Paton Peak, North Vancouver, BC

This hike was awesome. It was pretty easy and the pay off is huge. Gorgeous views. One of the best, most majestic views one can see in the lower mainland of BC. It's a little difficult to find if you don't know exactly where to look. We did our research and plugged the appropriate GPS way-points and off we went.

From 2012-05-18 - Paton Peak

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

Hike to and Camp on Mt. Gardner.

After a few weeks of planning and preparation with my buddy Richard, we finally hit Bowen Island to hike Mt. Gardner with our girlfriends. The original plan was to hike the mountain in the morning and return to the base by the evening and setup camp by Killarny Lake. Plans changed once we saw how little privacy the lake offered due to its proximity to roads and houses. Not knowing exactly where we were going to sleep that night, we put it from our minds and headed up a service road that was the beginning of a great hike up Mt. Gardner.

From 2011-03-31 - Mt Gardner, Bowen Island, BC

GIWAWIWI: Westcomb Cruiser LT Hoody

Please consider this the very first edition of "Gear I Want and Why I Want It" or, "GIWAWIWI" for short. As I feel GIWAWIWI doesn't require any further explanation, I may as well jump right into it.

This is the Westcomb Cruiser LT Hoody and I want it.

From Gear I Want and Why I Want It

Snowshoeing Dog Mountain

We had been meaning to check out Dog Mountain for some time but the weather just wouldn't cooperate. When the sun was shining and the air was clear, we rented some snowshoes from Mountain Equipment Coop and made our way up Seymour Mountain. It had to be one of the clearest days I had seen in a while. The edges of the mountains were so distinct and visible from Vancouver I couldn't wait to see the view Dog Mountain had waiting for us.

No one in the group had gone snowshoeing before. Just as soon as we were all equipped in our boots, I got a stranger to take our photo. The adventure had begun!

From 2011-02-18 - Snowshoe to Dog Mountain

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!

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