Birthday Adventure!

It was that time of year again...yup the time when I become another year older. This year I was really craving spending some time by the open ocean waters. I struggled with where I could go and then decided to do a road trip out through Port Renfrew and down to Sooke with stops at Sombrio beach and Mystic beach. I had been wanting to return to Sombrio beach since I hiked across in six years ago while doing the Juan de Fuca trail with daughter. That was my first big adventure with over night camping on the trail and a hike I will always treasure. 

I invited three of my hiking pals to come with me and we set off rather early to try and reach Sombrio by low tide. There is a hidden waterfall there that I have been wanting to find and I was sure I would!

After an hour and half drive through foggy skies we arrived at the trail head. I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice wide newly graveled pathway down to the beach plus there were new toilets installed and other upgrades since I had last been there. 

There were a few people camped along beach, some with young children and I realized it was a great place to bring the kids to and my brain began to plan. As the tide wasn't that low and we knew time was short we headed off in the direction that I believed the waterfall to be. 

We searched along the bush line looking for a creek and we did find one or two but after a bit of bushwacking each lead ended with no where to go. Sadly we returned to the trailhead an headed over to the west side of the beach and did some exploring over there. It was neat to see the cliff with the rope hanging down that I had climbed up many years ago. It didn't look near as scary now as it had felt back then. 

We found a spot and sat and had our lunch enjoying the sounds of the waves as they came upon the shore and the lovely sound of the pebbles as they were taken back out by the wave, it was musical. 

Never one to sit for long I rounded up the gang after about 45 minutes and we headed off back to the car to continue down the coast line. 
The hike into Mystic beach was much longer and a bit rougher of a trail. It wove through a beautiful forest of fir and cedar trees. The path was soft under our feet and there were many roots to navigate.

 When we arrived there was just enough shoreline left for us to go and stand under the waterfall that comes from the cliff. The fresh water splashes down into the ocean. It would be great on a hot day. 

We explored the small caves along the shoreline and walked the beach. 

















We found a spot to rest and once again just enjoyed the views and the sounds of being out in creation. It was nice to sit there and watch the sun slowly lower itself in the sky. Just total peacefulness.

We headed back to the car and drove into Sooke to share in a lovely birthday meal. It was a fantastic day and I am so thankful to have friends to spend time with on my birthday adventures. Friends are what make aging all okay. 

Mount Prevost Mother Daughter Hike

For over a year my daughter and I have been wanting to hike up Mount Prevost from Bings Creek. We have driven up the mountain many times beginning when I was a child and then when she was a child but both of us really wanted to hike from the bottom up. 

We finally found a time that worked for us both and off we headed bringing the dog along. It was a beautiful hike among the trees and the weather cooperated. 
It is a trail that is up and then more up and then more up! 
The trees and the flowing creek made it all worth the while though. It truly is a beautiful hike.

There is a very small section where you climb up using a rope...it was a bit difficult for the dog but with my daughter pulling and me helping from below we managed to get her up. 

Once up the views were just wonderful. We sat and had an early lunch and just enjoyed looking down on the valley. 

We are so blessed to live in the Cowichan Valley surrounded by magnificent mountains that allow us to hike, climb and enjoy some fantastic views!

So ropes are not really my thing. Going up is fine but coming down is a whole different matter. I was a bit anxious. When we got to the top of the roped there were three hikers waiting to come up and well long story short one of the nice gentleman came and helped guide my feet so that I could get down. The dog had no problem nor did my daughter. This is the second hike involving a rope that I have gone on with my daughter and both times we have switched roles. She has become the encouraging parent and I the scared child. LOL   
It was  very steep hike but going down was a bit faster. It took us about five hours to do the 11 km hike with a nice break at the top. 

I love getting some hiking time in with my adult children. This day was perfect!

