View from below Black Cat Mountain looking East to Capes Ridge Comox Glacier has taunted since before I knew its name. Driving up Island past Comox and Courtenay it looms on the western horizon. When Phil approached me about doing a two day trip up to the glacier I jumped …
Rogers Ridge to Mount Adrian and Car Rescue
Last week a friend and I travelled up island and explored Rodgers Ridge, accessed via the Buttle Parkway (hiway 28). We had and amaing hike and mediocre weather but a great day, until we tried to drive out. Surprise! The snow on the road melted, preventing me from passing a …
High (Mis)Adventure on Roger’s Ridge
Big adventure was in store for my hike on Rodgers Ridge, Sunday April 26th. We left Nanaimo earlier than normal, 6 AM, anticipating the 3 hour drive to Granite Mainline, off the Buttle Highway (Hwy 28). Our goal was to hit up two peaks, Mount Beadnell and Mount Adrian. We …
Mount Gibson via Brigade Lake Trail
*** Note, updated 05/07/2015***Since I hiked this trail, my friends returned and discovered a flagged route that is somewhat reliable. You must hike further up the trail than we did to find the start of the flagged route Today went well, wet but well. A few weeks back Phil, Rick, …
Kludahk — Meadow Hut to Tower Hut
Oh the west coast weather… It will never bore you. Saturday March 21st promised to be exciting, there were so many variables up in the air! What would the weather give us? Would we find snow and need snowshoes? Would the participants enjoy the hike through the groves of trees …
Climbing Mount 5040 via Cobalt Lake, Bare and Beautiful!
Vancouver Island’s weather often is incongruent to which weatherman forecast. Sunday, February 22 was an exception, we were promised an amazing day and that is exactly what we got! Sunshine, warm breeze, excellent visibility and dry conditions, it was like hiking the alpine in late June! The perfect day for …
Hiking the Kludahk Trail In February — Winter 2015 is Officially Done!
My wife gave me the best Valentines Day gift ever, the gift of hiking! She took the day to visit friends in Vancouver! This weekend I did two trips, a portion of the Kludahk Trail and another section of the Beaufort Range Mountains. The weekend was two full days of …
Mt Buttle, Summited During The Winter That Never Was
What does February 1st have in store? A winter attempt at a not often visited peak in the Lake Cowichan region. Phil and I were on our way, geared up to the gills for a winter ascent of Mt Buttle. Both of us well prepared for the weather and the …
Mt Moriarty Winter Ascent…. more or less
An early morning departure was the order of the day, the morning of January 25th 2015. Phil Jackson contacted me late on Friday evening with an offer to do a winter ascent of Mt. Moriarty. This trip marks my third summit of this peak in twelve months, I climbed Moriarty …
Limestone Mountain on the Winter Solstice
December 21st marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the official start of winter in the northern hemisphere, how should I cerebrate this day? I set out on another early morning adventure, this time with Phil Jackson and Jaime Curcil. Our destination, Limestone Mountain, located between …