Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 27th December.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we set off from the Ballpark in vehicles and headed up to Thompson Road driving south to park about a kilometre north of the Vancouver Island Hydro line.  It was still very windy with a gale blowing from the south-east, but while the cloud cover was thick it was not raining.  Rain was in the weather forecast and we were lucky it held off until our lunchtime break which we had at the start of the Cook Bay Rd.  Being on the west side of Texada with high ground to the east and south of us meant we were generally sheltered from the worst of the wind.  From time to time we caught glimpses of the ocean far below us and could see the way the waves were breaking into irregular masses of white water as far as the eye could see. 

I took the photo of the forestry notice at the road side where the forest is now fairly mature and was not too surprised to see the majority of the trees were healthy fir and hemlock.  However, I could see no live White Pine, just a small number of dead or dying ones here and there. Clearly some of the White Pine that had been pruned the way the notice explains did survive long enough to grow quite tall, but the long term survival rate was extremely low.  Some of the trees of this species that have grown to maturity in other parts of Texada clearly have a genetic resistance to the rust disease and forestry is attempting to breed resistant strains for future replanting projects.  

JD.

        Forestry Notice on Thompson Road near Mt. Davies.

  

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 20th December.

We meet at the Ballpark at Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week the rains continued in record volumes on several days and it seemed only natural to pay another visit to Stromberg Falls near Davie Bay.  It was a dull day, but dry and without wind so really quite pleasant for hiking. We parked at the usual spot and crossed the old logging road bridge which now consists of slowly rotting logs in a parlous state and were surprised the water level was not a bit higher.  However, the falls were roaring down with two of the three sections in full flow and lots of water coming out of the cave.  Returning to the main trail we then hiked up to see how things looked at Grow-0p Creek and it was no surprise to find the normally dry overflow channel to be in full flood.  Evidently the cave system was only able to take in a small percentage of the flow coming down from the high ground.  By the way both Balanced Rock Lake and Mystery Lake are in the catchment area of this important creek. 

On this visit to the area I was able to find a higher location in the forest where I could get a fairly decent photograph of the higher part of the falls and I have that as my photo for the week.  It shows the top of the cliff where the water is flowing out of a large pool on a ledge and just a glimpse of the thirty foot waterfall that drops from the top of another cliff above that. On the right of the picture you can just make out the wider of the three sections which is often the only section with water coming down when the creek is not in flood.  Before lunch we climbed to a mossy bluff much higher up on the hill side and sat to eat close to the route the creek takes down a series of rapids and falls in a relatively open part of the forest.  

JD.

 

A view of Stromberg Falls from a higher location in the forest.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 13th December.
We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we drove up Shelter Point Rd and then left onto the High Rd towards Van Anda, parking at the last house on the right. Walking north from there we eventually turned off the main road onto a side road just before the Pocahontas Bay turnoff. This is a fairly recent logging access road that winds it's way through an elongated and replanted cutblock. Near the end of the road we took a quad trail that heads west and provides a route running through mostly forest all the way down to Gillies Bay. This took us to Cap Sheaf Lake where we left the quad trail and walked north along the east side of the wetland to a delightful lunch spot on the top of a mossy cliff. The weather remained dry but cloudy and the tops of the taller forrest trees were shrouded in mist.

After lunch I suggested instead of retracing our steps the way we had come we might try finding a way through the forest to meet up with the old road to Cap Sheaf mining claim, and this we did. The forest is fairly open below the canopy in the area and we made good progress, reached the old road and followed it north for a while and then got onto another quad trail that winds south-east to the High Road.
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be om Saturday, 6th December.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week we were very fortunate again with the weather.  It was just a lovely dry and calm winter day with hardly a cloud anywhere in the sky.  The snow fall from the day before was crisp and unmelted in the shady areas, but where the sun had reached it there was not much left even at the higher levels.  We decided to stay away from the roads which could have been slippery in places and started our hike right from the Ballpark in Gillies Bay. We just followed School Road, climbing steadily up through the forest and past Opko's Farm to reach the High Road for lunch.  It was a good long uphill walk that kept us warm all morning, and it was pleasant too following the same route on the return.  

JD.

A warm sunny spot beside the High Road at the School Road Junction.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 29th November.
We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

After many rainy days we were very lucky to have the sun back for our hike last week. It was quite mild too as we drove south towards Davie Bay and turned off and up towards Thompson Road. The destination was Thompson Bluffs and the view to the west proved to be quite dramatic as the low sun reflected from the ocean and more rain clouds began to gather above the Vancouver Island mountains. It did rain that night and we have had rain, sometimes very heavy rain, everyday since.
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 22nd November.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we chose a circular route we had hiked a few months ago, but this time did it in the reverse direction.  In the morning the route we took started from the Ballpark in Gillies Bay and headed north up through the lovely forest that covers the fairly steep slopes just to the north of the community. It follows one of the recently built bike trails in the area and reaches a high spot overlooking the old logging road trail to Cap Sheaf Lake. There we sat in the warm sun and ate lunch before returning to our starting point along one of my old trails, older logging roads and part of School Road.

