Timberline Tales

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Maple Mountain, Blue and Yellow Trail

April 15, 2025

~ submitted by Mary Hof

I love this hike on Maple Mountain, starting on the Blue trail going down and along the Yellow trail along the ocean. I decided to lead this hike today for the OCV and Island Mountain Ramblers. Instead of following the Yellow till the end and then up to the Blue, I have found a way up through the ridges and forest to the Blue Trail.

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Bald Mountain

April 5, 2025

~ submitted by Mary Hof

I was suppose to lead a hike to Bald Mountain in Youbou on Sunday, but looking at the weather forecast I switched to Saturday and I am glad we did.

We hiked up to the tower and beyond to that beautiful view with Heather Mountain under a lot of snow. 8 hikers we were, and we all had the same speed for a wonderful hike.

We met a few people on the trail, but not many. 13 km 600m of elevation gain was a good days worth. Thanks for joining me.

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Mount Arrowsmith via Lost Gully

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.

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Canoe Peak

April 12, 2025

~ submitted by Matthew Lettington

I’ve been up Canoe Peak a few times now, and this marks my third successful summit of this rugged beauty. Every time I go, I’m reminded that it’s probably more grueling than I remembered. Yet somehow, I forget all the bushwhacking, steep gullies, and exposed slopes. There’s just something magical about the view that keeps me coming back.

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Ladysmith Carving Trails

April 8, 2025

~ submitted by Robin Camley

Great day hiking in the rain showers – Just under 10 KM and 370 meters of elevation gain viewing the 50 wood carvings of Richard on the trail.

Thanks ladies.

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Sooke Hills Ridge Ramble

March 22, 2025

~ submitted by Matthew Lettington

I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating—when there’s too much snow in the mountains, the Sooke Hills offer a fantastic alternative for logging kilometres and racking up elevation gain! With their dense, mossy hills, beautiful glades, and a network of trails ranging from well-maintained paths to forgotten routes, these hills are a playground for adventurous hikers looking to stay conditioned through the shoulder season.

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Ball Lake Snowshoe

March 29, 2025

~ submitted by Matthew Lettington

Throughout Paradise Meadows, signs of winter’s slow demise are everywhere. Though over two meters of snow still blankets much of the landscape, evidence of the coming summer is undeniable. Patches of open water are appearing along the edges of the lakes, and in some places, we could see water nearly twelve inches below the snow’s surface.

This was my first time tackling this route in winter. Typically, snowshoers take a direct path across the frozen lakes, but with the increasing melt, we opted to follow the shoreline instead. It was the safer choice.

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Mount Cokely Winter Mountaineering

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.

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