On the last day of the year I cross country skied first then snowshoed a 2.3 hour loop route on the Stake Lake Snowshoe Trails. We followed signed trails – Giant Firs > Marsh > Basalt Bluffs > Lake Trail. The trails were stomped in and in good shape (thanks to Roy and Monika for the trail clearing). This is a scenic route without long … Continue reading →
Over the years we have hiked (and run) the Skyline Trail in Manning Park, clock-wise and counter-clockwise. The way up from Lightning Lake is a long steep climb, so I preferred to go to the top of the ridge from Gibson Pass. On one year, I hiked from Gibson Pass to Despair Pass, then turned right to continue on the Skyline Two Trail. Its a … Continue reading →
On a blustery winter day near the end of December, the hike was one I did in the same time period in the previous year. From the Pacific Way trailhead in Kenna Cartwright Park I followed a series of trails: Upper Doc Findlay > Owl’s Perch > Ruffed Grouse > Upper Doug Daws > North Vista > and then back on a well-stomped route. The conditions … Continue reading →
We have been to Galiano Island a few times to hike, paddle, and explore. One of the best trails on this Gulf Island is on Mount Galiano. We hiked to the top of Mt. Galiano one day to enjoy the views, then we hiked the the Collison Park Trails another day. The trail to the top of Mt. Galiano winds up through the forest … Continue reading →
In shoulder season when hiking conditions are variable and hard-to-predict, its nice to have a few routes that are reliable. One of these is the Rivers Trail, starting at Aviation Way. The trail follows the top of the dike. The dike has compacted gravels so it drains well. It can be snowy or even icy, but it is rarely muddy (except in … Continue reading →
We stayed on Saturna Island one spring and hiked all the trails we could while there. Sections of Saturna Island are part of the Gulf Islands National Park Preserve. Parts of Mount Warburton Pike are in the park too. We drove up the narrow and steep road (Harris Road > Staples Road) to the upper parking lot to the trailhead on Brown Ridge. … Continue reading →
It snowed in December, then the weather turned mild and snow in the lower parts of the valley began to melt. On a mid-December morning I chose to hike single track trails from the Uplands Drive (Barnhartvale) trailhead. The access route follows a pipeline track, then breaks off onto single tracks that bear west, then branch onto the sagebrush – grasslands benchlands, or up … Continue reading →
The first time I hiked up onto Panorama Ridge was in 1969. In the next 15 years I hiked to the top of Black Tusk, over Gentian Pass, over Mt. Price, around the lake, up Helm Glacier, and a loop route past the Table and down Culliton Creek. In that period of time I went up Panorama Ridge a few times and it became my favorite … Continue reading →
When trails became snowed in with wet snow, an alternative is to hike less-traveled gravel roads. A favorite is the Goose Lake Road. The road is usually plowed so we can walk/hike on the shoulder out and back. I usually wear microspikes to avoid injuries from repeated small slips. There are a number of pull-off spots on the side of the road. … Continue reading →
We have hiked up the trail to Garibaldi Lake a number of times, but not recently. On our first time up the trail in 1969, there was no one around and we camped on the Battleships Islands, long before the current campground was built. In 1970 I did a solo backpack and climbed Black Tusk, then over Panorama Ridge and Gentian Pass to Sphinx … Continue reading →
