start at the Emma Dickson trailhead along Millstream road, then make our way out to Jocelyn Hill and back along various trails in a leisurely loop hike around 8kms long.  Although rain gear and pack covers were in the forecast, the warm February temperatures had everyone out in smiles for the day. 

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East Sooke Trail — A Fine Consolation

January 31, 2026

~ submitted by Matthew Lettington

While we originally had a grand plan to camp overnight and summit Adder Mountain, a terrible forecast forced a change. Then more rain caused another adjustment… and when snow entered the forecast, it was time for a complete rethink. In the end, the ambitious alpine objective gave way to something far less epic — but still well worth doing.

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Sooke Hills – Black Bear & Trafalgar Mountains

November 29, 2025

~ submitted by Evan Martin

Winter is coming, which for me means ski trips and gulley climbs.  However, after coming off the summer high and dipping into the fall low, I needed to start getting out again to build the necessary fitness.  The Sooke Hills are a convenient place to train and keep up the fitness for those of us on the South Island.  I had spent a lot of time exploring the area a few years ago, but the North West corner of the park was closed due to the Old Man Lake fire of 2024.  Hence, this trip gave me an opportunity to get out into one of the last parts of the park that I haven’t yet explored.

I was joined by three other Ramblers and a special guest from UVic. It was a good mix of participants – some seeking fitness, others checking off the Sooke Hills challenge.  Our guest was gathering data on risk in outdoor activities as part of an Anthropology course, which led to some interesting discussions during the trip.

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Run Ragged in the Sooke Foothills!

November 8, 2025

~ submitted by Jaime Crucil

Seven Island Mountain Ramblers met at the Sooke Hills parking area for a rolling stroll through the foothills. For those who know the area, the Sooke Foothills host a maze of intersecting and sometimes faint trails—so naturally, I managed to lose the route within the first 100 feet on a very wide and obvious trail. Fortunately, a quick correction had us back on track in no time. Continue reading “Run Ragged in the Sooke Foothills!”