We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.
Last Saturday we drove north towards Van Anda then turning off on Priest Lake Hill we took the winding road that eventuially reaches Kirk Lake. This deep lake which sits in quite a steep sided valley between two heavily wooded hills is surrounded by private land with no public access, but our destination was the high ridge to the north of the lake which can be reached on logging roads that run through crown land. The roads are in very good condition and provide pleasant walking for more than half an hour until the start of the forest trail is reached. This meanders from one open area to another as the hiker climbs towards the top of the ridge. On a couple of steep sections the bone dry arbutus leaves make it hard to avoid slipping, so care has to be taken. A viewpoint not long before the high point offers views east to Malaspina Strait, the coastline south of Powell River and the mainland mountains. On top of the ridge the open areas provide easy walking heading west until the lunch spot is reached where the bluff drops off steeply and provides a great view of the Georgia Strait, the cliffs below Comox Airport and the snow capped Vancouver Island Mountains. If the recently announced plans to establish a park reserve north and south of Favada Point work out then most of the forested area with rocky outcrops in the centre of my photo will one day become parkland with unrestricted public access.
JD.
An archive of my hike emails may be visited at:— http://texadatrekkers.blogspot.ca/ Clicking the photos will often bring up larger versions which can be saved if you wish.
The view west from Kirk Lake Bluffs towards Comox and the Vancouver Island Mountains.
No comments:
Post a Comment