Frances Barkley Adventure

One of the many trips on my bucket list was fulfilled this past weekend. My parents and one of my friends journeyed up island to Port Alberni and took the Frances Barkley ferry down to Bamfiled and back. 
We booked a two night stay at the B n B my parents stayed in ten years ago when they first made this trip. We arrived there Wednesday night and enjoyed a relaxing evening touring a bit and playing some cards. A family passtime. In the morning we boarded the ferry at 7am and found some awesome window seats. The ferry travels to Bamfield three times a week delivering mail and supplies to the ocean side towns. It makes a few stops along the way. 

The morning weather was cool and there was a low laying fog but thankfully it wasn't ow enough to block our view of the coastline along the Alberni inlet. It was so wonderful to just relax and enjoy the views out the window although we did eventually spend some time sitting outside when the sun came out. There were lots of logs tied up along the shoreline ready for transport when we first headed out. 

We also spotted a bear on one of the beaches but as I had the binoculars I was the only one to see him before he headed back into the bush. We then went past China Creek Campground and saw some sea lions.

Our first stop was the Kildonan post office. A tiny little village with an even smaller post office. It looked like a very remote and peaceful place to call home. After dropping off some mail and supplies we headed out again towards Bamfield.

As it was almost noon we popped downstairs to the cafe and enjoyed a good lunch. I chose the burger which was just massive and had a fair bit of cheese on it which made it difficult to eat but it certainly was good!

Our next stop was at the old hotel on the east side of Bamfield. Most of the passengers disembarked here to walk along the boardwalk and explore for an hour. However we chose to stay on board and go into Bamfield and watch the unload the cargo. It was actually quite amazing. The boat has a crane on it that lifts the crates and containers of supplies. Food, drink, housing materials, we even had a load of lumber and siding. It took some time for it to unload. We then headed back toward the ocean school where we picked up a large group of students before heading across and picking up the rest of the passengers who had now returned to the dock.

On our way back toward Port Alberni we are lucky enough to come across two whales.  We kept our distance but did manage to see them blow quite a few times.

It began to rain on the journey home but we were quite dry and comfortable sitting inside and still had great views.

The ferry trip took ten hours and was something I definitely would do again.
That night we went out for a nice meal and then returned to our B n B.

I will always treasure having spent this time sharing an adventure with Dad and Mom. Something I need to do more often. It was great to spend time together and have time out on the water and be in creation. I'm so very, very blessed and thankful to have such loving people for parents and my good friend who is always game to join in on any adventure!

Maple Mountain Loop

It was a great day and off four of us went to Osborne Bay park where we headed up the Blue trail on Maple Mountain. It is a trail that I have struggled going up with in the past but for some reason it was relatively easy this time around.

There were four new caches on the trail that we managed to nab as we hiked along. It is a beautiful trail with awesome ocean views along the way.

One of my favourite stops is at the three crosses. I was saddened to find that the middle cross has snapped off. Hopefully someone will be able to replace it before next summer. We stopped there for a much needed break.

We had planned to just hike to the end and then go back but seeing we had lots of time we headed down the mountain on the other side so we could enjoy being close to the water. 

We reached the light stand and stopped for our lunch break and just enjoyed the peacefulness of the trail. We had only run into two other hikers so it was a good day to be out and enjoy the stillness of the forests and also the quietness along the ocean shore. 

Hiking back along the Yellow trail along the water was fun and it was good to be close to the water and breathe in the ocean smells. It was cooler but still the sun was shining. There is something about being near the water that just refreshes me and uplifts me, allowing me to have the energy to deal with all that life delivers during the week.

Sadly you are not permitted to cross certain property when you return so you have to hike back up to the Blue trail and then back down. By this time we had hiked for over four hours and I had had quite enough but did manage to tag along behind and get back to the car. It was a five hour hike and around 9kms with three of the four of the five caches found so not a bad day at all. 

I have to laugh as I always start out on the trails as the leader and always return as the last....next time I might just cheat and take the short cut!