My photo shows some hikers on a very neat part of the bike trail not far from it's highest point.   

JD.

On a rustic bike trail through the forest not far north of Gillies Bay. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 13th November.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last Saturday we drove south on Bell, turned off onto Hydro East road and headed part-way down to park at the roadside rock quarry just after the hairpin bend.  The weather was good and the walk going downhill to the beach at the end of a steep ATV trail was very pleasant and very easy.  We sat on the logs to eat lunch. We saw vehicles parked here and there along the way and wondered if they were hunters or mushroom pickers.  A couple of hunters in camouflage came riding past us on a single ATV and we speculated about them being more likely to shoot each other than a deer.  I  believe deer to be colour blind like most mammals so the hunters might just as well wear high visibility jackets and hats and be safer.  Most of the hikers started back up the trail as soon as they finished lunch but a few explored a short side trail running south and found it ended at a neat little campsite with a picnic table, a curious little rustic kitchen and a toilet with a view out to sea! 

The climb up the trail and along the winding logging road back to the vehicles was a gain in elevation of 290 metres [ just short of 1,000ft ], so not quite as easy as the one down in the morning.

JD.   

       

A neat little kitchen at a brush collector's camp on Long Beach.  The sink tap even has running water piped from a nearby creek. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 8th November.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week we drove along the road to Masck Farm and parked at the second gravel pit on the right after the farm turnoff . We started by hiking along an old abandoned logging road that we used regularly until a severe winter storm dropped masses of trees across it and we used a longer route to get around the blockages.  First stop of interest on our way to the lunch spot was the large lake, created by a substantial beaver dam built several decades ago I believe, that we used to call Trailer Lake.  Then somehow it got blown up in what I assume to be a propane gas explosion and the trailer now only exists as a debris field of thousands of pieces large and small. 

Close by the trail is the short but quite high beaver dam.  It's in good shape and the water level was at the highest possible level.  Not far away the beaver are clearly in residence as since our visit last year they have added greatly to the pile of sticks that forms their lodge.

JD.

     

An extra large beaver lodge at the edge of Blown Up Trailer Lake.  

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 1st November.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

I rather think the month of October this year will rank as one of the wettest months on record. Last week our hike was on a wet day and just about every day this week has had lots of precipitation.  Not surprising then that our hike included a visit to see the falls in action. We were rewarded with an impressive display as you can see from my photo. As the attractive little recreation area at the mouth of Stromberg Creek is not far from the falls we headed down there for our lunch stop knowing that we would find shelter from the steady rain under the tarp covered picnic structures beside the beach.  It did rain on us for most of the hike, but the temperature was quite high for the time of year, and with hardly any wind where we were walking it really turned out to be quite pleasant after all. 

The forecast for this Saturday is for a fairly dry day with perhaps some breaks in the heavy cloud cover, so lets hope the prediction is a good one.

JD.

A glimpse of Stromberg Falls from the narrow trail down through the trees. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 25th October.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week we were expecting rain and were happy when it held off until much later in the day. We drove up along the High Road to the turnoff to Pocahontas Bay and parked there on the grass. It was very pleasant walking weather as we climbed up the steep logging road that only starts to descend after it passes the turnoff to the site of the old Fire Lookout Hut.  This was a small white painted building that could be glimpsed at a few spots along the main road from Van Anda to Gillies Bay until it was no longer needed and pulled down.  The hike destination was the grassy ridge that overlooks Malaspina Strait and Nelson Island.

There were very few mushrooms to be seen anywhere along the hike route, but in just one spot a couple of the edible Cauliflower Mushroom had grown at the bases of two medium sized conifers  and I was happy to take one home.  This is not all that common on Texada, but it is quite nice to eat if washed very well before cooking and as long as it is not too old when gathered. It's one kind of mushroom that is unlike any other in appearance and so very easy to identify and quite unlike any of the poisonous or inedible kinds. 

JD.

 

The edible Cauliflower Mushroom, Sparassis radiata. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 18th October.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

As some of you probably know I was off travelling around in Europe for a month just recently and my photo this week is one I took in Salzburg, Austria.  You may well wonder what that has to do with Texada, but as I shall explain there is a curious ecomomic link between the two places which has lasted for a few decades I think.  I had hoped to stay in Frankfurt after taking the train from London to Brussels and Cologne, but the hotels were all full up and I had spent the night trying to sleep on a train travelling south to Munich. That was not so bad as I was in a almost empty first class carriage.  However, I decided to treat myself and booked into a rather more expensive hotel than usual on a narrow street in the central part of the old town.  I was given a very comfortable suite with a separate sitting room in the middle of which was a low table with a vase of roses with some stiff  green foliage.  I thought at first that the flowers were artificial, but closer inspection proved I was mistaken and there was certainly water in the vase.  The leaves looked familiar and they too were real and then to my delight I realised I was looking at a bunch of Salal leaves that had quite likely travelledall the way to Austria from Texada, reaching my hotel room not too long before I did!

