Highlights from recent club trips and events!

Events are listed in reverse chronological order (i.e. newer events at top of this page, oldest at bottom). To get information on the most recent club events along with other current information; join us and receive the club's monthly newsletter. Join Us!

Greendrop and Lindeman Lakes - September 25

The original destination for this hike was to be Flora Lake (near Chilliwack) but, after considering that the days were getting shorter the Greendrop and Lindeman Lakes hike was done. This hike is also in the Chilliwack area. The group consensus was that Lindeman Lake was the nicer lake of the two. The four participants had lunch on a bluff above the lake.

Mount Harvey - September 11

Even though the weather was ‘iffy’, three participants took part in this hike. There was some rain initially but, it let up after about 45 minutes. In the end it was an excellent hike. The group took about 3 and one-half hours for the ascent and three hours for the trip back down.

Diez Vistas - September 4

Eight participants enjoyed this hike that started with an owl seen not far from the parking lot. While the day was overcast, the group was able to take in the view of Indian Arm along the trail. The hike was followed by a stop at the always popular St. James Well pub.

Lake Ann (Washington State) - August 21

Five club members took part in this hike to Lake Ann in the Mount Baker area. The weather was cloudy when the group left North Vancouver which was a nice break as it was not too hot. The group started the hike from the trail head (just past the Mount Baker downhill ski area) under cloudy skies and enjoyed the many blueberries along side the trail.

The trail descended and the hike started the gradual climb up to the ridge over looking Lake Ann. There was a forest fire nearby and you could smell and see the smoke.

As the group reached the ridge above Lake Ann we got a good view of the lake. There was also good views as we approached the lake of a glacier across the valley on nearby Mount Shuksan. It was planned to have lunch at the lake and just as everyone took of their daypacks, it started to rain. The rain quickly intensified to the point where it was decided to put up a tarp. Everyone helped put up Rick’s tarp (because it was easier to get at than Phil’s buried at the bottom of his usual large pack) and it’s good that it went up in a hurry. It was pouring rain as lunch was eaten under the tarp.

This hike was planned as a ’memorial’ hike for Lesley Chandler. Lesley passed away last spring and had been an active club member (including time as club President, Newsletter Editor and leading MANY trips).

After waiting through several ‘...just five more minutes..’ to see if the rain would at least slow down; the group packed up and left. The entire hike back to the trailhead was in the rain but, this was actually a nice change after the hot summer weather. The group stopped at Milestones in Abbottsford for dinner on the way back.

Webmaster’s Note: If you are going to do a hike in this area (i.e. Mount Baker), note that there is no gas station in Glacier.

Photos (click on photo to view full size): At right the group is shown near the start of the hike. You actually start this hike descending (which means a climb back to the car on the way back). At left, Lunch under a tarp at Lake Ann. Photos: Phil Rumming.

Musical Bumps (Whistler Area) - August 14

Elizabeth reports: Four people headed off to Whistler at 7:30 am on a hot, sunny day. After a stop in Squamish, we were at the base of the Gondola at 10:15 am. From the gondola, we saw a group of three bears on the way up and one on the way down. The leader took a wrong turn and we ended up ascending the ridge instead of the road, then scrambling down through boulders. We proceeded to take the Harmony trail past Piccolo where we stopped for lunch in the shade of a few trees. We stopped at the top of Flute for quite a while enjoying the amazing view. We returned via the Burnt Stew Trail, completing the planned route in reverse, and retired to a pub in Creekside for dinner.

Yellow Aster Butte (Washington State) - August 7

Twelve people (the maximum group size allowed in the area) enjoyed this hike on a nice cool day. While there were no views, birthday cake was enjoyed in honour of Michele’s birthday at lunch. The other hikers (another group not with the club) were also extremely grateful to be given the left over portion of the very large cake.

Goat Mountain - August 1

Elizabeth reports: Five members had an enjoyable hike to Goat Mountain then, after a short snack break, another hour to the end of Goat ridge. The views were excellent. A hot day and a nice breeze at lunchtime. Very hot on the return trip over the exposed ridge after lunch. Quite a change from last year when we had ice on the trail. John lost a GPS during the hike which was found by Search and Rescue and returned the next day. The hike took 6 hours.

Lopez Island (Washington) - July 23-25

There was some confusion about the dates for this trip. After some discussion, the group also ended up Saturday morning at a different destination: Saltspring Island! Don’t always believe what you read on the newsletter ‘Schedule of Events’; things change. Five participants enjoyed a cycle trip on Saltspring Island even if it was sometimes a bit ’hilly’; very hilly sometimes. On the plus side, the group did get to go swimming three times in two days.

Fort Langley - July 18

Six participants left North Vancouver for this cycle trip in the Fort Langley area. Upon arrival at Fort Langley, it was soon discovered that one of the bikes was missing a front wheel that got left behind in the Rec Centre parking lot back in North Vancouver. Five participants carried on enjoying the country side with its giraffes, emus, etc. The trip was followed by an obligatory stop for ice cream. (Thank you to the person who propped the missing front wheel up at the Rec Centre so it was easy to find when the group returned at the end of the day.)

Black Tusk - July 17

Six participants enjoyed this trip to the Black Tusk in Garibaldi Provincial Park (near Whistler). The group split into two smaller groups of three each part way along. Some were keen to get to the Black Tusk (a fairly strenuous day) and some just wanting a nice hike in the surrounding area.

Although it was a hot day, the keeners managed to reach the base of the Black Tusk. At this point they were rewarded with beautiful views of the surrounding area. Having left the parking lot at Rubble Creek at 10:00AM, they returned there at 7:30PM.

Mount Mulligan - July 11

The club has previously done this trip in winter (on skis and snowshoes). On this trip, it was discovered that there was a new road. Unfortunately, by following the new road, it ended up being over grown with bush. From this point the group bushwacked but, did not make the summit of Mount Mulligan.

Howe Sound Crest Trail - July 8-11

This is a challenging backpack trip! Of course the weather could have been a bit better; some foggy bits didn’t help the views. The fog did lift enough, however; to reveal some scary bits. Many of the participants were using this trip as a practice trip for the up coming Stein Valley Cross Over.

Hike / Barbecue - July 3

Bob Wiles reports: On Saturday July 3, our group left the Rec Centre parking lot and arrived at the Lynn Valley Headwaters parking lot around 10:45 a.m. The group split up into 2 groups - 3 people for the Lynn Valley Loop and 6 for Lynn Peak. It was mostly overcast during the day but became sunny by mid afternoon. Both groups finished their return trips by 3 p.m. which was plenty of time to get ready for the annual summer potluck BBQ hosted at Perry's where about 20 more people soon arrived. Many thanks to Perry for his hospitality and especially for the croquet tournament.

Photos (click on photo to view full size) Left: Some of the participants starting out on the hike in Lynn Headwaters Park before the group split in to two for Lynn Valley Loop and Lynn Peak (Photo: Bob Wiles). Middle Photo - Food! Club pot-luck dinners are famous (Photo: Olga Ottens). Right Photo - Armed and dangerous! Let the games begin. (Photo: Olga Ottens).

Dam Mountain Cross-Over With Pot-Luck Lunch - June 27

Bob Wiles reports: On Sunday June 27, our group of 7 participants left the Rec Centre parking lot and arrived at the Grouse Mountain parking lot around 10:30 a.m. Our trail head was at the northwest corner of the Skyride upper paved parking lot. Within minutes we encountered an extensive fence. However there is a large hole under the fence which we used to connect to a very good trail which was very discernable and marked. After about 30 minutes we had crossed 3 dry creek beds. At the 50 minute mark we encountered a very large rock cliff. To shorten the story, within 3 hours we were on the top of Dam Mountain. We had a long lunch as both the view and pot luck food were great. After lunch it was only about 45 minutes to descend to the top of the Skyride. We were fortunate to have a bright sunny day despite the weather forecast.

Photos (click on photo to view full size): above left - Pot-luck lunch and a great view! Photos (click on photo to view full size): above right - The group only encountered a little bit of snow near the end of the hike. Photos contributed by Bob Wiles.

