Opinion A very nice little hike, especially at this time of year when it's quiet. A pretty lake, interesting geology, gorgeous open, mossy forest, and a couple of great viewpoints make this a little gem of a trip, especially as it only needs a couple of hours. Fact The trailhead is easily accessible by low-clearance … Continue reading Crater Rim Trail, 22 Oct 2016
The rain never came. We awoke to heavy mist which peeled back to reveal low, grey cloud. The memories of yesterday's glorious sun stayed with us, and we didn't mind dragging ourselves out and beginning the process of packing up our gear once more. We ate breakfast in our dining room and quickly repacked our … Continue reading Cape Scott Day 6, 7 Aug 2016
On multi-day backpacking trips, it's nice to factor in a rest day or two. Despite packing up at Guise Bay and heading through to Nels Bight, this still felt like a bit of a rest day, much like our leisurely wander over from Nissen Bight on our third day. The morning dawned bright and sunny … Continue reading Cape Scott Day 5, 6 Aug 2016
Ten hours later we decided to crawl out of the tent. That's right: we spent a whole ten hours - nearly half a day! - curled up in our sleeping bags on a sandy beach. And it was bliss! A wonderfully comfortable night. But you know how things are, and the call of nature eventually … Continue reading Cape Scott Day 4, 5 Aug 2016
By the quality of the light I could tell that it was brighter. Hoping for sunshine, I unzipped my side of the tent and looked out onto the beach. There was some blue sky out to sea, and our hopes were raised for a fine relaxing day. And then, just as I was contemplating crawling … Continue reading Cape Scott Day 3, 4 Aug 2016
We awoke to the sound of the waves in the distance, dampened by the surrounding forest. I was hoping to see some sunshine, but when I emerged from the tent I could see the sky was cloudy. Venturing out onto the sand, I walked back to collect our food bags from the cache and found … Continue reading Cape Scott Day 2, 3 Aug 2016
We set out early from Courtenay and drove up the Island Highway towards Campbell River, Daves' Bakery our destination for breakfast and sandwiches for later. A huge thunderstorm greeted us as we turned off into the town, lightning darting this way and that, with thunder occasionally booming directly overhead. As we pulled up in front … Continue reading Cape Scott Day 1, 2 Aug 2016
Opinion In 12 years I've hiked this trail 10 times so I must like it :-) I'm actually kinda torn - it does have great scenery, and it's not too tough, but it's far from my favourite hike. Having said that, I think there are two times in the year where it's a really enjoyable … Continue reading Elfin Lakes, 2 Oct 2016
Well that's another year of hiking under our boots. Safe to say that we felt we should have done more but the weather seemed to be against us for much of 2016. And yet it seems we did spend more days hiking this year than last (well, I did at any rate). Summer came and … Continue reading 2016 in review
Opinion Brandywine has quickly become one of my favourite summits. It's a great mix of easy hiking and more challenging boulder-hopping with some steep terrain and a bit of route-finding thrown in for good measure. And then there are the stunning views. Mountains, glaciers, meadows, lakes... Definitely a hike to save for a sunny day, … Continue reading Brandywine Mountain, 30 Sep 2016
Being. Outdoors. 