Living the best adventure life, since 1958
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!
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”
November 8, 2025
~ submitted by Brian Cross
Great afternoon, cloudy but decent temp and no wind.
The trail was wet, muddy, and slippery. We took a mini tour of Bamfield after.
June 29, 2025
~ submitted by Evan Martin
I was a little disappointed when I failed to bag Mount Joan this winter. My first attempt was in March this year. We turned around after 5 hours prior to making the ridge. I was expecting this to be a big day, and was waiting for an opportunity to give it another attempt. So when a free weekend came up early this summer, it became an obvious objective.
I posted the trip with little expectations. Although not officially a long weekend, I figured many people would be taking the Monday off and taking summer trips. However, I ended up with two Ramblers joining me.
Continue reading “Mount Joan, Squarehead Mountain, Mount Curran Loop”
April 19, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
Tapaltos, Keeha, and Cape Beale are three of my favourite coastal spots on Vancouver Island. I’ve visited them in every month of the year — even camping once in January! Although they weren’t the original plan for our Easter weekend, they made an excellent consolation choice. With one caveat: the wind!
It blew fiercely for our three-night stay, with gusts reaching up to 50 km/h. Luckily, we were able to move our tents far enough back on the beach to shelter from the worst of it. From our camp, we could see a few other tents that hadn’t escaped the wind — I can only imagine how much they must have flapped and slapped all night long.
Continue reading “Windswept and Wild: An Easter Adventure at Cape Beale and Keeha Beach”
May 2, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
After the disappointing loss of my axe in early April, I vowed to return and reclaim it. Having been up the east ridge twice in the past six months, and feeling confident about where I had dropped the axe, I was sure we’d find it! Familiar with the terrain, I invited a larger group of club members to join the adventure.
Continue reading “Lost and Found: A Return to Nahmint’s East Ridge”
April 5, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
We came prepared for the worst: snowshoes, crampons, mountaineering axes, and full avalanche kits! The east ridge is likely the least bushy and quickest route to Nahmint’s summit, but it’s not an easy hike by any means.
Continue reading “Beating the Bush: A Spring Ramble Up Nahmint’s East Ridge”
April 27, 2025
~ submitted by Evan Martin
The group met in Nanaimo before driving to the Cameron Main gate. The drive gave us a chance to get to know each other, review group safety gear, and align expectations before hitting the trailhead. We arrived at the gate at 8:20 a.m. and found two other cars waiting. From a past trip, I knew the gate is “unlocked” rather than “opened” at 8:00, so we pulled around and Evan hopped out to open it — earning some surprised looks from the other drivers.
Continue reading “Mount Arrowsmith via Lost Gully”
March 15, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
Well, at the very least, we can say it was a day in the mountains.
One common issue when planning a day of learning is that the weather doesn’t really care about your plans. While we had hoped for a multiday steep-angle adventure, the forecast had us adjusting our expectations, turning the trip into a single-day learning experience.
Continue reading “Mount Cokely Winter Mountaineering”