Mt. Artaban, Gambier Island, BC

A few weeks ago, my hiking friends and I decided that Mt. Artaban on Gambier Island would be our first camping trip of the year 2012. We synched our schedules and made plans for the end of April. Weather was a consideration, but in order to make sure we all had the same days off, work was notified well in advance, so we just had to hope for the best. Days before leaving, the weather forecast was grim. Cloudy with showers on the Saturday we would camp and rain on Sunday. Fortunately, the weather did a 180° turn and both days were beautiful and sunny.

From 2012-04-21 - Mt. Artaban, Gambier Island, BC

Eagle Bluff, Cypress Provincial Park

I can honestly say that this highly accessible and relatively easy hike has the best view from any hike I've ever done. This was only the 2nd time I had been out hiking since my return from Manitoba where I lost my summer. We were experiencing a lot of rain and fog so when the forecast said "Sun, no clouds!", Richard, Lindsey and I headed out early in the morning so Lindsey could be at work on time later that afternoon. There was no way we were going to miss the first nice day in weeks.

From 2011-10-25 - Eagle Bluff, Cypress Provincial Park

The Sickness

I've been sick with Bronchitis for the past few days, but it's given me plenty of time to surf the Internet drooling over gear that I will eventually be stocking up on. I'll be doing a GIWAWIWI review on a pack and sleeping bag soon enough. For now, behold! My first camping adventure of the season will be in two weeks from now.

Camping on bowen island!


View Mt. Gardner in a larger map

We are planning for either the March 25th & 26th or April 1st & 2nd, whichever weekend has the most promising weather. We will be hiking Mount Gardner and then camping somewhere on Lake Killarney (Crippen Regional Park). I'll have a write up on the trek and will most certainly have GIWAWIWI updates in the coming days.

Oh yeah, an update: Lynn Peak!

So a couple of weeks ago, Richard and I did a hike up to Lynn Peak. It was a pretty tough hike. It wasn't so much the vertical as it was the loose rock which made it challenging. The other thing we noticed were the fake peaks. Every so often we'd see blue sky peaking through the trees and we'd think "hey, here it is! We made it!". But no, it was just a clearing on our way to the top.

We did finally make it to the peak, but it was so foggy we couldn't see anything but a white misty glaze. It was really disappointing. We'll return one day when the weather is nicer.

The first 100m or so down as a little sketchy. We didn't have any grips for our boots and we were above the snow line so it was a tricky as the snow was polished and slippery. Several times we had to slide down on our backsides to avoid slipping and butting heads with a rock.

A much nicer (and quieter) hike than the BCMC or Grouse Grind. Can't wait to see that view in the summer. Next time, I'll post with pictures!

Lighthouse Park, West Vancouver, BC

It's the slacker in me. I can't believe I haven't uploaded pictures to this blog in such a long time. Well, I'm finally buckling down and doing it.

A few weeks ago, my girlfriend Lindsey, my friend Richard and I decided to do a nice leisurely hike. We chose lighthouse park because it was supposed to be fairly easy. When we arrived and started our hike, we almost immediately decided to go off the beaten track. We knew it was the right decision when we first found the rocks on the shore of the Burrard Inlet. It was a beautiful day, the scenery couldn't be better so it was bouldering time for the rest of our day. So much for the easy, leisurely hike :)

From 2011-02-05 - Lighthouse Park

Gold Creek Falls, Golden Ears Provincial Park, Jan 23, 2011

Not knowing how long it would take to get to the park and with the Lower Mainland's unpredictable traffic, we left Vancouver for Golden Ears Provincial Park at about 10am to hike the Gold Creek Falls trail. It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would and before we knew it, we were passing the parking lot access for Alouette Lake. We had to make a couple of stops at information boards to find the right lot, but what felt like no time, we were parked and making our way to the trail head.

From Gold Creek Falls

Eagle Bluff Trail, Jan 22, 2011

Our original goal was to explore the west side trails at Buntzen lake. Unfortunately, we left home a little too late to make it a worth while venture. Instead, we chose to hike the Eagle Bluff Trail. It runs east along the lake to an elevation of about 360m. A beautiful view of Buntzen Lake, I assume, when the weather is clear and sunny. However, we trekked on a day that was rather foggy and dismal so much of our view was obstructed.

The trail is mostly wooded without much in the way of lookout points. We did discover a beautiful little creek just east of it's crossing. We sat here for a few moments enjoying the sounds and the fresh air.

From 2011-01-22 - Buntzen Lake, Eagle Bluff Trail

Jug Island Beach Trail, Jan 17, 2011

Hastily planned, my friend Richard and I headed out via public transit to check out Jug Island Beach and the trail that leads there. After losing over an hour with meeting place mix ups and then taking the wrong bus, we finally reached the picnic grounds for Belcarra Provincial Park. It was a mild day for mid January and the sun was intense, low on the horizon casting long shadows.

We found the trail and started our hike. Most of the trail is in fairly ordinary forest with few spots stroking the creative photo nerve. I did find a stump I particularly enjoyed that happened to be at the beginning of the more difficult part of the trail. Imagine the Grouse Grind that was only a few meters long. After about a 30 seconds of steep climbing, it was back the normal rolling trail.

From 2011-01-17 - Jug Island Beach Trail

Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011

My girlfriend, Lindsey, and I went for a short hike to Buntzen Lake. We were hoping to do the whole Buntzen Lake Loop, but we were short on time and only managed to get to the suspension bridge before deciding to turn back along Powerhouse Rd.

We parked at the south beach and noticed right away how high the water was. Apparently, BC Hydro is in the process of replacing a turbine in the power house. As a result, the amount of water passing through has declined and sits, waiting in the lake.

From Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011