I’ve written before about trips that don’t go as planned. Sometimes a route changes, weather can turn and uncontrollable circumstances come into play that force you to change your plans. Mostly these changes are smart decisions that are required for personal and group safety. This trip turnaround was a combination …
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 …
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 …
Triple Peak summit attempt, on a day that turns wintery…
Not every mountaineering adventure ends on a summit. Actually I suppose no hike should end on a summit, unless your flying off… To kick off March, Phil, Mat Light attempted a popular alpine route, one many other hikers are doing doing recently; Triple Peak. We were inspired to give …
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 in the Beaufort Range, Mount Cameron to Mt Tsable
Wow, I’m tired. I have that familiar ache in my legs that lets me know that I didn’t let life pass me by, I went out and found adventure. Valentines Day weekend 2015 was generous, I did two hike! My wife is an amazing woman, so kind to give me …
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 …
Introduction to Backcountry Skiing
January, a time of new beginnings and resolutions. Keeping with the annual tradition, I started something new, I joined the Alpine Club of Canada Vancouver Island Section. Rather, that is, I rejoined. A few years ago, I was a member for a season. This past weekend I joined 50+ members …