Carter Peak Like many people, I consider May Long Weekend the kick-off to summer. The extra day tagged onto the weekend makes trips further afield possible, and the lengthening days and few extra degrees mean that many people are looking for their first overnight trips of the season. This year, …
Tahsis Mountain : Ramsay’s Route
This trip report is sure to raise some conversation among island mountaineers as to which peak is the real Tahsis Mountain. It
s also the day Ramsay recalled the route being “not that bushy”
Santiago Mountian: A Vertical Bushwack
Santiago Mountain rises from the shores of Tahsis Inlet on the west coast of Vancouver Island. From its summit, you can see some of the best views of Nootka Island, Tahsis Inlet, and some of the island’s most prominent peaks. Yet, for all its selling points, Santiago Mountain sees very …
Keeha Bay Family Backpacking Trip
In recent years, it’s become part of my New Year’s ritual to sit down and plan a year of adventure. It does take some finger-crossing, regarding annual precipitation and seasonal snow, but I’d rather do that than miss out on a chance to get out of the house. This year, …
Zeballos Peak 2, A Successful Boogaloo
View PostZeballos Peak Exploration
View PostMount Olsen
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 …
Mount 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 …