When I posted Marmot Mountain to the club schedule, I enticed members with the promise, “Participants should be willing to participate in moderate bushwhacking to get through the lower areas of this route, and a few of the upper areas… and why not some more in the middle too?”. The …
Gemini Mountain: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
On my journey to summit all the peaks on my Island Alpine Quest, I don’t often find time to hike a mountain more than once, but when I do, it’s because I’m hiking with my children. On October 27, I led a group of ten that included Hemingway and Octavia …
Green Mountain: A Fall Hike Near Nanaimo
On October 14th, I led a small group of Island Mountain Ramblers on a relaxed hike to Green Mountain. Octavia (25 months old) and Hemingway (5 years old) came with us to enjoy the day, and they were the primary reason for the pace. The weather was perfect. The frost from …
Marmot Mountain
As I write this, I’m drinking a hot chocolate to warm my belly and ease the dull ache of dissatisfaction that’s buzzing in the back of my head. Today, we took a shot at Mount Marmot. Unfortunately, the steep slopes and powdery snow proved too much for the short time we had. …
Gemini Mountain, the twin peak
I did the math: I’m approaching the 100th peak in my Island Alpine Quest. Although most peaks on Vancouver Island have some level of difficulty associated with their approach, some are even more difficult to get to, and Gemini Mountain falls into this category. It’s tucked deep in behind Nanaimo, past …
Mount Service
Mount Service is one peak in a series of mountains forming a geographic border between the Nanaimo Watershed and the Cowichan Valley. It’s most commonly accessed from the Cottonwood Main, just outside Youbou, but it’s also a fun hike from the other side. However, because it’s inside the Nanaimo Watershed …
McKay Peak, Bush Bash
Well… to be fair, not all of it. Climbing through the woods to get to McKay Peak This past Saturday, March 7th 2015, I joined my hiking club The Island Mountain Ramblers for a hike in the Nanaimo Lakes Region. Thirteen hikers hit the road at the not-too-early time of …
Mt Hooper from Lake Cowican
November 15th, I joined up with Rod Szasz and a few other hikers, many from the Island Mountain Ramblers for a trip up a rarely summited peak in the Nanaimo Lakes Region/Cowichan Lake Region. Mt Hooper tops out around 1490 metres. For me, an most interesting aspect of the hike …
The Obscure Sadie Peak
View from the summit of Sadie Peak, looking North Many of those who read my blog will know that I live in Nanaimo BC and that most of my hiking trips take me to the mid and north island. If you know your geography at all, you will also know …
The Great But Not Often Visited Mount De Cosmos
GPS route Total distance: 6.2 km Highest Elevation: 1368 m Total Time: 5 hours What a weekend! Two days filled with activities including the Mt De Cosmos hike! I know most people may not be excited to climb a sub alpine hill but for me this was an adventure into …