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November 4, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Prince George, Hiking
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I have long been an outdoor enthusiast of the Prince George area, and beyond. One area that is a particular favorite of mine is the Ferguson Lake Nature Reserve. This reserve is located within the city boundary. Should one google it, you will be able to get directions.
The appeal of this area is that it is scenic and has a well marked trail which is easy on the legs. The loop around the lake is 2.6kms, while on this trail you can take in great views of the lake, which is stocked with eastern brook trout. Throughout the year it is not uncommon to see people fishing from the dock or their canoes or even ice fishing. There are many interpretive signs informing visitors of the animals and plant life that call the reserve area home. Also for those who enjoy history there is the a trappers cabin dating back from 1928 and a few interpretive signs to give you insight about early homesteading and logging.
Ferguson Lake has often been labled a hike, however do not let this scare you should you not be the type of person that particpates in such activity. In my opinion the reserve is really a nice walk, nothing challenging. It is a nice place to spend an afternoon alone or with friends and family.
In the winter my husband and I look forward to getting on our snow shoes and walking along the trail and across the lake. I personally think that Ferguson Lake in the winter is beautiful, cold weather and snow should not deter anyone from going out there.
One final thing I would like to mention is that this year my husband and I got married and had some of our wedding photos done out there and they look stunning. So should you be wanting to get your pictures done somewhere else that is different from everyone else, I suggest this area.
October 14, 2009 | Tips from Us > Squamish, Hiking
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The Grouse Grind is considered “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster”, but the Stawamus Chief trail comes a close second. I know this because my thighs are still burning two days later.
This past weekend, three of us tackled the Chief to burn off calories from the previous night’s indulgent camping dinner (Kraft dinner, marshmallows, wine). I was looking forward to checking out the second peak route, as I’d only been to the first peak on previous Chief hikes.
The first and second peaks share the same trail for most of the journey. It’s steep, rocky and rooty. The trail was busy, but not packed, and there were lots of dogs hiking with their owners (patting friendly dogs is a good excuse for a break).
Near the top, the trail splits and the route to the second peak gets a little more challenging than the route to the first. Like the first peak, there are chains to help climb up and around the huge slabs of rocks, but they required a little more attention.
That being said, though, there were some children (maybe aged 7 and 10?) with their dad on the route; we stopped to give them a hand climbing the rocks and chains. They did great! It’s always awesome to see young kids out in the woods. They took it slow and steady and made it to the top with everyone else.
It took us an hour to hike up, and less time down. The trail was dry, but if there was a recent rainfall it would have slick, especially on the rocks.
The view of the water, mountains and Squamish was fantastic, and it was neat to see the first peak from the second peak. If you have the energy, I’d recommend the second peak over the first to avoid crowds. Feeling really energetic? There’s a third peak with even less people.
October 13, 2009 | Tips from Us > Port Moody, Hiking
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Our good friend and colleague Mark suggested the Diez Vistas when asked for a recommendation on an intermediate hike in the area that would result in good exercise and a spectacular view. The Diez Vistas trail delivered on both and then some!
Leaving our car in the Buntzen Lake parking lot (free!), we headed up the trail on a glorious October Saturday morning. We were ahead of most of the hikers and had the trail to ourselves. Having done the Grouse Grind I was a bit aprehensive that this was going to be another "put your head down, one foot in front until you get to the top" climbs but I was pleasantly surprised that while it was no walk in the park, there were sufficient breaks from the switchbacks to look up and enjoy the trip.
The hike to the first peak (of ten thus the name Diez Vistas) took us just over an hour. The trail is well marked and maintained. There is a sneak peak view about ten minutes before the actual viewpoint so we kept going as the majority of the climb has been completed and the summit at 570 metres has been reached. As with all spectacular sights, we didn't actually see the view until we came around a large boulder and then it hit us. Indian Arm, Deep Cove, the City of Vancouver and as far as Vancouver Island were all within our vision. It was really something special.
We understand there are nine more viewpoints that meander the top of the ridge ending at the far end of Buntzen Lake but we chose to retrace our steps due to time restraints (and because a fellow hiker said that we had just seen the best one). Perhaps we'll get back up there again another day and do them all!
October 7, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Tofino, Hiking
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My family decided that this year we wanted to stay for a few nights on Vargas Island, and rather than put it off, as we do so many camping trips, we managed to pack-up and find a boat ride to our destination beach for a wonderful camping trip.
The first thing that is important to remember if you are thinking about this adventure is to either:
1. Get to Tofino early (leaving Nanaimo at 7 AM or earlier) so that you have plenty of time for the boat ride out there
or
2. Find some accommodations in Tofino for the first night well in advance so that you are not stuck in the village with no where to stay (accommodations are famously booked in the summer months in Tofino
The second thing that I recommend for this trip is to line up a boat ride in advance (if you are not bringing your own marine transportation (I imagine kayaking would take at least 4 hours, but I'm not sure).
Next, I recommend doing a bit of planning about where you'd like to camp on Vargas Island. There are a ton of long sandy beaches on the island that you can see on Google Maps (satellite view). Apparently some of these beaches are private, so it may be best to stick to the provincial park area of the island (you can find a good map of the provincial park as well as other helpful information on BC Parks website).
Once you known where to go and have your marine transportation figured out, you're ready to go!
We decided to camp in the corner of Ahous Bay, which is one of the bigger, more protected sandy beaches on the island. We had a fantastic time, with exceptional weather. The biggest highlight for my kids was beachcombing (there are a ton of sand dollars, as well as many washed-up buoys and other flotsam).
