Category: Snowshoeing

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Mount Spencer: The Great Congo Line of December 2016

–submitted by Matthew Lettington, see more images on his blog

I’ll cut to the chase– we didn’t make the summit of Mount Spencer. Of course, as with most of my stories, the devil’s in the details.

On December 18th, Vancouver Island was deep in a colder-than-normal shoulder season. The day held a forecast for overcast skies and precipitation. Further, the Mount Spencer trip was scheduled on a day with only 8 hours of daylight, almost the shortest day of the year.

The cold month had brought snow low down on the mountains, and covered the logging roads in snow. From a hiking perspective, with our approach routes covered in snow, we wouldn’t be able to drive very far — meaning that our Mount Spencer hike was double the normal distance.

snowshoeing, vancouver island, explorington, matthew lettington, hiking, mountaineering, Mt Spencer, Alberni Valley
Mount Spencer map and GPS route

 

Total Distance: 20.6 km
Starting Elevation: 388 m
Maximum Elevation: 1430 m
Total Elevation Gain: 1414 m
Total Time: 11 h

 

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First Family/Novice Snowshoe of 2016

–submitted by Matthew Lettington

The forecast held true for our scheduled Family/Novice snowshoe trip for the winter 2016/2017 season. The skies were darkened by overcast skies air temperature hovered just below freezing, and there was hardly any falling snow. overcast skies and the air was slightly below zero, on the Island Mountain Ramblers first Family/Novice snowshoe trip of the 2016/2017 winter.

helen-makenzie-snowshoe-screen-0275

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Timberline Tales No. 6 January 1971

This file was originally mailed to the members of the Island Mountain Ramblers, in 1969-70.

[Note: the IMR is looking for someone to transcribe this document contact president@islandmountainramblers.com if you can do it]

Timberline Tales 1969-70

Image Gallery for Cape Scott Trip:

Group photo, probably end of trip at the lagoon near the pickup location for the float plane. Ruth Master’s holding glass ball. Phyllis Hill red hair first row. Bill Hill, taller blue shirt.
This image was flipped when scanned. It always looked familiar but not right. When the image is flipped horizontally it becomes clear. Experiment Bight, eastern end, near where the trail to Nells Bight exits onto the beach. Sand Neck visible in the distance on the left and the Cape to the right (in the corrected image). Bill Hill blue shirt.
Meadows. Bill Hill.
Hansen Lagoon
Sand Neck. WWII plank road across sand (a few planks and nails can still be found in the sand). Bill HIll
Bill Hill, lagoon.
Bill Hill – Boiler, probably at lagoon.
Telegraph Wire beside plank road from Sandneck to the lighthouse. Bill Hill.
Sand Neck, WWII plank road. Bill Hill.
Location unknown. Ruth Master red shirt.
Lagoon, probably closer to the dykes. Phyllis Hill on left (red hair)
Experiment Bight, eastern end. Sand neck visible in the distance. Bill Hill.
Unknown person at the Sand Neck. Looking north towards Experiment Bight.
Ruth Master hold glass ball. Nells Bight, on rocks near the “old” ranger cabin.
Suspect this is the King’s Farm / Spencer Farm. Phyllis Hill
Location unknown Bill Hill blue shirt
Phyllis Hill, holding an artifact from the settlement.
This image was flipped when scanned. This is at Experiment Bight, eastern section walking towards the west just before the middle beach section. Bill Hill blue shirt. Ruth Masters red clothing brown backpack.
Sand Neck, WWII plank road. Bill Hill.