Lummi Island (Washington) - June 26

This trip started with the six participants driving to Ferndale, Washington. After a short ferry ride the group arrived at Lummi Island. A highlight of the trip was finding some cherry trees that were full of ripe cherries. Many cherries were eaten and it was a good trip over all.

Capilano Canyon → Baden Powell Trail → Mosquito Creek → Bowser Trail etc. - June 13

Nine participants took part on this hike along popular routes on the North Shore. The hike took five or six hours and there was no rain.

Stanley Park Bike Festival - June 12

The Stanley Park Bike Festival was held on June 12 by the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition. Participants had the opportunity to try out different types of bicycle at the event and look at cycling related displays. The trip ended with breakfast.

Sandero Diez Vistas (Buntzen Lake) - June 6

Nine participants took part in this hike even thought the weather looked less than promising. The weather did clear sufficiently though, so that the views along the trail could be seen. A good hike.

Aldergrove Border → Nooksak → Mt. Baker Winery (Washington) - May 5

As it was pouring rain at the meeting time the participants (two of them) decided to proceed to Lynden (Washington) for coffee. It was still raining by the time coffee was done (a bit of drizzle) so it was decided to proceed towards the winery. Along the way there was a chance to admire some raspberry picking machines at a farm machinery distributor. Most interesting according to the participants (two guys).

Eight participants started this hike but, due to the very damp weather on arrival in Squamish; several members decided coffee in town would be a better option. The remainder of the group carried on up the Chief to find wet, cold slippery conditions at the top. To make things worse, on arrival at the top the skies opened up and it poured rain.

The group then encountered a couple clad only in light clothing and shoes (i.e. no rain gear or warmer clothing was being worn). The club group came to their assistance, and even though it resulted in some club members having a cool walk back down the Chief trail, clothing was loaned and the strangers were made more comfortable. Upon arrival at the bottom, loaned gear was returned to our club members. At this point, one of the strangers opened his pack and produced warm dry clothing and rain gear to the surprise of everyone. As club members left, a major domestic squabble was starting.

Four people, including two new members, Judy and Markus, ignored the forecast of rain and had an enjoyable hike through the forest in cool, sunny weather. We took the upper route for a bit of a workout and did a worthwhile side-trip to the Lynn Valley viewpoint. The lower route and section to the Falls was very busy on the long weekend, including dogs of every shape and size, but all well behaved.

Photo: Some of the participants on the Lynn Loop hike. Shown left to right are: Elizabeth, Judy and Ellen. It turned out to be a very nice day. Click on photo to view full size. Photo: Markus Froehlich

Four participants took part in this backpack / snowshoe / ski trip into Marriot Basin. Marriot Basin is more or less across the road from Joffre Lake on the Duffy Lake road. For hikers, the hiking guide book Don’t Waste Your Time In the BC Coast Mountains rates it as a ‘Premier’ (four boot print rating) day hike. As far as this trip goes, it was tough to begin with because the snow sometimes covered the trail, sometimes not. This meant skis / snowshoes had to be put on and taken off several times while dealing with a heavy pack. Once the snow stayed on the trail, the going was easier.

The group arrived at the newly constructed to find that they had it all to themselves. The cabin was recently built as a memorial to Wendy Thompson (see this webpage at the Alpine Club of Canada [Whistler Section] for further information: http://mywebpage.netscape.com/accwhistler/hut.html ). A most enjoyable trip.

Chilliwack Area Bike Trip - May 15

Seven club members enjoyed this bike trip in the Chilliwack area. Starting in Chilliwack (Townsend Park), the group arrived at Bridal Veil Falls Park for a lunch stop. A surprise at lunch was a birthday cake—intact and quite presentable even– that Judy brought along to celebrate Sue’s birthday complete with a candle.

In the above photo, everyone enjoys a mosquito free lunch stop at Bridal Veil Falls (Photo: Phil Rumming). Click on photo to view full size.

The group then enjoyed the return trip to Chilliwack along the scenic Camp River Road with little traffic. As a bonus, rain was avoided even though it did look threatening nearing Chilliwack.

Mount Seymour - May 9

Six people enjoyed an excellent late-season snowshoe or ski from the parking lot to the first peak. Fortunately Perry was on the trip and provided valuable advice on where the trail went in the absence of trail markers. Another lunch in the mist - one day I'll go on a winter trip to Seymour and have lunch with a view!

Silver Lake - May 8

Six participants took part in this bike trip to Silver Lake area in Washington state. Plans changed along the way and the group ended up doing a loop ending at a pub for lunch.

Elfin Lake - April 24/25

Five members did an overnight backpacking trip on snowshoes or skis to Elfin Lakes. Three members joined us for a day hike and turned around near the high point on Paul Ridge. We paid all fees at the parking lot and found that the shelter fee ($10/person/night) included parking ($3/car/day), but this was not stated on the web site.

Saturday was cool to warm and partially sunny. At lunch, the eight of us filled the Red Heather shelter both physically with our packs but also with our laughter. Perry snagged an undershirt from a peg and we thought he was drying his underwear on his pack. The item was returned before we continued on.

The Elfin Lakes shelter was in good shape. We each had a double bunk, and propane was supplied for cooking and light. Seven other people were in the shelter, three of whom arrived on skis at about 11 pm. Perry was popular with the others when he shared his wine and Dora was popular when she supplied dessert of chocolate cake with hot rum sauce. A young couple from Leeds didn't mind when Dora suggested they sit close together so they wouldn't dribble.

Sunday was hot and brilliantly sunny. We headed toward the Gargoyles but decided not to be too ambitious. Instead, we meandered for two and a half hours awestruck by the scenery and great snow. After lunch at the shelter, we headed down. Two of us did not put on enough sunscreen and got sunburnt.

Bike n’ Buddha - April 24

Starting with a trip to the Buddhist Temple in Steveston, eight participants did a tour of the temple. This was followed by some meditation an lunch at the temple. Following the visit to the temple, the group enjoyed a cycling tour of historic Steveston lead by John Turchak and then dinner. An enjoyable day.

La Conner (Washingtion) - April 17

There were eight participants on a showery morning. We parked at Bay View State Park-after a coffee stop at Tony's in Fairhaven of course. Note:there is now a $5.00 per vehicle charge in the park. We were caught in a short rain shower, just enough to test the rain gear, then the day steadily improved. Unfortunately we were about a week too late to see the big fields of tulips but "Tulip Town" was still open and had a good variety of tulips in bloom. [Admission $3.00]

We had a quick stop to say Hi to the lamas and went on into La Conner itself for lunch in the sun by the river with a Jazz band to entertain us. We had a quick look through some of the gallery shops then cycled back to Bay View. Total mileage was 36.5km. We made it back to Vancouver in time for dinner and the hockey game at the Mosquito Creek Grill. A very enjoyable day!

La Conner photos: What about Bob? Seen above at right is Bob Wiles enjoying the tulips at La Conner. Bob contributes many photos for the newsletter. It was nice of him to stop tip-toeing long enough for the photo. Lunch in La Conner: (Seen below Bob) Having a lack of tulips to see due to the unusually warm spring weather, you can always visit La Conner, Washington.

Garibaldi Lake - April 10

Eight participants enjoyed this snowshoe / ski trip to (or almost) Garibaldi Lake. After crossing smaller lakes, some of the party stopped to enjoy the sunny day. Four of the party actually reached the Garibaldi Lake after bush wacking up from the smaller lakes to the trail. There was a stop at the Shady Tree pub in Squamish for dinner on the way home.

Garibaldi Lake Photo - "Herbert and the Girls": Garibaldi Lake snowshoe / ski, April 10. The way poor Herbert is being mobbed, obviously we need more men on club trips. Life is tough.

Mount Hollyburn - April 3

Five participants enjoyed this trip up Mount Hollyburn in Cypress Provincial Park. It was a nice sunny day with lots of ‘bum sliding’ on the trip back down the mountain.

Zoa Peak (Coquihalla area) - March 27

Due to the unstable weather; this trip was off, then on, then off and finally on. Four participants took part in the trip to the Zoa Peak area (park at Falls Lake exit before toll booth). It was snowing when the group arrived at the trail head and the trail to Zoa Peak was hard to find. In the end, the cost of the trip was one muffler.