We went despite the wolf warnings. According to the park officials, this was not a good idea, but we didn't know it at the time. Apparently there have been quite a few "close calls" with wolves and campers, and the prevailing thought is that the wolves are too habituated to humans and may be dangerous. After knowing this information, next time I'll definitely check around to see if there are wolf warnings before I go.
The ocean is not warm enough for a long swim, but you can certainly jump in and exhilarate in the feeling (our kids sure did).
Oh - and don't forget that it's important to arrange specific transportation for the way back. We are lucky in that we have our own boat (a small inflatable Zodiac), but I imagine folks have been stuck out there without a ride home now and again!
All in all, I would say that this is one of the easiest remote beach camping experiences that you can have in BC - you're close to Tofino (very civilized) yet feel completely isolated from the world on your own sandy beach heaven. Quite a trip.
October 2, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > North Vancouver, Hiking
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My vision of a casual trek in the woods seemed further and further away as I slogged behind my hiking buddies. The speed demon of the two (increasingly distant) figures up the steep slope had been enjoying a period of unemployment. Turns out that not working, while bad for the wallet, is great for developing thighs of steel on weekday hikes.
In between heaving for air and dodging rocks dislodged from the boys above, I took a second to look behind me and had one of those “I can’t believe I’m in BC” moments. I felt like I’d wandered into a Lord of the Rings flick, complete with misty clouds, thick conifers, freshly sprouting spring grasses, and jutting boulders.
In actuality, though, I was an area called Hanes Valley beyond Grouse Mountain. It’s an interesting, challenging and rewarding hike that takes you from well-travelled trails to complete wilderness in the space of a few hours. The full day hike ends at the peak of Grouse, which means we finished our day in the woods with lumberjacks, poutine and a blissfully effortless tram ride back down to the city.
September 29, 2009 | Tips from Us > Vancouver, Hiking
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Most people hike the
Baden Powell trail in sections, though there are some hardcore runners who do it in a day during the infamous Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run. Me? I fall somewhere in the middle and set out to tackle it in a weekend.
The trail is 48km long and runs from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove. Three unique aspects of this trail are:
1. It’s accessible by public transit at either end, as well as in a few points in the middle.
2. It’s more of a traverse that a summit, so when you look at the skyline from Vancouver you’re likely to be looking at a section you completed.
3. If you live near Vancouver, you can go home to make dinner and sleep in your own bed in between days – awesome!
Baden Powell Trip ReportDay 1: Horseshoe Bay to Cleveland Dam, 10 hours (we took it slow and there was loads of snow)
Transport: 257 bus (Horseshoe Bay express) to trailhead at Eagle Ridge; 236 and 240 buses from Cleveland Dam back to Vancouver
Highlights:
- Seeing a deer 10 minutes into the hike
- Having the trail to ourselves for hours at a time, with no one around except for friendly ravens and whiskey-jacks
- Incredible view from Eagle Bluffs (the pic shown is proof)
- Neat old cabins in Cypress Provincial Park
Day 2: Grouse Mountain to Deep Cove (7 hours)
Transport: 240 and 232 buses to Grouse Mountain, nice friend-with-car from Deep Cove back to Vancouver (but buses would have been possible, too)
Highlights:
- Watching mountain bikers hop and balance (with hooting and hollering) their chunky bikes on the trails
- More people meant lots of friendly trail dogs giving slobbery hellos
- Seeing wiry runners training for the Knee Knacker run
- Interesting section from Lynn Canyon towards Deep Cove – never been here and was cool to check it out. Boardwalks, a mini-Grouse Grind, and beautiful forests.
Would I do the whole thing again? Heck yes. It’s a great trail that passes through forests, bluffs and wetlands – and it’s practically in my backyard. Highly recommended.
September 7, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Squamish, Hiking
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Garibaldi Provincial Park comprises of 194,650 hectares within the coast mountains and is located 13 km north of Squamish, 97 km north of Vancouver along Hwy 99 to Whistler.
Enjoy the hike!
September 3, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Squamish, Hiking
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Garibaldi Provincial Park comprises 194,650 hectares within the coastal mountains, and is perhaps Canada's most accessible and spectacular wilderness.
Raw and uncompromised backcountry, alpine meadows and glaciated heights, this scenically breathtaking area has endless outdoor opportunities, all within an hour of Vancouver.
The park is located 13 km north of Squamish, 97 km north of Vancouver along Hwy 99 on the road to Whistler.
September 1, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Courtenay, Hiking
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Just wanted to let everyone know about a great Bed and Breakfast on Vancouver Island called "All Seasons Roost " I am from Alabama, USA and just happened to find them. We were on our way to Port Hardy on the north side of the Island to go sea kayaking. Jim and Lorraine at "The Roost" were great hosts. They had wine with us on our arrival, gave us details and great stories about the area. All their suggestions for meals and things to do turned out good. The beds were top notch- pillow top or memory foam. Baths were luxurious. The house was comfy and quite. AND the breakfast was sumptious. I have only stayed in about 10 BandBs but this ranks as the best and was one of the least expensive. I would definitely stay there again.
September 1, 2009 | Field Reports > Golden, Hiking
I decide to
push the limits of heli-hiking by doing a mountaineering climb up Mt
Syphax in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia with Canadian
Mountain Holidays (CMH).
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