  

Leaves of both Salal and our abundant Evergreen Huckleberry have been gathered on our island by local brush cutters for as long as I can remember and then sold in bunches to buyers in Powell River. From there it goes down to Vancouver where I believe some of the best quality leaves are selected and packed for air shipment to the Far East and also to Amsterdam where they get auctioned off to florists who distribute them all over Europe.  The German language title of the book translates "Best Austrian Hospitality", and I have to compliment the Austrians who, in my experience after several visits to the country, do  a very good job when it comes to looking after their visitors. 

JD.

        

        Roses and Salal leaves in a hotel room in Salzburg.  

Next Hike

We will meet in Gillies Bay at the Ballpark @10:00 am on October 11, 2014.

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0

Next Hike

We will meet in Gillies Bay at the Ballpark at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 11, 2014.  

John Dove is returning this evening.  He will lead the hike on Saturday.  Thanks to Diana Vaughn for continuing the hikes in John's absence.

Last week we hiked at Shingle Beach, through the woods to the cabin and returned along the beach to the vehicles.  Last week's photos were taken by Hanna.

What is this equipment?  Found on the beach.

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0

Next Hike

The next hike will be Saturday, October 4, 2012.  We will meet in Gillies Bay at the Ballpark @10:00 am.

Here is another photo from last week's hike taken by Diana Vaughn.

Pam

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0

Next Hike CANCELLED

The next hike on September 27th is cancelled.  We will resume hiking on Saturday, October 4th.

Here is a reminder of the Texada Water Works Information Session.

On Saturday September 27, 2014 Van Anda Improvement District has invited ALL Texada residents to attend the 2nd annual “Texada Water Works”.

This seminar will be hosted at the TACT centre in Van Anda from 10 am to 4 pm and a free lunch, coffee and tea will be provided.

The topic is “Risk Management within our Watershed”

Speakers will include:

Darren Brown, Environment Officer for Lafarge

Dan Glover,  Vancouver Coastal Health

Charlie Boulet, Forestry

Ken Soles and Ken Taylor, Improvement District Water Operators

and many more

Please call Terry Hollo for registration (require numbers for lunch)

604 486 0397 or

email:   jthollo@twincomm.ca

We welcome everyone and look forward to seeing you there.

The photo from last week's hike was taken by Diana Vaughn.  The Trekkers are having lunch at LaFarge Park.

DV

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, September 20, 2014.  We will meet at the Legion in Van Anda at 10:00 a.m.

Last week the Trekkers hiked to Taylor Bluff.  The photo submitted by Diana Vaughn is of the hikers eating lunch in the shade admiring the view.

Pam

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0

Texada Water Works Poster.pdf (gilliesbayca.hikes@blogger.com)

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Next Hike

The next hike will be Saturday September 13th.  We will meet in Gillies Bay at the Ballpark at 10:00 am.

John Dove on a hike to Davie Bay earlier this year

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 6th September.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last Saturday we had a fairly long hike as we started off from the meeting place and did not spend any time driving as we so often do.  The destination was the curious Cape Sheaf Lake, a small body of water surrounded by quite an extensive area of marshland.  I have not for many years walked out onto the part that is floating peatmoss, but it is possible to do that without getting wet feet.  We did not see any of the resident Western Painted Turtles, but there was evidence around the lunch spot of turtle nesting activity so there are certainly a few surviving in the lake. The location is being monitored by the biologists working on the species and they tell me this lake is more remote and higher in elevation than any of the other lakes with surviving populations.  

JD

Cape Sheaf Lake

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 6th September.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last Saturday we had a fairly long hike as we started off from the meeting place and did not spend any time driving as we so often do.  The destination was the curious Cape Sheaf Lake, a small body of water surrounded by quite an extensive area of marshland.  I have not for many years walked out onto the part that is floating peatmoss, but it is possible to do that without getting wet feet.  We did not see any of the resident Western Painted Turtles, but there was evidence around the lunch spot of turtle nesting activity so there are certainly a few surviving in the lake. The location is being monitored by the biologists working on the species and they tell me this lake is more remote and higher in elevation than any of the other lakes with surviving populations.  

JD.

Cape Sheaf Lake

Test

Hi! Everyone,

I will be sending out the Saturday Hikes notices for John Dove, while he is away.  I am testing.

Pam

--
Pam Kenny
P.O. Box 125
Van Anda BC
V0N 3K0

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 30th August.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week we had visitors so decided to take them to the Twin Peaks trail, a long drive and a fairly short steep hike with very fine views both to the east and west.  It was certainly good weather for hiking, but the view to the west was limited by a thick haze so nothing could be seen beyond the nearby Lasqueti Island. My photo shows that the view east was better, but still not great.  We thought the visibility might be partly reduced by the smoke of distant forest fires

Diana wishes me to mention that hikers are welcome to her house on Blair Road at the Oasis for tea and light refreshments after the hike this Saturday. 