Manning Park - March 19-21

This trip was a last minute trip (note that it was not on last month’s schedule of events but, club members were advised by e-mail). The club had a large cabin (’chalet’) booked at Manning Park for Friday and Saturday night. Thanks to some last minute organizing by Julie and Michele; nine club members enjoyed this trip. As a bonus, the weather was sunny for Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday the entire group (less one) did a snowshoe / ski to the old Forest Service lookout on top of Windy Joe. This trip is highly recommended as the views-on a nice day like this group had - are outstanding. The skiers enjoyed the trip back down to the cabin as well.

On Sunday, some of the group explored the cross country trails while others explored a ridge north of the downhill ski area. All around, a great weekend.

Manning Park photos (below): Below at left is the view from the top of Windy Joe during Lunch. Fresh snow for the ski down too (Photo contributed by Julie and Steve). Below at right is the old Forest Service lookout at the top of Windy Joe. Aren’t you glad you brought sun screen! (Photo contributed by Bob Wiles).

Fat Dog (Manning Park) - March 13

Five club members enjoyed this trip - day trip to and from - in Manning Park (Fat Dog route starts at Cambie Loop and climbs north onto a ridge). It was a nice sunny day as well.

Black Mountain / Eagle Bluff - February 21

Rob took over leading the trip as Brenda was sick at home with the flu! Nine people came on this trip, all on snowshoes, including 2 guests of Rick's from New Zealand. We got an early start and beat most of the weekend crowd onto the hill. Weather was fantastic - only about -2 degrees, and partly sunny. The snow was very "crunchy" - hard-packed on most of the trail. Two people walked most of the way just on boots. We all took the extended trip around the Black Mountain loop and then on to Eagle Bluff and back. We had lunch on the rocks (many of which have the snow melted off them already) at Eagle Bluff, in beautiful sunshine, with fantastic views to the West and South. By this time the temperature was over +5 degrees and most of us were down to t-shirts for the trek. To complete the excellent lunch stop experience, 3 Bald Eagles obliged us by circling on the updrafts in front of us for half an hour. Our New Zealand guests were truly impressed! Total trip time a little over 6 hours including 3/4 hour at the Bluff. We stopped to enjoy coffee and bakery goodies at the Cypress lodge when we finished the trip. - Rob

‘TBA’ (Urban Walk) - February 14

This trip ended up being a 2 1/2 hour urban walk. Starting from the parking lot up to Mt. Royal, then we took the Mosquito Creek path down to Marine Dr.. From there we took Fell to the bottom at the water front. After that we took the train tracks across to Starbucks on Esplanade where five of us met up with 2 more people and then we went to Lonsdale Quay for lunch. It was a rainy day. Julie

Silver Star - February 7-9

The trip to Silver Star/Sovereign Lakes was great fun. Many thanks to Jill on her marvellous organizational skills. We had nine members participating. We arrived in Vernon in time to see a group of 6 or 7 hot air balloons taking off. Part of the Vernon winter festival. Silver Star village was hosting it's annual snow sculpture contest. My personal favourite was the Pied Piper and all his rats. Saturday evening we had a big carbo-load dinner of two pasta dishes, very garlicky bread and non-birthday butter pecan cake followed by a few rowdy bingo games with fabulous dollar store prizes. Luckily no-one lost an eye with all the propellers and ping pong balls flying around the room!

Sunday our group split into 5 downhillers and 3 cross country with 1 staying behind to scare the housekeeping staff. Dual mountain cross country passes are no longer available due to an insurance issue. So we missed an always entertaining sight-watching each other try to get off the chairlift on track skies in one piece. Sovereign Lakes provides a free shuttle from Silver Star and trail tickets are still a deal at $10.00 a day. They have added a couple new trails and the snow was lovely as always. The downhillers enjoyed their day so much that the ski patrol finally had to chase them off the mountain. Our dinner group served up a choice of two chilli dishes, fresh corn bread and home made stolen and cookies. Most of us crashed by about 9:30. Too much fun, food and hot tubing.

Monday we had 6 cross country, 1 downhiller and 2 staying in to rearrange the wooden cats on the mantle. We figured we skied at least 20 km, mostly black trails then staggered back. The private hot tub being a very welcome sight. [Shame on Rob for pelting snowballs at the hot tub maintenance man.] Our last dinner was Hunter's Chicken-by special request from last year. Followed by a hilarious round of Cranium.

Tuesday 6 of us broke up the drive home with a stop at Elkhart Lake on the Merritt connector for a snowshoe around the lake edge. We only disturbed the ice fishermen a little bit.

Silver Star photo (above): Shown above, club members cross country skiing. Photo contributed by Steve

Black Mountain - February 1

This trip was re-located to the Black Mountain trail because the Furry Creek area logging road was being torn up at the time, and the "shuttle bus" was not being operated. Part of the reason for taking the Black Mtn. trail was that it will probably be the last season it can be used before the side of the mountain is re-developed into a new ski area with a new lift, and the trail to the top re-located to the other side of the present downhill ski area. Seven people came out for the trip - 6 on snowshoes and one on skis, plus Doug's set of "skishoes" (short aluminium boards with skins).

We made a tentative plan to go to Eagle Bluff depending on how everyone felt when we got to Black Mtn. The conditions were excellent, including a few cm. of new snow on the ground, with warm weather. The valleys below were fogged in, but up top it was quite clear. Two members of the group didn't feel up to continuing to Eagle Bluff, and waited at Black Mtn. for the rest to do that part of the trail. The 5 who continued went most of the way to the Bluff, but turned back before getting there since views were obscured anyway and we didn't want to keep the other 2 waiting too long.

Rob and Doug tried out the "skishoes" which turned out to be great at going uphill, but quite hard to control going downhill. The others had a few good laughs as Rob wobbled around on them and wiped out several times. Total trip time was about 6 hours including 2 lunch breaks. Three members repaired to the Queens Cross for early supper afterwards. Rob

Grouse (and Dam) Mountain - January 31

There were 4 of us on the snowshoe to Dam Mountain at Grouse. The weather was cloudy and cool , it did clear up slightly but on the way down started snowing a lot. 3 of us went for lunch at the Tomahawk after. Judy

Mount Seymour - January 25

Seven keen snowshoers and one skier arrived at the meeting point in the rain. We had to rearrange cars when we realised that we had a deficit in number of seats and ability to carry skis. Thank you Lesley for your patience. Light snow was falling on the road up to Seymour, but stopped when we arrived at the parking lot (no parking fee).

The snow was glorious - fluffy, deep and quiet under the snowshoes. The sun appeared briefly through the low clouds but did not appear at lunchtime. An invigorating trip followed by another enjoyable stop for coffee. Elizabeth

Mount Seymour photo (above): Great snow! (click on photo to see full size image) Photo: Iain Braidwood.

Magnesia Meadows - January 18

Seven participant took part in the ski / snowshoe to Magnesia Meadows near Lions Bay. It took about two hours of hiking before the group reached snow. Not long after reaching the snow and donning skis / snowshoes, the group encountered a creek that was running across the road making further travel impossible. In the end this was just as well as the weather was ‘socked in’ resulting in no view.

Mount Hollyburn - January 11

Contrary to the forecast, the day dawned wet and dark. Thirteen people arrived at the meeting point, four callers slept in or cancelled the previous day, and six left when they learnt it was raining at Cypress. A hard-core group of seven set out in the rain. Wet snow started about mid-way, then the snow stopped, the clouds lifted, and we had a magnificent panoramic view while we enjoyed lunch at the peak. After a miserable start, we finished the trip in high spirits and glad that we had persevered. The stop for coffee was most enjoyable. Elizabeth

Seven brave souls left Vancouver on a cold and blustery day for the long drive up the Coquihalla highway. For those that don't know where Zoa Peak is, you turn off just before the toll booths. The drive to Zoa was uneventful the roads were in good condition, this was a pleasant surprise considering the snow we'd had earlier in the week.

Approximately 10 minutes before the turn off to Zoa, there's a rest area with a hut. We decided to get our gear on here, and looking back this was a good idea. When we arrived at the trail head the temperature was -20, the wind was howling bringing the temperature down to -30. We all agreed that if we'd had to get dressed at the trailhead we may have had second thoughts about our adventure.

