A long time ago, when people were talking – for the first time – about a certain movie that took place in a galaxy far, far, away, there was an underutilized ski resort on a site which is now commonly referred to as “the old Forbidden Plateau ski hill”… Bright …
Winter Ascent of Pinder Peak’s Horn
Nothing screams “winter break” more than an overnighter in Vancouver Island’s Alpine. Complete with camping on snow, and a longish logging road approach to the start of the route, this trip will remain in my memory for a long time. Rick and Rishi, on the southwest ridge. Photo by Phil …
We found winter! It was hiding at Crest Mountain
It’s been two long years but it’s finally here: winter! Last year, I had big aspirations for winter: snowshoeing, skiing, alpine ski touring, and winter mountaineering. Of course, winter never arrived. Like many other Vancouver Islanders, I have photographs taken on the summits of mountains that are bald! I remember …
Springer Peak via Bill’s Trail
The many peaks in the Prince of Wales Range feature some of the greatest views of the Johnstone Strait; the distant peaks to both the east and west aren’t too hard on the eyes either. If you haven’t had a chance to hike in the region yet, I urge you …
El Capitan trail clearing
Recently, the Island Mountain Ramblers purchased a piece of trail-clearing equipment with the help of a grant from the Federation of Mountain Clubs of British Columbia. The club members had a busy summer, and September 25th was the first chance for us to get out as a club and use …
Hiking to Mount Phillips via Arnica Lake
I’m using Island Alpine as a benchmark of mountaineering achievement, a checklist of mountains to summit. It mostly leads me to exciting adventures which I approach with anticipation, but every so often I find a hike where my expectations are low. Setting out to hike Mount Phillips in Strathcona Park …
Mackenzie Peak
Highway 14 features some of the bushiest alpine routes on Vancouver Island. Phil Stone even mentions the region in his list of the Island’s best bushwhacks, though this particular route doesn’t make the list. Because the area is not protected by any special status, most of it has been logged. …
Climbing Mount Kitchener and the High Point on the Ridge
I hope you are confused by the title of this post. I’m sure you are asking yourself, “Isn’t the summit the high point?” In most cases, the answer is yes! However, on Vancouver Island the answer is probably “Who knows?” The more I hike and climb, the more I am …
Mount Schoen via a Ridiculously Huge Scree Slope and Adam Ridge
Mount Schoen’s broad talus summit On my quest for the Island’s six-thousanders , Mount Schoen was still on my list of unvisited mountains; for reasons that will become obvious, I won’t refer to this summit as a peak. This north-island mountain sits overlooking the boarder of the Lake Schoen Provincial …
Failure Is A Stopping Point on the Way to the Top: Climbing Triple Peak via Southeast Ridge
The road to success is seldom straight forward, particularly when mountaineering. Success comes from hard work, education and experience. This is the case with my August 9th, 2015 summit of Triple Peak, located in the Mackenzie Range on Vancouver Island. In February, I wrote of my failed attempt at the …