JD.

Lunching on the south summit of Twin Peaks.  The distant views of the mainland were not very clear due to a smoky looking haze.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 23rd August.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am. 

Last Saturday we picked a hike that would not be too long or too strenuous and so we headed south to the spot where the gas pipline right of way crosses a road on the south side of Bobs Lake.  Some of us had done a very long hike up to Dome Rock and Cathedral Lake just two days earlier and welcomed a hike with few steep up and down sections and the gently undulating roads in the Angel Lake area were just perfect.  I think I have often spoken about the fact that our island is home to an unusually large number of rare plants and animals and so it should come as no surprise to learn that a couple of the plants we saw on the hike are quite rare in BC.  One is an uncommon species of Grapefern, but I have seen it a few times already and it was first collected by a visiting botanist about 15 years ago.  The other rare plant was a kind of water lily growing in Angel Lake close by the spot where we had lunch. I had never seen it before and no botanist has ever reported finding it on Texada or the Sunshine Coast.  It has however been collected a few times in the lower mainland area and on southern Vancouver Island.  I think I was lucky it had a single flower that was close enough to the shore for me to get a good photograph.  The common name is Water Shield, and the world distribution includes Canada, the US and Central and South America, even in the tropics.  There is just the one species in this genus.

JD.

  

Water Shield in flower in Angel Lake.  Brasenia schreberi is an aquatic plant found only in a few locations in south western BC. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 16th August.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week we met in Van Anda and drove over to the west coast of the island just as we had done a week earlier.  However, this time we reached the coastline more to the south of Crescent Bay and hiked to windswept Favada Point and secluded Cabin Cove. We were on the lookout for marine mammals as usual, but were disappointed to find only four or five Harbour Seal on the rocky islets to the north of the headland.  With perfect weather and a particularly rugged, but beautiful area of forest, grassy bluffs and cliffs everyone had an enjoyable and interesting day.   

JD.

Happy hikers at the end of the hike to Favada Point and Cabin Cove.

Next hike from Van Anda again.

The next hike will be on Saturday, 9th August.

We meet at the Royal Canadian Legion parking in Van Anda at 10:00am.

Last Saturday we drove over to the west side of the island parking at the end of the road that branches off Crescent Bay Rd on the right shortly soon after you pass the golf course.  There is now a clear beach access that makes it possible for the public to reach the very south end of Crescent Beach.  The tide was far enough out that we were able to walk the full length of this rather rocky beach stopping for lunch about three quarters of the way along going north.  For the return to our vehicles we headed inland to the gas line right of way for an easy walk soth, turning right at the first major logging road which connects the main Blubber Bay Highway to the western part of Crescent Bay Rd.

In the photo I'm explaining the volcanic origin of this rock outcrop near the south end of Crescent Beach.  The liquid lava probably flowed out of the volcano with lots of darker chunks of solid lava mixed up with it.  Other chunks may have been blasted out of the cone, falling from above onto the lava flows moving down the slopes all around. The lighter material is very fine grained which means it cooled very rapidly. Now, after millions of years, we get to see the result of an ancient eruption, but much more safely than going to visit an active modern volcano in a distant part of the world.

JD. 

PS.  Pam has invited the hikers back to her place, 30 Tyler Road, for refreshments after the hike.

In case you did not know:— Texada Artists Studio Tour takes place this weekend, Aug. 9 & 10. Studios are open from 10 am to 4 pm and admission is free. Tour guides/maps are available at the Ravenous Raven in Gillies Bay and the Holtenwood Gallery. Please stop by and pick one up. You can also pick one up at the TACT Centre in Van Anda during the two days of the tour. It can be downloaded by visiting the art tour website at www.texadaart.com. A total of 19 Texada artists are participating.

JD explaining the origin of this fine outcrop of volcanic rock on Crescent Bay beach.  

Next hike from Van Anda.

The next hike will be on Saturday, 2nd August.
We meet in the Royal Canadian Legion parking at 10:00am.

Last week we drove south past Davie Bay and turned up the hill to the parking spot for Stromberg Falls. This gave some young visitors a chance to see the sink hole and caves, but as usual at this time of year there was no water coming over the falls. Then back to the vehicles for a short drive back down the hill and part way along the Shingle Beach road. The walk through the forest offered some welcome shade on another very warm day and at the campground it was pleasant to sit on the beach logs for lunch.