Due to the weather conditions we only made it up to the top of the pipeline, one of the skiers was having a problem with his skins so had to carry his skis part way up the trail. Once we hit the trees the snow was deep and powdery but impossible to hike in without skis or snowshoes. Although the weather was clear and sunny, the wind was bitter cold so the group made the decision to return to our cars. We headed back to the rest area to warm up and eat lunch before heading back to Vancouver ,stopping in Hope at the Blue Moose café for beverages. Louise

Elfin Lake - December 20

Six participants started out on this trip to the Paul Ridge / Elfin Lake area of Garibaldi Park. Maybe the road up to the trailhead parking lot from Squamish has been cursed. A broken fan belt on the climb to the parking lot meant three of the group enjoyed part of the day in Squamish waiting for repairs to be completed. The rest of the group—skiers– had nice fresh snow start falling twenty minutes after leaving the trailhead. It was a slow day on the trail so the skiers got to enjoy a ski down to the trailhead from Red Heather Meadows on untouched, fresh snow! Editor’s Note: The waiting room at Canadian Tire in Squamish does have a TV.

Elfin Lake photo (right): Martina and Gordon enjoying the fresh, untouched snow.

Christmas Party - December 6

At least 24 club members (counting stopped at that point) enjoyed the club Christmas Party. As always, the club give exchange was a highlight; as was the pot-luck dinner. Thank you again to Jill and Patrick Lee for hosting the Christmas Party this year (extra marks for doing it a week before moving!).

Christmas Party Gift Exchange (left): Which gift to take from under the tree? It’s Patrick’s turn and he has to decide which one to take. Sometimes it’s a good one, sometimes it’s not. Maybe this one, or is it ticking?

Walk & Lunch - November 29

Nine club members enjoyed this walk across the Lions Gate bridge and around the Stanley Park Sea Wall. The lunch stop at the Pavilion was very good.

TBA (Grouse Mountain) - November 23

Based upon snowfall seen on this trip, maybe we will be making up for the woefully inadequate snow we received last winter! There was about one metre of new snow on Grouse Mountain. Additionally, it snowed for the entire duration of this - early - snowshoe trip.

Deeks Lake - November 22

Four participants enjoyed this hike. While there was a little ice on the ground higher up, there was no noticeable snow. The group turned around one-half hour short of the lake as time did not allow for the full planned hike.

STORM The North Shore Adventure Race - November 8

Club members volunteered to help with the STORM the North Shore Adventure Race on November 8. The event was originally scheduled for October 18 but, due to the huge amount of rain just prior to that, the race had to be postponed to November 8.

After an organizing meeting on November 5, club members volunteered in a number of roles on race day; primarily assisting at check points along the race route. Shown at right are some club members who volunteered to help with the race at the ‘Volunteers’ Party’ held by organizers after the event [click on photo to view full size]. Thank you to everyone who volunteered. Photo contributed by Norma Laframboise.

Due to the early start we all felt the need for caffeine, our first stop Starbucks in Port Moody then off to Golden Ears park.

We left the parking lot around 9:00am; taking the Western Canyon Trail which is fairly flat and follows an old logging road, on the right side of the trail is Gold Creek. We had a long climb to Alder Flats before heading off to the ridge. The trail to the ridge was extremely steep and often slippery in places due to water running down the trail. Crossing the boardwalks and bridges were a challenge as the wood was wet and very slippery. We set a turn around time off 2pm however we wanted to reach the cabin so we continued to hike until 2:30pm. Due to the time we never did reach the cabin, while having lunch a fellow hiker pasted by and told us that the ridge was another hour or so. Given the time darkness sets in (6pm) we decided to head back to the parking lot. Our hike down was an adventure, the rocks were loose and very wet so caution had to be taken. Thankfully a couple of us had headlamps; we finally arrived at the parking after 6:30pm.

We were fortunate that we had good weather, clear sunny skies. The scenery was mainly a variety of valley scenes. According to 103 Hikes the round trip to the ridge is 7.5 hours, I would suggest otherwise. We certainly didn't dilly dally on the trail, our breaks were short its just a long haul to the top. The best time to do this hike would be early September when the weather is cooler with dusk being around 8pm. Another suggestion would be to start hiking around 7am.

Cheakamus Canyon - October 11

It rained heavily on Friday and the forecast for Saturday, October 11th was for more of the same. Several people phoned about this hike but, in the end, the prospect of dismal weather discouraged all but one person from joining me. As we drove up to Squamish, it rained steadily and sometimes heavily. Later that day as we drove back to North Vancouver, the rain was constant. While we were on the trail, however, there were no more than a few sprinkles.

Cheakamus Canyon is a relatively short hike – with spectacular views. The trip is made all the more enjoyable by the sense of history which Dawn Hanna's trail description provides. According to Ms. Hanna, this trail was first established as a cattle trail in 1877 and was used by Alex and Myrtle Philips as they made their way, as pioneers, to what is now Whistler. The French often speak of their "old stones" - referring to churches and other buildings which were erected centuries ago. In western Canada, most of our "old stones" are on the ground in the form of trails established by European pioneers or, even earlier, by our First Nations. Whereas the history of Europe is in the cities, much of the history of western Canada is to found away from the larger cities.

For those interested in hiking this trail, it is relatively easy and relatively short. We took our time and explored a little bit and even so were not on the trail for much more than four hours. For the most part, from beginning to end, the trail is a gentle climb - making for a very quick downhill return.

If you are using Ms. Hanna's trail description, you should note that the road to the trailhead has changed since 1997 when my edition of the book was published. Rather than crossing the railroad tracks over and back after driving over the single lane bridge referred to in her trail description, one follows the railroad tracks without crossing them. The key is to follow the power line.

In summary then, the Cheakamus Canyon hike is a very pleasant short hike which can be done virtually all year round.

Norvan Falls - October 4

In the city the weather was damp and foggy. While driving to North Vancouver I was thinking of an alternate hike as I didn't think the hike would be very pleasant in that kind of weather. Seven brave souls meet in the parking lot and we discussed the weather and what we should do. Elizabeth reminded us that the fog often lurks around the city and when you get to higher ground the skies are clearer. With this thought in mind we headed off to Lynn Headwaters. Yes, Elizabeth was right the sun was starting to peek through when we arrived at the parking lot.

By the time we had parked the cars and changed into our boots the sky was clear, we could see the fog lurking below us. The group decided to take the Cedars Mill trail which is the high route, by taking this trail you're able to incorporate a bit of a climb, otherwise the hike is fairly flat. Much to our surprise the trail was dry with an amazing variety mushrooms.

We had a leisurely lunch at the falls enjoying the warmth of the sun. Once we'd finished lunch we explored the area surrounding the falls before heading back to the parking lot.

Pitt Meadows to Pitt Lake - September 28

It was hot! Eight participants enjoyed this bike trip (even the one who had a flat tire).

Lions Cross - Over - September 20

This hike had a confused start. The provincial government lifted the backcountry travel restriction (banning all backcountry travel in the southern half of the province) on September 12. The four participants on this hike arrived at the trailhead of the Lions Trail to find ‘Closed’ signs posted with warnings of fines and parking space barricaded.

The plans were changed and the group drove back to Cypress Bowl and started to hike towards the Lions from there. There were many people on the trail. Due to the later start of actual hiking, the group only got as far as Unnecessary Mountain (which actually has three summits). Good views were enjoyed along with lunch.

Note: It appears that the signs were left up or placed by the Village of Lions Bay and left up after the backcountry travel ban was lifted. Parking and access to this trail has been a source of conflict previously.

For once we were happy to see the rain on Wednesday, Sept. 10th. It allowed hikers to return to the forests. Three days later, 5 club members did the Crown Mountain hike from the top of the Grouse Mountain tram.

In spite of Wednesday’s rain, by Saturday, the 13th we had more of the fine weather we’ve grown used to this summer. There is, of course, nothing original about this hike. The route is well-marked and well trodden. For those who haven’t done it, however, it’s a great hike to do when visibility is good. One sees for miles (or is that kilometres?) in all directions.

