Living the best adventure life, since 1958
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.
Continue reading “East Sooke Trail — A Fine Consolation”
January 25, 2026
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
If I could describe a perfect day in the mountains, it would look a lot like the club’s recent trip to 5040 Peak. It was the kind of day that begins with a light chill but never truly feels cold; snow that’s firm underfoot and never collapses beneath your boots; blazing sunshine that warms without scorching; and, of course, good friends to keep you moving upward.
February 4, 2026
~ submitted by Melanie Yu
We all met and congregated at approximately 8:05am. Some members where familiar with each other but we all had not hiked with each other as a whole. One member expressed appreciating this hike because they were not interested in super long drives towards Port Alberni or beyond, and it was more of a summer thing for them to engage in.
We were blessed with being the only hiking group on the mountain. All of us except one had hiked the mountain on more than one occasion, and none of us had ever experienced hiking this mountain without passing by another group. We were so fortunate to have the mountain to ourselves!
The entire hike was full of laughs and conversations. I guess being with a group made up of retired folks conjures up fonds memories when the leader is more than half their senior! Haha.
We experienced all the false summits and it provided the group natural break points to catch their breath. The summit registry had completely disappeared, it was the perfect opportunity for the trip leader to replace the registry and we were the first group to sign our names.
We were blessed with clear skies and beautiful bowls of cloud inversions. Before we set sails for our descent the horizon above the cloud inversion continued to evolve into a beautiful opalescent pink blue hue and we couldn’t stop taking photos of the evolving horizons at all the false summits.
The hike was posted as a P3 but it was a very comfortable p2 and we ended the hike around 14:30. Everyone resolved at the end that we enjoyed the company of each other and that we would all hike again in the near future.
A successful club hike in the books!
January 10, 2026
~ submitted by Evan Martin
We started the day with a short discussion of expectations and what people were hoping to get out of this introductory session. Despite being an intro session, everyone in the group had some prior experience, so with too much delay we hit the trail at about 9:30. Although not cold, the heavily falling snow was wet and melting on contact. This combined with the wind made for a chilly start. Despite the cold, we were diligent and practiced a full send and receive transfer check.
Continue reading “Winter Ski Series – Intro to Ski Touring”
January 18, 2026
~ submitted by Mary Hof
What a day to lead a hike on Mt. Tzouhalem.
The sun was so warm and the group from Island Mountain Ramblers and OCV were awesome. We did a short car shuttle and hiked from Genoa bay to Kaspa Rd. 4 hours 575m.
We made a stop at Daniel’s Memorial, was happy to see that it sits just as placed. Thanks to those who shared pictures.
December 28, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
We had nearly a full group out for this early-season snowshoe trip, thanks in part to a recent snowfall that piled up just enough snow to make snowshoes worthwhile. In many spots, the snow was only about five inches deep—shallow enough that the picnic benches were still visible. If we’d wanted to, we could have stopped for a proper sit-down break!
January 3, 2026
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
“Wet” pretty much sums it up.
How wet was it? Wet enough that two people took one look at the trailhead and decided they’d had enough adventure for the day. When we arrived, rain was absolutely hammering down, pooling across the parking lot in what could only be described as a proper deluge.
Continue reading “A Very Wet Snowshoe to Mount Elma”
~November 30, 2025
~ submitted by Su Castle
Beautiful late fall weather day for this trip up Green Mountain. We drove up logging spur K15 until the creek crossing. (approx 49.04447 124.34843), snow started 1100m.
We hiked steadily upwards, using micro spikes near the summit. There was more of a crust on the snow the higher up we got. Ice formations on the foliage were beautiful!
The last 100m of elevation gave us the adventure we were seeking, as the snow wasn’t consistent enough to create good steps, and there was just enough ice on the rocks with a bit of a drop off below us to make it a super sketchy choice!
We descended the summit a slightly different way. We were back at the vehicle and out of the last Nanaimo Lakes gates by 3:00.
Trip length: 7.5 km Total elevation: 450 Total Hike: 4 hours
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.
Continue reading “Sooke Hills – Black Bear & Trafalgar Mountains”
October 25, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
On October 25, only four members were brave enough to face the forecast. Although the trip was originally quite popular, a half-dozen people backed out in the final hours—and honestly, who could blame them? The weather looked downright grim.
Still, the four of us met at the head of the logging road, determined to take on the predicted 50 km/h winds, driving rain, and fresh snow. Our plan was to climb Mount Cokely via the Saddle Route and return along Rosseau Ridge.
Continue reading “Mount Cokely”