A couple of weeks ago we hiked up on to a bluff behind Gillies Bay and I explained to the hikers that quite a few years earlier we had done the same hike and found a young Turkey Vulture on the ground right where we had planned to eat. Not wishing to bother it we sat lower down instead. Before we left I walked carefully up towards the young bird with my camera and was surprised and pleased when it actually came walking down towards me, stopped and promptly closed its eyes. The result was a couple of photos one of which I've attached below.
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 26th July.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we started the hike from the Ballpark in Gillies Bay and headed up the old logging roads towards Cap Sheaf Lake.  Our destination was to be the bluff overlooking the airport and Cranby Lake so we turned off on the narrow winding trail on the left that climbs up over a wooded ridge and undulates through open forest before reaching the lunch spot.  In some places the fallen Arbutus leaves were dry and very slippery so care was taken but part of the trail had been recently improved by local mountain bikers and was much more comfortable walking.  After lunch we decided to take advantage of the new trails which were very well constructed and especially interesting as they follow a different route most of the way back to the Ballpark where we had started.

JD.

Turkey Vulture Bluff near Gillies Bay.  Some years ago we found a baby vulture here that was still too young to fly.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 19th July.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week the hike day was also the first day of the annual Texada Sandcastle weekend and I found myself to be the lone hiker for a change.  I decided to visit the nearest creek to the meeting place and ended up spending an hour or so checking a section of the stream with many pools suitable for small fish.  I found good numbers of trout and salmon and was able to photograph them closeup, although it is important to be careful not to spook them too often.  Cranby Creek enters a swampy area south of the section I was visiting and a major obstacle for the adult fish when they try to swim upstream in the fall are the beaver dams which can stop their progress.  

JD.

Juvenile Coho salmon in Cranby Creek.  These fry are about three months old and still very small, but doing well in clean flowing water. 

Next Hike - we meet at the Community Hall.

The next hike will be on Saturday, 12 July.

We meet at the Community Hall in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.  This weekend it's Sandcastle Days in Gillies Bay so we need to meet away from the crowds.

Last week we started from Van Anda and still had some light rain at first.  We drove to Blubber Bay and hiked out to Grilse Point on the east side of the bay along the shoreline road which used to be the quarry access road for BC Cement Co.  The limestone crushing plant and shipping dock are in a sad state now, but the the old road is a pleasant place to walk.  There is a word of warning though, as there is at least one plant, a small shrub in fact, of the very nasty Western Poison Oak.   You can find it on the lefthand side of the road  in a small wooded area close to the shoreline.  You recognise it by the oak leaf shaped leaflets on the trifoliate leaves.  Be very careful not to touch these leaves which can produce an allergic reaction that can I believe, with some people, last days or weeks.

JD.

Western Poison Oak leaves on a single plant located beside a gravel road on the east side of Blubber Bay.

Next Hike from Van Anda

The next hike will be on Saturday, 5th July.
We meet this time at the Legion parking area in Van Anda at 10:00am

This hike will be somewhat shorter than usual as the new Clarence Wood room is being opened to visitors for the first time at the Van Anda Heritage Society Museum in the afternoon. This will also be a chance for hikers to view the changes to the Van Anda museum now that the original Texada Museum in Blubber Bay has closed. There will be refreshments for visitors.

I remember when I was a boy I visited museums all over the British Isles and it was always an exciting time for me when I could search out any museums in the areas we visited on summer vacations. My interests changed over the years and the history of the Roman colony of Britannia attracted me early on, all those military forts and the imperial roads were fun. Then I got interested in fossils and geology and museums were great places to go to see examples of rocks, minerals and ancient forms of life. We lived close enough to London and I do believe the city in those days had some of the finest museums in the world and I was able to visit some of them over and over again.

Last week we hiked to Mouat Point and sat overlooking the sea for lunch. No marine mammals around this time, but the marine traffic was quite interesting. My photo is of one of the big freight barges heading for Alaska and you can see the great variety of items that show up in a telephoto shot.
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 28th June.
We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

We drove towards Bobs Lake and then started our hike from the road junction just south of the Vancouver Island hydro line. Hiking south along the gas line for a while we then branched off along our winding trail that links the gasline to the north end of Bobs Lake and followed the main road as if going to Mt. Flicker. This old logging road that runs just north of Flicker is a long one that does eventually go right down to Hydro East, but part of it is too overgrown to use and we always have lunch at a viewpoint with gaps in the trees that gives us a glympse of Nelson Island, Jervis Inlet and some of the mountains beyond.

At the lunch spot Wayne noticed some dainty wild flowers and asked me what they were. I guessed they were a species of winter-green and took a few photos of them so that I could do a proper ID later. There are several similar species of plants belonging to several different genera that have been given this common name, but this particular one is the more rare Chimaphila menziesii and I was surprised to learn that it is not at all common anywhere in BC. There are a few records of it on southern Vancouver Island and along the US border, but only three official sightings in the Powell River and Texada area. What an exquisite little beauty!
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 21st June.
We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we hiked from a road junction part-way down Cook Bay Road south and east to a large beaver swamp not very far from Angel Lake. The weather was a little cooler than one would expect in early June, but proved to be reasonably comfortable as the morning was spent gaining quite a lot of elevation along the older logging road.

