In early February, the southern half of Vancouver Island found itself in the grasp of a polar vortex. After the incredibly mild winter, and possibly because a couple of famous rodents promised an early spring, the dramatic fury caught residents off-guard. The temperatures fell sharply, reaching near double digits (to …
Zeballos Peak Exploration
View PostMount Elma with Octavia
Dear Octavia, We don’t often get a whole day together for just the two of us. Typically, the entire family goes on our adventures, or at the very least it’s you, Hemingway, and me. In fact, that was the original arrangement, for you both to come with me –and 12 …
Stevens Peak, A Mountain of False Summits
View PostGemini Mountain: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
On my journey to summit all the peaks on my Island Alpine Quest, I don’t often find time to hike a mountain more than once, but when I do, it’s because I’m hiking with my children. On October 27, I led a group of ten that included Hemingway and Octavia …
Mount Roberts
Winter 2018 took its sweet time arriving on Vancouver Island. Many Vancouver Islanders eagerly watched the forecast as they tuned their skis and took stock of their winter gear. I too anticipated a beautiful winter pursuing adventure in the white stuff. Yet, by late October we were still waiting for …
Tsitika Mountain: Up the Crack
View PostMount Maitland: A Hike for People Who Don’t Want to Be Clean
Wet. It was wet. It was very wet. This doesn’t even come close to describing how wet we were by the end of the day. It was the kind of day where any effort or equipment used to contravene the water would result in failure; so, we left our raingear …
Watchtower Peak: We Found the Trouble
View PostMount Phillips Family Backpacking Trip
I struggle to find a balance between work, play, and family. When it comes to my annual vacation, I pack in as much playtime as I can, and this means I often leave my family at home while I’m off on an adventure. With my busy schedule, sometimes I’m unpacking …