UpIsland Adventures

It's September and fall has arrived. Summer has come and gone and I am not sure how. It was a very strange summer with only one or two hikes. Time was mostly spent with family and the grand kids which was great fun, however I have missed exploring new areas this past month. 
I find my life has changed so much this past year. It seems I have gone from craving to be out on the trails geocaching every weekend to being content to just be home and do the odd outing. It's not that I want to give up hiking it is just that life is so overwhelmingly busy that I can't seem to find the time to get outdoors as much.
This past weekend however I spent four days with friends up in Comox and we managed to take a day trip to Quadra Island. I have never been before and was very thankful to be able to explore most of the island. 

Arriving on the island we headed south and stopped at the Cultural Center there. It was a quite little First Nations village and it was very peaceful to be there. I found myself comparing it to where the First Nation's people live in my valley and I must say it out shined ours completely. These folks obviously knew how to care for the land and their homes and be proud of their heritage. 

Sadly the town I live in, a town I have been so proud of for many years is now become a town filled with homeless folks hooked on drugs and First Nations people who live in homes filled with and surrounded by garbage. It's so very very sad to see. I hope these folks who live on Quadra are very proud of the care they have taken with their village.

Upon leaving the village we ventured down to the light house at Cape Mudge and spent a few minutes at the beach before heading up the east coast to Rebecca Spit. We hiked out on the spit and had lunch. What an amazingly beautiful park. The beaches were lovely, the water warm and I could have sat there for hours watching the boats go by. 

Next stop -  Heriot Bay. It was a very peaceful bay with lots of boats at the marina and loads of people dining at the pub.

Heading further north we drove out on a very long dirt road to another little place where you launch a boat from. It was also the trail head to hike out to the narrows. 

However with the tide not being very active we headed back down towards the ferry. 

It had been a great day and we were so blessed with wonderful sunny weather, a day to be truly grateful for.  Life on small islands is slower and quieter. It gives one lots to think about. Sometimes life just gets too busy and we all need to escape to somewhere to find respite. 

The next day had us all heading up Mount Washington to hike the Helen McKenzie loop in Strathcona park. This hike I had done a few times but it is always great to revisit places as Mother Nature changes daily and one can always find something special to view. 

It was a 9km hike and once again the weather cooperated and we didn't get wet. 

Enjoyed a quick break at Lake Helen McKenzie 

and then headed over to Battleship Lake where we stopped for lunch. 

It is so quiet and peaceful out in the woods in Strathcona park even on Saturdays when the trails are filled with hikers. The park is so vast that there is room for all and lots of times you find yourself alone with nature and it's wonderful sounds. 

It was a great last adventure weekend with good friends. I am so very lucky to have friends who love the outdoors as much as I do and are willing to "follow" me on my adventures! My heart is filled with gratitude for nature and friends and family to share it with. 

Bedwell Lake Hike

It was time for our yearly overnight wilderness hike and this year we decided to hike to Bedwell Lake to camp and do a day hike out to Cream Lake. It is only just over 6km to Bedwell but in that 6km there is approximately 550m of elevation gain. I knew it would be steep but was looking forward to it anyway. 

Setting off the trail gives you around 600m of nice level trail, a suspension bridge to enjoy and some nice forested ground. I enjoy these hikes out in the mountains. It is peaceful and quiet. You don't see many folks and it feels like you are in a different world. 

I was glad to see some water in this stream as the first one had been quite dry. The sound of the water rushing down over the rocks was music to my ears. This summer hasn't been as dry as last years and the forest was filled with green lush growth in many shades. 

We then reached the "up" part of the trail. It was a nice switch back that went up and up and up. There were some sense of stairs that had been built and the odd wooden ladder. We must have climbed up for over two hours if not more. I had to stop many times to rest and even unloaded my tent onto another hiker to lighten my load by three pounds. I was very thankful for the help! 

From past experience I know if most people hike the trail in four hours as a day hike - in and out - I know I should allow that much time just to go in because I am not a fast hiker where lots of elevation is required. I also stop to take pictures of all the unusual trees, rocks and sights. There are so many beautiful bits of creation out in the woods. 