As one approaches the top of Crown Mountain, it becomes important to pay attention to the route. There are some very significant drop-offs available to those who have an uncontrollable urge to fly. On the other hand, those who are accustomed to heights seem to feel that there is no particular danger – we were treated to the spectacle of a child (probably 10 to 12 years old) who was climbing the cliff face without protection and in sandals. It was clear, however, that I was far more worried about his health than he was.

We all enjoyed the hike and, upon our return, the refreshments available at the top of the tram. In spite of the fact, that the route is not particularly challenging, I would quite happily do it again – on a clear day – to enjoy the spectacular views once more.

Five club members enjoyed this backpack trip in Mount Robson Provincial Park, just east of Jasper. Leaving Vancouver on the afternoon Friday, September 5 the group enjoyed at night at Sun Peaks Resort north of Kamloops. Due to forest fires in the area, the location to spend the night on the drive to Mount Robson had been uncertain. Only two days before, the provincial government had lifted an evacuation alert for residents of Sun Peaks. In the end, everyone enjoyed the stay. Thank you to Doug for arranging the accommodations.

Arriving at the visitor centre at Mount Robson late in the afternoon of Saturday, the group did not actually hit the trail until about 4:00PM. The weather was clear and the group made it to Whitehorn Campsite just in time to have the tents put up before dark.

The next morning, it looked like it was about to rain and just as breakfast was finishing, a heavy downpour occurred. By the time things were packed up the group was ready to hit the trail the rain had slowed considerably. Between the Whitehorn Campsite and Berg lake, the trail climbs considerably (almost 600 metres elevation gain) but, the trail was in very good condition. Scenery along the way is outstanding and there are many waterfalls to see.

The group arrived at the Berg Lake Campsite in the early afternoon on Sunday. After setting up tents and a brief rest. The area around the campsite was explored. If you make the trip, Toboggan Falls above the Hargreaves Shelter is worth seeing. The trail also gives good views of Mount Robson and Berg Lake.

The next day, the plan was to do a day hike to Snowbird Pass. This pass is located on the B.C. - Alberta border and offers great views of the Coleman Glacier that is in Jasper National Park (on the Alberta side of the pass). Unfortunately, the weather had closed in and looked rather threatening. The group started out anyway as, there are good views along the way. We watched the rain move closer as we hiked. About an half an hour from the Robson Glacier on the route to Snowbird Pass, the rain started. The mountains were socked in and clouds obscured all of the mountains in the area. We decided to go to the bottom of the Robson Glacier—which has a big cave at the bottom—and decide what to do there. At that point, the group decided to head back to camp.

Returning to camp, we learned that four marmots lived under the Hargreaves Shelter. They were not too afraid of people if there was food around. More exploring around the campsite was done. Some walked to Alberta (20 minutes from the campsite). After a leisurely dinner - cold beer and burritos for some - looking at Mount Robson and Berg Lake from the picnic table; it was still a great day.

Photo at left: Last photo of group at Berg Lake campsite before leaving. Photo: Phil Rumming

Waking after a second night camped at Berg Lake, there was a light frost. It was clear and soon the sun would be out. The party hiked to Kinney Lake with a lunch stop at Whitehorn Campsite after a visit to Emporer Falls. The last night on the trail was spent at Kinney Lake Campsite.

Arriving back at the trailhead at about 10:00AM, we decided to head all the way back to North Vancouver that day. The drive took us back through Barriere where the McLure forest fire had devastated the town. If you have not made a donation to victims of this fire, you should consider doing do. There were many homes burned right down to the foundations.

Eight of us left town at 7:30 am on August 17 heading for the mandatory first stop at Starbucks in Squamish. As we approached Whistler, the mountain top was in the clouds. We paid our $25 for the gondola and prayed for sun. Ma nature heard us and gave us a glorious day of sunshine and cool breezes. First we walked on the service road, along the ridge past little Whistler to the top of Whistler Mountain for a magnificent view.

Then we headed off along the burnt stew trail to Flute, the middle of the musical bumps. The view from the top of Flute was even more magnificent than from the top of Whistler. We could not proceed further to Oboe otherwise we risked missing the last gondola. We completed a loop over Piccolo and round Harmony Lake back to the gondola. We arrived back at the gondola about 30 minutes earlier then planned which gave us some extra time for beer and food in the Brewhouse at Whistler.

Four club members enjoyed this event at the Hillcrest Drive-in located in Surrey. After watching Daddy Daycare and SWAT it was decided that the third feature movie that started at 12:45AM would have been a bit late. Lots of fun.

Six club members took part on this trip up Sigurd Creek. Sigurd Creek is up the Squamish River valley on the west side of the valley more or less across from High Falls Creek. The group enjoyed some nice waterfalls along the trail.

One August 3, 2003, ten club members hiked from Lynn Valley Headwaters to the top of the Grouse Mountain tram. I am told that route finding skills used to be required to do this hike. For those contemplating a visit to the quite charming Hanes Valley, rest assured that the trail is now very well marked.

As has been the case all summer long, the weather was excellent on this hike. In fact, we were pleased to spend the morning under a slight overcast. By noon, the skies had cleared but, even so, the day was warm without being excessively hot.

From start to finish, we were on the trail for a bit more than seven hours. As those who have done the trail will know, virtually all of the elevation gain occurs on the boulder field leading up to Crown Pass. Aside from this one strenuous portion of the trail, the hike is truly a “walk in the park" in all senses of the expression. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

“Cleft Trail” - August 2

Those who enjoy a pleasant potluck dinner by the side of the trail have been spoiled this summer with pleasant company, excellent weather and excellent food - all of this on the trail which club members usually refer to as the "cliff trail". Yes, we have enjoyed our Wednesday evenings this summer!

But what is this thing called the "cleft" trail? In his continuing quest to hike up Grouse Mountain by every possible route, Bob Wiles became aware of a possible trail just slightly to the west of the Grouse Mountain tram route. Over the next few weeks, Bob "talked up" this route whenever he had a chance. Finally, on Saturday, August 2, 2003, Bob, Rob Huffman and myself attempted to locate the trail.

In fact, the "Cleft Trail" (as Bob suggested we call it), is, for the most part, a well-worn and easily located trail. Starting on the Grouse Grind route, we veered off to the left about halfway between the trailhead and the first bridge. From there, we headed in a westerly direction until we crossed a creek which we had seen from the tram. Just after crossing the creek, we picked up the trail heading up the mountain. From that point on, the trail was very easy to follow and a very welcome break from the usual Grouse Mountain crowds. At about the three-quarters mark, just prior to an exposed ledge crossing, a sign taped to a tree reads "please stay out of sight of the tram." We obeyed the sign and, having by then achieved most of the elevation gain, followed the trail to the top of the tram.

For us, the "Cleft Trail" was a pleasant discovery. At the top of the mountain, we toasted our "discovery" over lunch.

Twelve club members really enjoyed this especially scenic hike in Washington State; even after the 6:30AM start. After the early start in order to make up for potential delays at the border (questions about what was in sandwiches; Mad Cow sandwiches anyone?) the group arrived at the trailhead at 9:30AM. The views were spectacular and in the end, the delays at the border were minimal in both directions. See photos (by Bob Wiles) below.

Editor’s Note: Group size is limited to twelve in this area. Details of the hike and how to get there can be found at:

Ten hikers left early Saturday morning for the long drive to Joffre Lakes , we made the customary stop at Starbucks in Squamish before continuing our drive north on the Sea to Sky highway.

We arrived at the trailhead around 10:30am and much to our surprise the parking lot was relativity full. While changing into our hiking boots we had to fight off the mosquitoes needless to say everybody was covering themselves with insect repellent. The day was hot and humid with high overcast skies. We started off at a steady pace taking the short detour to the first Lake; from here you get an amazing view of the glacier. Next we headed off to second Lake, the color of the water was a beautiful aqua, for the avid photographers this was a Kodak moment, unfortunately we didn’t spend too much time here at the mosquitoes were waiting to attack.

Next it was off to Joffre Lake where we ate lunch. After lunch we explored the area with some of the more ambitious hikes heading out onto the snow at the top end of the lake. The trail was really busy; people were still hiking up as we were on our way down in the late afternoon. Their was quite a few people camping on the lake shore and we meet several people who were going to spend the night on top of the glacier. It was a good day but unfortunately the mosquitoes were out in full force, horseflies even bit some of the group. The scenery is fantastic at Joffre Lakes; each lake offers such different colours beautiful blues and aquas.

