While some mountains are heinous bushwhacks, and others require long logging road approaches, Mount Olsen is none of these. All along the Corrigan Main the land is laid waste by heavy logging, and the myriad of logging roads crisscross the slope creating a maze of roads that push high up …
Zeballos Peak 2, A Successful Boogaloo
View PostZeballos Peak Exploration
View PostMount Sir John: A First Winter Ascent
When it comes to ascending seldom-summited peaks, I’m often reticent when we depart the Jeep. So many questions about the route and what we will find ahead make me reflect inward. So, it’s probably no surprise that when winter’s snow and ice become part of the adventure, there is sometimes …
El Capitan Mountain
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 …
Mount 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 …
Patlicant Mountain: Really, Just Checking This One Off
If I take a moment to assess the remaining objectives on my Island Alpine Quest, I have no doubt that many of them will be challenging. Some require grueling multi-day bushwhacks, canoe/kayak approaches, or fly-ins, and some of them will require roped-up climbing. Patlicant Mountain, however, requires none of these things. …
Big Tree Peak
Since beginning my project to summit all the peaks in Island Alpine, I’ve spent more time exploring the various unknown peaks and ranges of Vancouver Island than I ever spent hiking more well-known objectives. Sometimes, when I think about the time I’ve spent hiking, driving, and reporting– it’s become very time-consuming– I …
Stevens Peak, A Mountain of False Summits
View PostHeather Mountain Hustle
When the weather turned to crap on October 28th, we abandoned our plan to summit Steven Peak in the Tlupana Range and turned our eyes to something much closer to home: Heather Mountain. You may be surprised to read that I haven’t done this common south island hike, but the …