Living the best adventure life, since 1958
September 30th, 2023
~ submitted by Mary Hof
Today I led a group of 8 on a hike to Mt. Apps for the Island Mountain
Ramblers.
Mt Apps is the second highest summit in the Beaufort Range and overlooks the east
coast of Vancouver Island as well as the Alberni Valley to the west and south.
It also presents excellent views of the southern part of Strathcona Provincial
Park to the northwest. We could see forever today.
September 7, 2023
~ submitted by Mary Hof
After some late cancelation, we had 2 Ramblers and 1 guest. I learned from this hike you don’t want a whole lot of people as it takes time to go down the ropes without rocks flying on the person below.
September 1, 2023
~ submitted by Su Castle
We started at the Prospectors Trail in Goldstream and followed the route for the 28 km Finlayson Arm trail run route, at a hike pace.
Hike time was just under 8 hours, breaks about 40 min in total. Weather was fantastic.
August 20, 2023
~ submitted by John Robertson
We left Raven Lodge in a faint haze of smoke. Good conversation made the hike up past Lady Lake fly by. We exchanged pleasantries with groups of weekend campers making their way out as we headed in. We found the route towards Ball Lake fairly easily, and set off on our adventure.
This report recounts a story from a less-visited location, although it is not about a club trip.
I have been fascinated by the Brooks Peninsula for some time. Geographically it is significant as it sticks out quite prominently on the west side of the island near the northern tip. It is rumoured to have its own weather system and significant hazards for boaters and kayakers rounding its western point. There are some very hard to reach mountains on the peninsula as well, one called Mount Doom that has a great mystique by name and remoteness. Up in those mountains contain some interesting flora and fauna as this part of the island may have not been covered by snow and ice during the ice age, resulting in some prehistoric plants still living to this day.
I met the Ramblers group for 9am at the Flower Ridge trailhead. Our group of six set out just after 9am. We got to the ridge in about four hours and continued along for another hour or so to camp. It was windy on the ridge but the sun was out, so my gear finally had a chance to dry.
After a solid night’s sleep, we had a casual start to the day departing camp at 9am. Our goal for the day was Central Crags, the summit of this mountain is just over 1650 metres. We made our way along Flower Ridge gaining and losing elevation as we went. The ridge is wide and open offerings lots of different paths and perspectives along their way. The Septimus Rosseau massif started to come into view topped by a thick layer of cloud, but we caught great views of the hanging glacier and snow fields.
~14.7km/1620m (+/-)
Steamboat Mtn falls inside the Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks, A donation was made to the Tribal Park Guardians on the way through.
Up at stupid o’clock by all, had us all together and on foot for 6:30 am. An eager group of 6, we set out on what was planned to be a full day out. How quickly the gentle start of an easy spur trail to distract you fades away, leading to progressively tighter and tighter trail, until the forest consumes you completely and spits you out the other side! Up old creek beds, steep forest, around wasp nests, under logs, over logs, repeat and repeat again and eventually you’ll find yourself at a nice unnamed lake maybe halfway up. A chance to ditch some pack weight, refill water and have a quick snack.
August 14 – 18, 2023
~ submitted by Brian Fleming
Five Ramblers spent five days rambling the Augerpoint Traverse, visiting five summits along the way. It ended up being a 52km hike with approximately 4376m of elevation gain
in the middle of a heat wave.
August 9 – 11, 2023
~ submitted by Brian Fleming
Six Ramblers went exploring Flower Ridge on August 9th to the 11th.