We continued to hike upwards and I was beginning to think it would never level off but thankfully it did....for a very short brief moment. 

Mostly I just continued to put one foot in front of the other and take in the views and savour them. As the other hikers moved a bit faster than I did there were ten to twenty minutes at times when I could hear and see no one. I was surrounded by trees and views of snow covered mountains and just breathed it all in while giving thanks for being able to be here. Being out surrounded by tall strong mountains brings such a sense of self to me. I find it humbling in many ways and yet empowering to stand still among such majestic creation. I am always amazed at the strength and determination trees and plants have to continue to grow in the most difficult situations. 

We arrived at Baby Bedwell and had a quick break before heading off for the last 2km which would take up to Bedwell Campsite. I felt that we had probably done most of the stairs and ladders at this point and was feeling much more energized. My body had finally adjusted to the weight of the pack and although I was tired, I was ready. 

As soon as we left Baby Bedwell we ran into another set of green stairs. I thought to myself well this is handy and hopefully the last set of these, although at this point there had only been a couple of other much smaller sets. 

 Not bad but pretty steep and so up some more we went. Looking back at the lake and the campground I have to confess I was wishing we had decided to camp there. 

There were lots of small ponds and streams along the way and it was good to see that there had been rain here in the mountains in the past few days. There was the odd patch of mud along the trail and the odd bit of bear scat as well. 

There are always lots of fun things to duck under and go through. It makes for an interesting hike to see if you are actually going to fit with your pack on your back. Sometimes it can be a tight fit. 

And then we came to the "stairway to heaven". I couldn't believe my eyes. More green stairs. So up and up we went and when I reached the ladder portion at the top with no railing I tried not to think about what it would be like to be coming down this is two days time. 

We reached the viewpoint looking out at the glacier and had another short rest before heading down to the lake. 

Finally, after climbing down another huge stair way, we arrived at Bedwell Lake and now just had to make the trek around the lake to the campground.

 It was so beautiful to see the glacier up in the mountains and the snow covered peaks. The snow on the mountain tops looked so fresh and clean. 

It was a well kept campground and the views were just wonderful. I was tempted to swim but decided to wait until tomorrow when we returned from Cream Lake. That way I wouldn't have wet clothes hanging around for two nights. If only I had known what was to come. 

Throughout the night it sprinkled on and off. When I got up at 6:30 am I found that the fog had moved in and there were no views and lots of low cloud. Thankfully I quickly made my breakfast and was nicely tucked back in my tent before the skies opened up. It poured and poured. My hiking buddies hadn't packed rain pants so one of them got a little wet while he prepared their breakfast. Actually he was soaked!

So on Thursday when my view should have been of a glacier lake high in the mountains my view became this. 

After two hours of laying around in the tents, we decided to pack up and head out because there was no point in spending a cold night in a wet tent. All the other campers had already left and we were out there on our own. Thankfully I had full rain gear so I remained nice and dry while packing up. I must confess I was somewhat relieved as I wasn't sure I could hike up another 500m and do a 10km hike that day, especially if one wasn't going to be guaranteed a nice view. 

It was a good hike back and the rain did disappear but not until after three hours. By the time we were heading down the the sun was peeking through the trees. 

We were so thankful that we had had the views the day before of the mountains because if we had been hiking with the low fog we wouldn't have known what we were missing. 

It was great to hike out with all the vegetation being wet and having more colour. The whole hike was pretty much different shades of green but coming down there was suddenly some lovely orange and reds to brighten our day. 

It was a good but short hiking trip and once again I am thankful to be included on the yearly family Walker hike. I hope I can continue to backpack into the forests for a few more years. As much as I feel I can't continue to hike with the large overnight pack being out there in the middle of nothing allows me to connect so well with creation. It allows me to breathe and rest and forget about every day stress. It's so important for us all to spend time out in nature and also get a good work out in the process. This hike will always be remembered as the rained out one with the never ending green stairs and ladders!