My photo this week is of Dragonfly Lake, a fairly large body of water that feeds Russ Creek on the east side of Texada. This is the creek that is crossed by a very high loggers bridge at the White Pine forestry test area. In the foreground of my picture you can see a few of the large round waterlily leaves and it was not far from the spot where I got a very nice photo of one of the large bright yellow flowers.

I think this lake at the north end might be a pleasant place for a swim as the lake is deep and free from sunken logs there, but I've not given it a try yet. The water was certainly clear and warm the day of the hike.
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 14th June.
We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last Saturday we had a lovely summer day for our hike. We drove along Bell Rd to the Hydro East tunoff, then left again along the road that goes down to Russ Creek, parking at roadside gravel pit not too far along. The air was warm especially in the open recently planted areas, but the open areas also offered a pleasant cooling breeze and in the sections with forest shade it was comfortable as well. Our destination was Dragonfly Lake and the small low bluff at the north end was just perfect for lunch. The trail along the eastern shore of the lake was mostly in good shape, but the last part was partially blocked by a few windfalls. We did a little cutting on the way in and again going out making it quite nice for next time.

A few bright yellow flowers of waterlily dotted the water near the lunch spot and one made a good subject for my weekly photo.
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 7th June.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last Saturday we decided to revisit a beach on the east side of the island that we only discovered one day last year.  The location is not very far to the south of Pocahontas Bay but the hike to it along old logging roads takes about one and a half hours.  It was quite a warm day and it was pleasant to be walking in the shade of the forest for much of the way, less comfortable in the full sun where the road crossed a recent clearcut area.  The view from the beach where we sat on the logs for lunch looks across Malaspina Strait to Stillwater with the very distintive surge tower on the old hydro generating station penstock.  The massive pipe running down from the dam on Lois Lake can be seen where it passes under the main road between Westview and Saltery Bay. 

My photo was taken at our new beach, Tower Beach, and has one of the adult eagle pair guarding the very large nest near the top of a big snag.

JD.

    

Eagle on top of nest tree at Tower Beach.

Next Hike.

The next hike will be on Saturday, 31st May.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10.00am.

We first drove south on the Davie Bay road and then turned left just after Eagle Creek.  This road climbs and eventually joins Thompson Road, but we parked at the sandpit about half way up.  The old logging road that starts here is a more attractive route through the forest and it too joins Thompson Road and gives hikers a chance to do a circular hike.  Our lunch spot is at the top of Eagle Mountain which is only reached after a very steep climb, but the view from the grassy bluff on the west side at the top is well worth the effort.

JD.

The sweeping view looking north-west from the top of Eagle Mountain.  Dick Island is in the centre with the Texada Quarry in the distance on the right.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 24th May.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Please note that the Ballpark may be busy this Saturday so we will park at the far end of the parking area.

Last week we drove up Bell Rd. and turned off onto the Masyk Farm Rd. parking at the first wide spot suitable for parking.  The hike route took us north then south on the old logging road that passes Black Mt. trail and down to the viewpoint that looks east out over Malaspina Strait to Nelson Island and Jervis Inlet.  It makes a very pleasant spot for lunch on a hike with just forest all along the route there and back. 

 

My photo is from the hike two weeks ago when we found ourselves sharing a mountain top with several very tame grouse. The males were booming not far away, but remained silent when they were close to us.  They have an interesting mating display in which they spread the feathers on each side of the neck to expose a patch of red or orange skin and fan their tails like a peacock.  They sometimes exhibit very curious reactions to humans who get down on the ground very close to them as you can see in this video on YouTube.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km4SPzuuXbI

JD.

  

 

Sometimes bird photography is so easy!  This Blue Grouse on Flicker Mt. was not in the least bit bothered by the human interest. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 17th May.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Not far to the east of Bobs Lake are a couple of small conical peaks one of which was given the name Flicker Mountain a few years ago when we first cut a trail to the top.  Last week we hiked there from the road junction at the foot of Mt Davies for a change.  Usually the hike that goes to the peak starts on the gas line and heads south along the right of way before swinging east and around the north shore of the lake. All morning we could hear the familiar deep booming sound of male grouse, but its not often we get to see one or more at the same time although every now and then a mother is seen with one or more chicks.  We had just settled down for lunch when a male grouse was spotted and the dogs had to be restrained before they could reach the remarkably unperturbed bird. When the photographers had finished shooting I did my best to shoo it away, and the lunch proceeded. I thought that was that, but as we headed down the steep bluffs we came upon two more males both of which were also quite happy about being photographed. 

I suppose we could rename the peak Grouse Mountain, but I guess not as that name has been taken already. 

JD.

     

     A very tame male Blue Grouse on top of Flicker Mountain.  

