Living the best adventure life, since 1958
Our group of ten (nine club members and one guest) enjoyed a beautiful, sunny, clear day along the coast, even glimpsing a pod of orcas heading north.
Continue reading “East Sooke Park Trail – Alyard to Cabin Point”
–submitted by Phil Jackson
Leaving Nanaimo at 5:30am Phil and Matt proceeded to Campbell River where we picked up Mary then proceeded to where Palmerston Rd meets Eve River main. Rishi was there waiting for us, Rick and Lisa weren’t to far behind.
A slight departure from the scheduled route, an extra leg was added to the hike to extend the day trip.
Four of us started out from the N. end of Westwood L. following the standard ridges route with a first stop at Ridge 1 overlooking the lake. After a brief snack it was on to Ridge 2 for lunch, complete with views to Mt. Benson, Robert’s Roost and Ladysmith inlet. We concluded our hike with a brief tour of a couple of trails in Morrell: the Rocky Knoll trail (not to be missed), and the Beaver Pond.
Good weather, good group, and a nice woodsy ramble fit for anyone with average physical fitness.
–submitted by Ken Warren
Nine of us set off from Morrell Sanctuary to hike Mount Benson from the south. Clear skies and warm sun were promised and delivered. Logging activities have made the original trail somewhat more difficult, but a bike trail allowed us to bypass the damaged section.
We missed our intended trail, which turned out to be a recurring theme that day, and found ourselves on the eastern side of the ridge on a new trail that is only partially complete. We managed to intersect our intended trail only to wander off on several newer and similarly marked trails. We did eventually find the summit and enjoyed the views and the sunshine. The return leg of the loop was uneventful, without the trail exploration that marked our ascent.
April is a month of unpredictable weather. Before we head out on a hike, we are seldom concerned about the forecast; let’s face it, it’s usually wrong. On Sunday, April 24th, we planned to hike Steamboat Mountain, in the Maitland Range. We were going to use a route notorious for its bushwhack. With rain in the forecast, we made an exception to the rule and changed our plan–wet conditions and bushwhacking are a recipe for disaster. Pushing through trees branches, getting soaked and freezing, isn’t exactly my idea of great fun! Instead, we headed north, looking for respite from the forecasted rain.
 |
| Kokummi’s Long east ridge, shot on our way down |
 |
| Kokummi Mountain Map and GPS Route |
 |
| Warden and Victoria |
 |
| clouds in the low valley |
 |
| up through the old growth |
 |
| Across the valley |
 |
| Kokummi Peaks through the clouds |
Phil and I walked close to the edge of the snow-covered ridge and nearly jumped back! We accessed the ridge via a steep slope, but on the other side it is a sheer drop-off. As we stood at the edge, we had a view to the valley, 400 metres below us. It was clear of snow, and the sun bathed the creek and surrounding area in light, creating a stark contrast from the winter wonderland we walked.
 |
| Up into the clouds, Mount Kokummi east aspect |
 |
| Me and Rick on the summit of Kokummi Mountain |
 |
| descending back to the car |
If you are looking for an out there mountain that offers exciting ridge walking and excellent views, but are not comfortable with exposure, this mountain may be for you. Although we needed to use our hands on occasion to fight the light bush up the short distance to the saddle (even this was easy), the route is fantastic.
— submitted by Mike Hordelski
Grey skies to start to our day, but no rain in sight. The five of us started out 8:45. We weren’t disappointed when we arrived at the creek crossing-lower water level than I expected, and were able to cross without event. Very windy at the viewpoints, saw out first snow just below the Old Road, and a trail runner out with his dog–in training for a marathon, by the looks of it, we followed his tracks along the same route we were taking.
We had an astonishing good hike to the summit, some kick-stepping required on firm snowpack; needed to take shelter for the summit lunch as it was blowing hard. Found a nice spot allowing us to enjoy the falling snow, and feed those thieving whiskey jacks.
–submitted by Matthew Lettington
Read the full report on his blog: Boring Art, Boring Life
Have you ever pushed through so much bush that it physically pains you, and causes emotional trauma to the degree that it haunts you for days? I have, and I recommend that every hiker/mountaineer does it at least a few times in their life. It gives you perspective: in some ways, it makes you enjoy an unimpeded trail that much more!
 |
| Phil about to descend to the lake |
Philip Stone dedicates a portion of his book Island Alpine (2003) to a series of Top Ten lists, including a section for the top ten bushwhacks. Since publication, the face of alpinism on Vancouver Island has changed. The rock hasn’t changed, but gear has improved, new logging roads have been punched through, many roads have grown over, some routes have been placed and others cleared. The Top Ten lists are still important, but at least a few of them need updating, and the list of Island bushwhacks is one of them. Keep in mind that this is just one blogger’s opinion, but I think this route should be considered for the list.
