A large group of Island Mountain Ramblers and guests assembled in the parking lot of Raven lodge, mid-morning of January 7th. The wind in the parking lot was frigid and the thermometer in my car read temperatures close to -10 C. In keeping with many of the family/novice snowshoe trips I lead, I …
2017: The year for adventure!
View PostMount Spencer: The Great Congo Line of December 2016
I’ll cut to the chase– we didn’t make the summit of Mount Spencer. Of course, as with most of my stories, the devil’s in the details. On December 18th, Vancouver Island was deep in a colder-than-normal shoulder season. The day held a forecast for overcast skies and precipitation. Further, the …
Snowshoeing on Mount Milner
The name “Mount Milner” is unfamiliar to most Vancouver Island hikers. Hidden deep in the Prince of Wales Range, it’s not a well-known mountain. The rocky peak sits high above the connecting ridge that forms the Prince of Wales Range, and is only visible from deep in the valleys, 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 …
Trio Mountain
–photographs by Phil Jackson (thank you) Vancouver Island’s backcountry is bristling with mountains, most of which are unknown to the average person. Many of these peaks don’t have local names, or even official names! Trio Mountain falls into this unknown category. Even though it’s only a few kilometers from Gold River, it’s seldom visited. …
Peak 5800: An Attainable Obscure Peak
Without a doubt, the shoulder season is one of my favourite seasons for hiking! The cool air makes steep climbs tolerable, and when the sun makes an appearance, it usually brings just enough warmth to chase the chill away, but not enough to dehydrate us. The cooler temperatures mean I’m …