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 10th May.
We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we drove south past Davie Bay to the concrete bridge over lower Stromberg Creek, then up to the parking place for the falls viewing. This time there was very little water in the creek so no point in taking the trail to see the falls, but this was the start of our hike. The road on from this point begins to rise quite steeply and keeps rising with only one very short descent for the next hour or so of hiking. The chosen lunch spot was one we had never visited before, but just selected from a viewing on Google Earth of the western slopes of Mt. Davies. It was clearly a steep open area a little south of the Vancouver Island Hydro lines at an elevation of about 340 metres. Reaching it meant finding a route through a section of wooded hillside with areas of evergreen huckleberry, but this proved to be fairly easy and we were rewarded with a viewpoint of Georgia Strait extending from Lasqueti north to Hornby and Denman Islands.
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 3rd May.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we drove south to park on the gas line right of way at the cathodic protection station near First Lake.  Taking the main road south the short distance to the driveway that used to be part of the Mouat Bay logging company's main haul road we stopped to check if the trout were spawning in the creek.  No sign of them, but the gravels and the water flow look to be perfect for them just there, a spot they have been known to use in the past.  At the sharp curve in the road we forked left and headed uphill towards Third Lake. This old logging road is now covered by moss and grass and and looks very attractive as it slowly reverts to forest again.  

The trail to the top of Plateau Mt. is steep and rough in places, but once the more or less flat and forest covered top is reached walking in any direction is quite easy.  The day remained dry and sunny as we ate lunch at one of the various viewpoints — this one looking west towards Vancouver Island.

JD.

   

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Happy hikers on top of Plateau Mountain near Third Lake.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 26th April.
We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we did the annual one-way hike from Van Anda to Raven Bay for the beach BBQ and potluck lunch. The expected rain never materialised and climbing the hills along the way kept us quite warm. We took a route from the Legion on logging roads at first and then the trail that circles Turtle Lake on the west side passing through a rare section of old growth forest. This took us onto the old mine railway track bed close to the Cornell Mine and staying away from the High Road wwe climbed through the clearcut up to the gasline right of way. Walking the gasline is always more interesting than being on the gravel road and we kept to it as far as we could until a new fence pushed us back to the High Road at the top of the hill down to Slow Farm junction.
JD.

Next Hike - starts from Van Anda

The next hike on Saturday, 19th April includes the annual Trekkers Beach BBQ potluck at Raven Bay.

Hikers meet at the Royal Canadian Legion parking in Van Anda at 10:00am and walk to Raven Bay (2 1/2 hours). 

If you are unable to hike right now, used to hike or are spouses/partners/visitors of Trekkers, you are welcome! 

  

Raven Bay road is only suitable for 4 wheel drive vehicles. but if you come by car you can park at the junction to the Raven Bay turnoff which is at Slow Farm on the High Road.  The walk down to the beach takes ten to fifteen minutes.

 

There will be a fire and the opportunity to roast oysters, hot dogs and bring whatever food you wish to eat or share with others.  There are logs to sit on, but no picnic tables so bring chairs if you want to sit close to the fire.  Also BYOB if you wish. 

The tide should be low enough to gather shell fish, but don't forget to have your current Saltwater Licenses. 

After the BBQ those who drove down to the bay will take the drivers and those who are unable to walk back to their vehicles in Van Anda or on the High Road.   

My photo is from my birdwatching visit to Vancouver Island earlier this month where I found some of the beaches coated in some places with layers of fresh laid fish eggs.  The herring spawn in enormous numbers at this time of the year and their eggs are supposed to stick onto seaweed and rocks below the surface of the sea.  However, many end up drifting to shore and end up exposed as the tides recede.  They form a rich food source for a multitude of birds including tens of thousands of gulls, ducks and geese which remain concentrated in the area for days or weeks until the eggs are all gone. 

JD. 

Some fresh herring eggs in my hand, picked up from the beach on Vancouver Island.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 12th April.

We meet at the Ballpark at Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week the hike day was another rainy one, but for this week the Saturday forecast is for nothing but sunshine with no chance of rain happening at all. What a pleasant surprise!

I'm also giving advance notice of the annual beach barbecue for Texada Trekkers, past and present, who can make it to Raven Bay on Saturday, 19th April, one way or another.  For those who can hike we meet at the Legion parking in Van Anda at 10:00am.  A word of warning about getting to Raven Bay with a vehicle — the road is a bit rough and 4 x 4 and good clearance is required.   I will email with more details early next week.

My photo this week is a group of our smallest gulls, the Bonapartes Gull, on the beach on Vancouver Island where I'm bird watching this week.  This species is often seen in Gillies Bay, but never in the the great numbers seen on the east coast of Vancouver Island in the winter.  They have white heads outside the breeding season, but the change to summer plumage is taking place now and you can see how it progresses in this single shot of several individuals.

JD.

The Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 5th April.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

Last week we had a lovely day for hiking for a change.  Dry, sunny and not too windy where we stopped for lunch high on the mountainside above Davie Bay.  It looked to us as if Vancouver Island was covered  by a vey dark cloud and I later learned from my friends in the Qualicum area that they had had very heavy rain that morning, and none of the sunshine we enjoyed. 

On the way back to our vehicles we passed a recently logged area where deer proof fencing surrounded a small area of replanted clearcut.  Inside the enclosure we could see the only young freshly planted trees protected from the deer were Arbutus.  Odd, I know, but I do undestand what is going on here and I will explain it all another day.

JD.

The Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 29th March.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am

So far this year the Trekkers have been exceptionally unlucky with the weather on hike days.  Last week was no exception with thick cloud and periods of drizzle all the time we were hiking. Although the cloud was thick, the cloud base was quite high at around 2,000ft so we decided to head for a viewpoint, hoping the clouds might thin out and give us a nice view at lunch time.  We drove up to the High Road, then north and then down towards Pocahontas Bay parking on the new shortcut logging road not far from the bay.  Hiking south on the old Pocahontas Main until we turned off on the right and up the spur road to Taylor Bluff.  We had hoped for some improvement in the weather, but it was not to be and we sat high above Malaspina Strait seeing little beyond the roads and waterfront houses on the mainland side. 

While the day was gloomy the group were not.  Two hikers were recently returned from the Far East and entertained the others recounting their experiences in exotic lands.

JD.

Lunch on the moss at Taylor Bluff on yet another dull and damp day. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 22nd March.
We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we were expecting another wet day for hiking and, sure enough, it was raining most of the time we were hiking though especially heavy at lunch time. We chose the route that takes us from near the start of Davie Bay road through a mix of clearcuts and forest down to the beach close to Mouat Point. There is a summer cabin there with a covered verandah that makes a perfect rain shelter, so very welcome this particular day. The sea was grey and as far as the eye could see covered in breaking waves driven by a strong south-easter. A loaded barge heading north was soon lost in the rain that restricted visibility, and only close to the shore was the sea calm in the lee of the point. Even there the frequent back eddies of wind made curious dark patterns on the surface of the water.
JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 15th March.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we had, yet again, a rainy day for the hike and this coming Saturday the forecast is for another day of rain.  We decided to do the hike down to Shingle Beach as this gives us places in the Diversity Music Festival bandstands to stay dry while we eat lunch.  Before starting the hike proper we made a side trip to see if the earlier rains would reward us with a fine show at Stromberg Falls. and this plan worked out really well.  I think the volume of water coming down over the falls that day was more than I have seen for several years. It never fails to impress me that such a small creek can produce such a massive torrent of water and spray down a sixty foot cliff. 

JD.

Stromberg Falls after heavy rain in early March, 2014

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 8th March.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week there was still quite a lot of snow about on the high ground, but I could see from my house at breakfast time that the west facing side of Mt. Pocahontas was mostly clear of snow so we headed up to the High Road for our hike. The road was clear and fine for walking and we used the hydro line right of way and the old logging road to reach a high spot for lunch.  Looking across to Vancouver Island it was interesting to see the snow cover there still extended right down to the shoreline.

JD.

The sun had melted all but a few patches of snow on the slopes of Mt. Pocahontas where we sat on a log for lunch. 

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 29th February.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week the weather was not great with snow forecast for the whole day.  We decided to start the hike off from the Ballpark to avoid having problems with driving.  There was already snow on the ground at higher elevations and as we headed up School Road it began to snow and in fact the snow never really stopped falling all morning and afternoon.  Our destination was the bluff overlooking Gillies Bay, so quite a short distance, but it was 12:00 o'clock by the time we got there.   Curiously enough  there were very large areas that were quite bare of snow where the trees overhead were evergreens, but on the open bluffs the snow was several inches thick.  At the lunch spot we were never able to see more than the houses on Pine Street, the rest of the view hidden from us by the falling snow. 

My photo was taken as we climbed the first hill on the logging road to Cap Sheaf.

JD.

 

A snowy hike to a bluff above Gillies Bay.  

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 22nd February.

We meet at the Ballpark at Gillies Bay at 10.00am

Last week we just had a very small group of hikers and started hiking from the Ballpark instead of driving somewhere.  A gale was predicted and the weather was certainly quite overcast and showers were predicted.  However, it remained dry and calm all morning and afternoon and he we had a pleasant walk through the forest to Cap Sheaf Lake.

My photo for this week was taken on the first hike this month when we had a lovely day and lunched on a bluff above the sea just in front of a quite rustic abandoned cottage.  Eagle Creek reaches the sea at the foot of the bluff and it was odd to see clusters of ice on the rocks where the low waterfall cascades onto the shingle beach.  That day the tide was very high and the beach under water, but on earlier visits we were able to walk on the beach and lunch on the logs.

JD.

The waterfall where Eagle Creek reaches the sea, and where the tops of some beach rocks had collected curious clumps of ice.