The day’s goal was Canoe Peak, but a series of pre-existing minor injuries and unfavourable route conditions in the Mackenzie Range conspired to stop us from reaching it. Despite our misfortune, we still enjoyed the day. The Mackenzie Range features some of Vancouver Island’s most dramatic-looking peaks, the type that …
Mount Spencer: Revenge on the Mountain
View PostMount Abel: A Great Spring Snowshoe in the Sutton Range
View PostA winter route up Big Den turns unseasonably warm
View PostWaring Peak: a snowshoe in the Sutton Range
It’s been a disappointing Spring for me. While I’m not normally a ‘glass-half-empty’ sort of guy, the last few soggy months have brought canceled multi-day trips, abortive summit attempts, and numerous other events that simply failed to launch. It’s been a trying season! I don’t intend to dwell on these facts, …
Winter snowshoe ascent of Springer Peak, Prince of Wales Range
Springer Peak wasn’t our first objective for the day, but when I took over leading the trip, I felt that the snow conditions were too questionable to continue with our original objective. When I suggested using Bill’s Trail, a section of the route used for the annual Kusam Klimb race, …
Snowshoe to Boston Falls Lookout: A Sunny Day below Mount Becher’s Summit
When I’m stuck inside, it sometimes feels like I won’t ever break free and get outside! If you’re passionate like I am, you probably feel the same. Now that I’ve added two kids to the equation, it’s even more difficult to balance the time between my family obligations and my …
Mt. Cain –The Long Way Around
Being focused on an objective is a great way to track progress and remember to celebrate when you achieve a goal. But sometimes, I get so focused on the objective that I forget about everything that goes into making the day a success. On January 22nd, I had a good …
Mt Grey, another in a growing list of failed summit attempts
Mount Grey is a lovely hike through old-growth alpine fir and along a treed alpine ridge, up to a summit that offers great views of the Alberni Inlet. My Mount Grey trip had two portions of adventure: the cold from an arctic outflow, and the ride home. On January …
2017 Kicking off the year of family adventure
A large group of Island Mountain Ramblers and guests assembled in the parking lot of Raven lodge, mid-morning of January 7th. The wind in the parking lot was frigid and the thermometer in my car read temperatures close to -10 C. In keeping with many of the family/novice snowshoe trips I lead, I …