[ Cross-over From Porteau Cove via Deeks Lake to Brunswick Mtn. to The Lions to Cypress Bowl ]

There were 3 of us on this trip - Rob, Doug and myself. We met at Doug's house in West Van and got a taxi to transport us to the trailhead near Porteau Cove. This was a total cost of $60 ($20 each) which we agreed was well worth the peace of mind of not worrying about leaving a vehicle parked in a lot for days.

The sun was shining when we were at the trailhead at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning and remained until mid afternoon. After that the weather was mostly poor but contributed to a very eventful trip. There were 3 major water obstacles on the way to the Brunswick Lake shelter including 2 creeks that were very difficult to cross and we carefully avoided soaking our hiking boots. On the final approach to the shelter we had to take off our boots and wade across the stepping stones that were part of the trail by the lake. It was gratifying to be at the shelter around 5 p.m. and not have to set up a tent in the rain.

We got a late start on Sunday morning as we lingered around the shelter hoping that the rain would subside. The unsettled weather followed us to the Magnesia Meadows shelter arriving at 2 p.m. We had lunch and talked about our options which included bailing out then and there and head for Lions Bay. However a passing day hiker informed us that the weather report for Monday was good and that influenced our decision to stay the night at the shelter. The thinking was if the weather changed by early Monday morning then we would get an early start for the long 16k trip to Cypress Bowl. The weather did not improve but Doug still wanted to travel to Cypress Bowl anyway and Rob was willing to accompany him although somewhat reluctantly. I was not enthused and fortunately was able to head for Lions Bay with a stranger who was also headed there. I took away the tent and agreed to stand by at home on Monday evening as the taxi service, waiting for a phone call from Doug and Rob from Cypress Bowl estimated to be around 9 p.m.

I left Doug and Rob about 11 a.m. at the trail juncture where they carried on towards Cypress Bowl and I headed down to Lions Bay with a 25 year old dude from Germany by the name of Christoph. The dude and myself reached Lions Bay within 3 hours and walked into to the Municipal Hall for bus information and for directions to a pay phone. On my way to the convenience store a fellow by the name of Randy pulled up beside me in his car and identified himself as being with Lions Bay Search and Rescue. He asked Christoph and myself to come to the station to answer questions about a group of 3 people who were reported missing. I didn't think they were looking for Doug, Rob and myself but was compelled to give a full report to Martin the search master. As it turned out there was another group of 3 people - a guy, his girlfriend and the guy's coworker. The coworker was out of shape and had fallen and injured his leg to the extent that he couldn't walk. He was left with a tent and provisions while the guy and girl went for help. This couple arrived in Lions Bay about an hour after I did and came to the station to make a report. They thought their friend was at Enchantment Lake but were not sure as they were off the main trail due to foggy conditions which obscured trail markers. They were also overdue by a day and had left a car at Cypress Bowl and at Lions Bay.

I was getting antsy at being detained but it was interesting to see a full rescue operation in effect. Also a report came in that North Shore Search and Rescue had encountered Doug and Rob on the trail who gave a more accurate description of the location for the hiker with the injured leg. Doug and Rob had become part of the rescue operation and later received some rewards.

Photo at left shows view of Howe Sound - looking south - from the Howe Sound Crest Trail.

The couple was split up as the guy was asked to join the search on a helicopter and the girl was to be transported to Cypress Bowl by an RCMP officer. Fortunately I was able to hitch a ride in the police car to Horseshoe Bay to catch a West Van blue bus to Ambleside. I then walked to Doug's house where my car was parked and got home around 5:30 p.m. to phone Rob's daughter to let her know the situation and that he would be home later than planned. I knew nothing else until about 10 p.m. when Rob phoned me up to tell me about his adventure with Doug.

Doug and Rob encountered the injured hiker around 1 p.m. and saw that he was okay as his friends had gone for help. They noted the exact location and continued hiking along the trail. Around 4 p.m. they met 2 people from North Shore Search and Rescue who had come from Cypress Bowl. Even though Doug and Rob were able to describe the exact location, the 2 rescue people insisted that they were needed to lead back to the injured hiker. At that point there was still heavy fog which was forecasted to remain for another 6 hours. Rob in particular had work commitments on Tuesday and did not want to spend the night babysitting an injured hiker with 3 other people. The rescue people tried to bribe Rob and Doug with a free headlamp each but the clincher was a free helicopter ride out when available. As it turned out the fog lifted in an hour and the helicopter was able to transport everyone out. After landing at Cypress Bowl, Doug and Rob got a free ride in a police car to West Van and were home around 7 p.m. They also got a dinner invitation and free meal at Andreas Restaurant with North Shore Search and Rescue.

Editor’s Note: Our club’s group of Doug, Rob and Bob were aided by a highly detailed map prepared by John Coope of the Federation of Mountain Clubs Trails Committee (of which I am a member). Thank you John!

Twelve participants enjoyed this hike starting at the suspension bridge at Lynn Canyon and ending at Panorama Park in Deep Cove. Four more joined the group for a barbecue at the park. Great food and a nice day!

Spectacular Weather…. Stunning Scenery….Amazing Wildlife…Wonderful Food and Great Company.

Nine very excited hikers spent 4 days exploring the hiking trails at Cathedral Lakes. Our first stop en route to Cathedral Lake Park was the Home restaurant in Hope where we enjoyed a hearty breakfast.

We had made arrangements to catch the 2pm bus from the Park’s entrance up to Cathedral Lake lodge, the turn off to the park entrance is located between Princeton and Keremeos, from there according to our instruction you drive 48 kms to the end of the Ashnola River corridor. Unfortunately the instructions given on the website were wrong, its approx 78kms to the park entrance on a winding gravel road which seemed to take forever. We finally arrived a good ½ hour late, luckily for us this happens to most people so the drivers wait around. We quickly unloaded the cars transferring everything to the trucks which would take us up the mountain, it looked like we planned on staying for a month with all the packs, coolers and plastic bins we brought with us, we even packed a B-B-Q.

We finally made it to Cathedral Lake lodge after a slow ride up the mountain, we decided to camp at Quiniscoe Lake which is about a 20 minute walk from the lodge, just as well with all the supplies we brought. Our first evening was spend setting up camp and gathering fire wood, we found some great sites to pitch our tents; we were able to create a communal area for cooking, eating and enjoyed a campfire in the evenings.

The weather over the weekend was outstanding hot and sunny, Sunday evening we did have some rain but that didn’t last long the next morning we were back to clear skies.

We spent 3 days exploring the trails at Cathedral Lakes. On our first day, we headed to the Diamond trail circling Scout Mountain. The start of the Diamond trail is through flourishing marshland and fairly shaded with all the trees the climb was steady but certainly not steep. The view at the top of the Diamond trail was stunning. From the Diamond trail we then headed off to the Rim trail and Quiniscoe Mountain, from here we were able to see Lake of the Woods and Quninscoe Lake where our campsite was. After a long day of hiking we then headed off to Glacier trail where we made our way back to the campsite. On the way down we had to cross a fairly large patch of snow for the more enthusiastic hikers they took the opportunity to get in some boot skiing. During this hike we were fortunate enough to get close to a family of Mountain goats (five in total) they even posed for us to take photos. Once back at the campsite we all took a much needed rest before preparing dinner.

Sunday we have another early start this time we headed off towards the Ladyslipper trail our goal was to reach the Giant Cleft, Devil’s Woodpile, Stone City and Smokey the Bear. I’m happy to report that we achieved our goal of seeing the Devil’s Woodpile, Stone City and Smokey the Bear but due to a turn in the weather we didn’t make it to the Giant Cleft. The Ladyslipper trail was beautiful with the lake full of trout, at times you felt as if you could scoop them up in you hands they were so close to the waters edge. This hike was a steady climb for most of the day, while hiking the valley towards Stone City you got the most fantastic view of the Giant Cleft. Getting to Stone City was interesting as we had to hike up a steep narrow path to reach the top once at the top we headed over to Smokey the Bear and Devil’s Woodpile. We started off towards the Giant Cleft but due to the time and a storm blowing in the group made the decision to head towards the Glacier trail and back down to camp. While hiking the ridge towards Glacier trail the storm really started to blow in so it was on with our rain jackets, at times the wind was howling and we had difficulty hiking on top of the ridge. Once back at the campsite the weather took a turn for the better with the sun coming out.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings we shared a pot luck dinner, the food was fabulous with everybody creating some wonderful dishes. However, I think Eleanor’s Moroccan Carrot spread and Dora’s Lemon Poppy seed cake with hot rum butter sauce were the biggest hits...