On Sunday January 24th, Phil Jackson and I made a solid Rambler attempt to summit Steamboat Peak using a route named The Cavers Trail, a route set by Quagger sometime before 2003. I was warned about the route, which lies along Highway 4 and is filled with classic Highway 4 bush. True to the claim, I’ll testify that this route is filled with many sections of solid class 3/4 bush. This is the type that claws at you as you work your way through all manner of vegetation. It hooks gear and rips at your flesh. I made it through with only a dozen scratches on my hands and a few marks on my face.
 |
| Clayoquot Plateau Lake Map and GPS Route with Photos |
Total Distance: 9.3 km
Starting Elevation: 66 metres
Maximum Elevation: 883 m
Elevation Gain: 919 m
Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
It’s been two long years but it’s finally here: winter! Last year, I had big aspirations for winter: snowshoeing, skiing, alpine ski touring, and winter mountaineering. Of course, winter never arrived. Like many other Vancouver Islanders, I have photographs taken on the summits of mountains that are bald! I remember a particular hike up 5040, when Phil and I sat on the summit sunning ourselves in shorts and t-shirts – in February. Even Cobalt Lake had only a thin crust of ice on it, and a few crazy girls were swimming in it! Regardless, winter is here now, and we found it in Strathcona Park.
 |
| Ramblers snaking up the hill |
Continuing through my long list of mountaineering ambitions, Crest Mountain was the goal for December 20th. By all accounts, it’s easy and commonly hiked. It features a well-developed and marked route with signs in a few key places, and the trailhead is on the side of the highway. The trail does have a few steep sections before attaining the summit ridge around 1400 metres, and then an ambling ridge walk to the main summit. However, meteorological conditions prevented us from achieving our goal.
 |
| Crest Mountain Map |
Total Distance: 8.4 km
Starting Elevation: 338 m
Maximum Elevation: 1216 m
Total Elevation Gain: 934 m
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Read the full report on his blog, Boring Art, Boring Life
— Submitted by Matthew Lettington — Read the full report on his blog
Queen Peak (Sutton Range) sits well off the highway, easily accessed via the Seward Junction. The name of the peak often creates confusion with another Vancouver Island feature commonly referred to as Queen’s Face, part of the King’s Peak hike in Strathcona Park. Queen Peak offers a steep approach through logging slash and first-growth forest to reach a long low alpine ridge that leads to its summit, which provides one of the best views of Victoria and Warden Peaks.
 |
| The view of the valley below |
Anticipating a long drive from Nanaimo, our plan of attack included camping at the trailhead to give an early morning start. We left Nanaimo well after dark as I needed to tuck Hemingway into bed first. The four of us rendezvoused at Phil’s house before hitting the long road to Seward Junction. Our beta provided good directions to the trailhead. Though the road is in reasonable condition, we encountered several cross-ditches at the upper elevations. Twice the passengers vacated the car to give enough clearance to get through the ditches and up the steep sections of hill. Once, they even pushed so I could get enough power to get up the hill; damned standards! All told, the drive took about four hours, including the long (more than 40 kilometres) logging road. It may have been faster had we travelled in daylight; the drive includes multiple turns on logging roads, and a few times we nearly took incorrect spurs.
 |
| A late setup by car-lamp and an evening beverage before bed. |
 |
| Queen Peak GPS Route and Map with photographs |
Total Horizontal Distance: 6 km
Starting Elevation: 700 m
Maximum Elevation: 1639 m
Elevation Gain: 972 m
Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
High up on the logging road, at the start of our hiking route at 720 metres, we set up camp under clear skies. The stars shone bright, outlining the black silhouettes of the distant peaks. We shared a few beers before heading to bed. Though I slept well, I would be remiss in my friend-duties if I left out one detail: we camped near a trickling stream that created a significant amount of noise all night long. Though I didn’t have an issue, several of the hikers found sleep difficult, and made several trips to … water the forest.
–Read the full report on Matthew’s blog: Boring Art, Boring Life
-Submitted by Matthew Lettington
Recently, the Island Mountain Ramblers purchased a piece of trail-clearing equipment with the help of a grant from the Federation of Mountain Clubs of British Columbia. The club members had a busy summer, and September 25th was the first chance for us to get out as a club and use it.
 |
| GPS Route and Map with Photographs |
Total Horizontal Distance: 20.8 km
Starting Elevation: 208 m
Maximum Elevation: 1210 m
Total Elevation Gain: 1051 m
Total Time: 7h 5m
There are a lot of trails in need of maintenance. For our first effort, we chose to clear the Lomas Lake trail. In the summer of 2014, Sherry Durford led a club trip to the lake, and we noted that the trail was slightly overgrown. At the time, we discussed the need for trail maintenance; this was the impetus for us to submit the application for the grant. Our plan was to clear the trail to a point right before the final creek, and then search for a route to the col between Mount Service and El Capitan.
Read the full report on Matthew Lettington’s Blog, Boring Art, Boring Life