Monday morning 3 people had to leave so the rest of us headed off to Goat Lake with full intentions of hiking Lakeview Mountain. The trail to Goat Lake follows a river, the terrain was lush & moist with an abundance of birds, the singing of the birds and running water was so peaceful. We spent quite a bit of time at Goat Lake exploring the lakeshores and relaxing in the sun. It was time to move on we slowly climbed the Lakeview Mountain trail, this was the steepest trail we had encountered all weekend. We stopped for lunch about 20 minutes from the top and after much discussion we decided that perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to continue, the trail over Lakeview Mountain is long and we felt that it would take at least another 5 hours before we’d make it back to the campsite. The time was getting late and we had made reservations to have dinner at the lodge so we needed to be back before 6pm. Off we went back down the mountain, as the sun was shinning we decided to spend some more time relaxing, once at the lake we each took a rock and relaxed in the sun for an hour then headed back to camp. The decision we made was a good choice we were all tired from the 2 previous day’s hikes.

During the weekend we saw an abundance of wildlife: mountain goats, marmots, grouse (which attacked me), many different birds, trout, deer, rabbits to name a few. Each day we would have a visit from a pair of deer and a big rabbit that didn’t appear afraid of us.

If you visit Cathedral Lakes I recommend having dinner at the lodge one evening, the food is great and you get to meet some interesting people.

On the way back to Vancouver we stopped at the Blue Mouse Café in Hope for desert and coffee, I highly recommend a visit when in the area.

This was one of the best hiking trips and is on my list of re-visits, the weather was fantastic and the scenery was different with each hike.

Thirteen participants took part in this trip up the Stawamus Chief near Squamish. While this hike is a bit of a climb (even some scary bits), the view is worthwhile from the top. This is especially true if you are a group of thirteen with lunch to share! Great weather too. Photos by Julie Paxon (formatted for website by Steve Paxon). Click on photos to enlarge - captions below.

2. Getting ready for lunch at the top with a great (warm and sunny even) view of Howe Sound.

3. Quote from a passing hiker at an earlier club mountain top potluck: “...I don’t know how you guys hike but, you sure know how to eat!” Some things don’t change. Lunch shown at left complete with table cloth.

Seven people took part in this hike to Garibaldi Lake from the Rubble Creek trailhead. The weather was poor so this hike was a dash up to the lake and back: at the parking lot by 3:00PM.

(Note: In the mountains, weather conditions can vary drastically and change very abruptly. On this trip, apparently it snowed on the group while at the lake: this is on the first day of summer! Please come prepared for any type of weather on club trips. For day trips, items to bring include at minimum: a warm synthetic fleece or wool sweater, warm hat, mittens or gloves, rain gear (top and bottom), sun hat, sun screen, sun glasses, broken-in hiking boots (well water proofed!), gaiters, at least 1 litre of water in an unbreakable container, lunch with extra food and snacks, personal first aid kit ( participants are responsible for their own medications or medications they may require [such as ANA kits] ), toilet tissue, money, along with a day pack.

It is also strongly recommended that cotton clothing (such as blue jeans or t-shirts) be avoided as they offer little or no insulation when wet. Bringing these minimum items along will make the trip much more pleasant for you and others should the weather turn for the worse. Of course, being fit helps too! Why not take part in a Wednesday Capilano Pacific Power Walk or the Wednesday Evening Grind? )

Above at left: At Garibaldi Lake. The first hike of the summer! Is that rain or snow??? Snow! Photo: Sarah Curtis. Above at right: Checking out the ‘Barrier’ from a viewpoint along the trail. Photo: Julie Paxon. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

A sunny day, a beautiful little lake - warm enough to swim in - surrounded by trees (with a few cabins thrown in), the massive presence of the Tantalus Range looming in the background and the pleasant company of one’s fellow hikers. An experience worth repeating.

Five club members and one guest hiked the Levette Lake Loop on June 8, 2003. We left our usual meeting place at 8:15 am. and returned at 6:45 pm. If it had not been for an unfortunate ambiguity in the route description we were following, we would have returned earlier – or spent extra time at the lake. Indeed, aside from a few “tricky” junctions, the route is relatively well marked.

The trailhead is located near the Evans Lake Forestry Camp - approximately 1 kilometre down a partly paved road which turns off the Paradise Valley Road about 20 minutes from Squamish (just opposite the North Vancouver Outdoor School). About fifteen minutes from the trailhead, one takes the left fork at a junction – the right fork leading to the Silver Summit hike. A very few minutes later, one comes to a much less obvious junction. Again, those seeking the Levette Lake Loop should bear left. At this junction, a sign leads to a side trail where one can view the relatively unscenic Copperbush Pond. Unfortunately for our group, the sign was not in place when we passed (we put it back prior to leaving the junction for the second time) and we didn’t notice the junction.

When we prepared to leave Copperbush Pond, we consulted our guidebook. Upon reading that the trail led off to the north (in fact, it doesn’t head north at his point!), we followed a compass bearing to a little-used but well-marked trail heading north from Copperbush Pond. After following this pleasant little trail for slightly over an hour, we realized that we were not on the Levette Lake Loop Trail and, re-tracing our steps, found the junction which we had missed earlier. Thereafter, the trip was uneventful.

Aside from the one route finding issue just mentioned, the trail is in good condition and, generally, well-marked. There is, of course, some uphill slogging but the grade is not too strenuous. Additionally, it is, as advertised, a “loop” so that, aside from the final 1.5 kilometres, the trail out follows a different route than the trail in.

At the end of a hike, I always ask myself whether I would like to repeat it. If the answer is yes, then the hike was worthwhile. I would gladly repeat this hike – and I believe that my companions would do likewise.

Above Right: Levette Lake with the Tantalus Range. Above Left: What did the guide book say? (Click on photos to enlarge.) Photos contributed by Olga Ottens.

This was the hike that grew. The group started out as six participants and picked up two more along the way. Everyone enjoyed this popular hike in the

Eight people enjoyed this event. After being separated into ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ for the session, the group found how difficult it can be to count to ten during meditation. This was followed by a lunch. After lunch the group went for a bike ride in the rain (yes; it rains in Richmond). There was also a birthday celebration for John T.; Happy Birthday!

As the photo at right shows (click on photo to enlarge), the views of the Fraser Valley on this hike were very good (photo contributed by Bob Wiles).

Doug Dent reports: Each of us has his or her own vision of the ideal weekend hike/ day trip. For me, the ideal hike should take the better part of the day - from 8 am. through to 5 or 6 pm. in the evening. If it ends an hour or two earlier or later, well that's OK too. The hike should also offer a bit of a physical challenge - I'm not talking about exhaustion but a pleasant degree of fatigue, together with the slight sense of accomplishment which usually accompanies that feeling. Finally, as far as I'm concerned, there are very few hikes which are worth repeating more than two or three times. Finding the ideal hike in the "shoulder" season can be a bit of a challenge. For me, Bear Mountain was a very satisfactory response to the challenge.

At 7:30 am. on May 18, 2003, four club members assembled at the usual meeting spot. From there, we drove to Harrison Hot Springs - with, of course, the usual stop along the way at Tim Horton's in Chilliwack. The trail head is located at the start of a former logging road approximately 5 km. down the east side of Harrison Lake. In fact, about 90% of the hike is on this former logging road. While it would appear that logging operations have long since ceased, some low-key mineral exploration is apparently being carried on at the present time. Thus, there are signs of vehicular traffic along the first 5 km. of the logging road. At approximately the 5 km. mark, a large green structure (which blocks the road) houses a drill. From there to just past the 6 km. mark, there are further signs of activity - including, when we were there, approximately a kilometre of the roadway covered with slash in apparent preparation to move the drill further up the road. From the 6.5 km. point forward, the logging road has been almost completely reclaimed by the usual scrub trees which spring up once activity on a former logging road stops and from there on the trail has the texture of a wide mountain path rather than a logging road. At approximately the 8 km. mark, the trail leaves the former logging road for good and enters the forest. A final 1.5 km. through the forest leads one to the peak - and a truly splendid view of the Fraser Valley. (The 103 talks about a view stretching from Hope to Vancouver; while the cloud cover deprived us of some of that view, what we did see was nonetheless impressive.)

As forecast, the day was sunny with cloudy periods. Fortune smiled upon us, however, and we had lunch in the sun on a helicopter pad near the summit.

All in all, the hike was most enjoyable. In addition to the views from the top, there were lovely views of the Harrison River and Harrison Lake as we wound our way up the west side of Bear Mountain. The trip is definitely one which would be worth repeating on a sunny summer day – when, apparently, paragliders are dropped off near the peak by helicopter and, from there, start their own flights towards the valley below.

It rained all morning. After waiting the storm out in a coffee shop and bookstore, the group enjoyed a cycle on an alternate route near Bellingham.

Five people enjoyed this event in West Vancouver. The evening included a dance lesson. Participants were amazed at the dance skills of the event regulars.

The weather forecast was dismal but, aside from a few sprinkles, the rain waited until we were safely back at the car before it fell – in buckets. Of course, gray skies and dismal forecasts discourage the frivolous but it was their loss.

We left North Vancouver at 8 am. After the drive to Abbotsford, the obligatory caffeine fix and the fiddling around necessary to put one of the cars at the west end of the trail, we headed up the east end of Sumas Mountain at approximately 11 am. Starting from the east involves a steep climb of an hour or so, followed by a very gentle climb of approximately another hour which leads to a 20 minute uphill slog to Chadsey Lake. We stopped at the lake for lunch and then headed uphill for another hour to the Main Peak. Rumour has it that there were lovely views of Mount Baker hiding behind the clouds. Descending from Main Peak, we wandered off the trail to look at the two microwave towers (carefully surrounded by barbed wire topped steel mesh fence) which grace (??) the summit area. By the time our inspection of the towers was complete it was 3:30 pm. Rather than look for the trail to the North Peak, we decided that it would be more prudent to start our descent.

While the eastern portion of the trail is extremely easy to follow, the same cannot be said of the western portion. In descending towards the west, we encountered a myriad of taped trails leading off in a variety of directions. As it turned out, there was a relatively simple solution to the route-finding dilemma – ignore the tape and follow the orange rectangles. It was also helpful to bear in mind that the trail is part of the Centennial Trail – and to look for the relatively frequent Centennial Trail signs. By following these guidelines, we managed to avoid the various opportunities to go astray which presented themselves – and eventually located the west end of the trail (and the car we’d left there).

All in all the trail is in good shape but was perhaps a shade more strenuous than the “3.5” rating which had been advertised – we hiked for approximately 7 ½ hours. We returned to North Vancouver at 8:30 pm., had a pleasant meal at InnCogneato and went our separate ways.

Bob Wiles reports: A total of 19 people turned up for this hike starting from Bridgeman Park around 9:30 a.m. to Rice Lake and then to the new Lynn Canyon Cafe for lunch around 12:30 p.m. We had a leisurely lunch which lasted about 2 hours. This is a new restaurant which accommodated our group on the second floor and we will be making inquiries about using the place for the Xmas party. The weather started out overcast but it did start to rain and mostly drizzle until after lunch when the sun came out for the rest of the day. Shown in the two photos below (click on either image to enlarge it) are hike participants awaiting lunch at the Lynn Canyon Café.

Doug Dent reports: Have you heard about Capilano Timber Skiing? Until they phoned me, I hadn't. In essence, Capilano Timber Skiing is an entrepreneurial attempt to profit by facilitating access to the backcountry "behind" Furry Creek for skiing, snowshoeing, etc. (I leave to you the question of whether it is still appropriate to use the term "backcountry" once access has been facilitated.) The entrepreneur in question is a quiet, unassuming and helpful gentlemen. The venture is in its infancy.

The long-term goal of the Capilano Timber Skiing venture is to charge a fee for transporting backcountry enthusiasts from Furry Creek along a nearby logging road to the Capilano Timber Skiing base camp. At this stage, however, the entrepreneur in question is not offering transportation but is unlocking the gate at the entrance to the logging road and providing an escort to those whose four wheel drive vehicle allows them to pass over the various water bars, mud holes, etc. which are frequent features on the 15 km. road between the gate and the base camp.

On April 19, 2003, three club members visited the base camp. The sky was overcast but the rain which threatened all day spared us all but a few sprinkles. Although there were many bare patches, there was still a lot of very wet snow on the ground. We spent approximately three hours slogging up the hill and 90 minutes returning to the base camp. Although the conditions were far from ideal, our snow-deprived group enjoyed the outing. We finished our day with dinner at the Queens Cross pub in North Van.

The cloud cover prevented us from truly appreciating the area but the trip was still interesting. Those familiar with the area may recall that there is a cabin at Mountain Lake - at the foot of Mount Sheer. Apparently, the cabin is approximately a 2 1/2 hour hike from the base camp where we left our car.

If you want more information about Capilano Timber Skiing, visit their website at http://www.skicapilano.com/. The road is also shown on the Squamish topographical map (92 G/11). To locate it on the map, look immediately to the south of Mount Sheer.

Four club members took part in this trip: two on skis, two on snowshoes. Navigation was somewhat difficult, but the group made it as far as a small lake on this attempt. The weather was less than perfect. On a later attempt, some of the group found the correct route (using a GPS for navigation) and now know the route for future trips.

Four participants from the club enjoyed this annual event organized by the BC Randonneurs. All participants from ourclub took part in the shorter 50km route. Starting at Riley Park in Vancouver (across from Nat Bailey Stadium), the ride went south through Vancouver, over the Arthur Laing Bridge through Richmond to end at a check point (’control’) near the Massey Tunnel. The ride back traced the same route. We were fortunate to get back to the start prior to the rain starting. There were about 98 cyclists that took part in the 50km ride.

Doug Dent reports: The hike as a metaphor for life. Our lives move us towards an uncertain end. The hopeful expectations of the faithful may not be realized. One hopes that they have the wisdom to enjoy the journey.

Campbell Lake is neither pretty nor ugly - it's just there. The journey, however, is magical. I've taken it twice and been enchanted both times. Two years ago, the sunlight filtering through the tall trees was indescribably beautiful. This year, we were blessed with just enough snow to allow us to feel the weather, to know that nature was around us and that winter is not quite over.

Twelve of us (nine members and three non-members) traveled to Harrison for this hike. Four of the twelve turned back about an hour into the hike rather than cross the first of several challenging bridges. (In fact, it had been their intention from the outset to turn back early so that they could explore the many - apparently - antique shops in the Harrison area.) They missed, of course, the best part of the hike.

The trail starts near the entrance to the town of Harrison. It climbs through the forest at a pace which is neither gentle nor steep to the 700 m. level. At that point, there is a clearing - a former helicopter landing pad - which affords an excellent view down Harrison Lake. One then re-enters the forest for a relatively gentle descent towards Campbell Lake. Our group had lunch at Campbell Lake and then re-traced its steps towards the trailhead.

A final comment on this hike - which probably applies to many hikes, especially those near populated areas: be careful where you park. Our parking spot was slightly away from the road - and the cars without alarms were broken into. Fortunately, aside from one damaged lock, the loss was minimal.

Notwithstanding the unpleasant surprise which awaited our return, the group enjoyed the Campbell Lake hike immensely.

After many phone calls and much discussion about the weather in the days leading up to this trip, it was decided that Elfin Lakes was a long way to drive for a long walk in the rain and slush. So, as an alternative, the six of us headed up Grouse Mountain and off towards Thunderbird Ridge. It was socked in and drizzling / raining for much of the trip. Additionally, we had to snowshoe through wet, fairly heavy snow. The group turned back just past Dam Mountain as the trail was closed at that point. Everyone agreed, it was a good decision not to go to Elfin Lake on a day like this but, everyone was happy to get some exercise.