Next Hike

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

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

My photo this week was taken on our recent hike into Dragonfly Lake.  The beaver dam is at the south end of the lake and I have never had a good look at it so I don't know if there is anything special about it. However, the beaver must be doing a good job of maintaining it as I noticed the water level had dropped very little after a long spell of quite dry weather. As we walked towards our lunch spot at the north end we passed betwen several fair sized trees that had been largely stripped of their bark as high as the beaver could reach.  They had not attempted to fall any of the trees but they may well do so if they want to feed on the needles and bark of the smaller branches higher up.

JD.

The work of a hungry beaver close to the edge of Dragonfly Lake.  

Next Hike,

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

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay.

Last week the weather was overcast when we met at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay and it was raining to some extent for most of the time we were driving and hiking.  We parked on the road that heads down towards Russ creek and the White Pine rust disease study area walking part way before turning off on the side road to Dragonfly Lake.  Although it was damp hiking through the narrow trail alongside the lake and it rained a little more than earlier as we ate lunch on the bluff at the north end everyone seemed quite happy.  The fact that we were having some rain at last after quite a long hot dry spell was enough reason to be cheerfull. 

My photo was one I took a few days later when the air was dry again and I was doing a botanical excursion to the Eagle Creek and Mouat Bluffs area with a visitor form the Lower Mainland. She had never been on Texada before and was especially interested in some of our rare ferns and related species of plants and I was able to show her some  fine specimens for her to photograph.  The butterfly is a kind of Fritilary, but as there are quite a few species that are similar I'm not sure exactly which one this might be. 

JD.

 

A Fritillary butterfly feeding on a roadside daisy flower near Eagle Creek.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 11th July.

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

Last week we drove a long way sout, right down past Angel Lake and the Twin Peaks Trail and parked at the Fiveway Junction.  Taking the old Cook Bay cut-off road we walked down hill and took the second logging road on the left, south side, of the road.  This climbs fairly steeply uphill in nice forest shade for some distance and then drops a little before levelling off.  There used to be a good viewpoint on the right on this section of the road, but the trees are growing so rapidly here that the view is spoilt now.  After a short seach we found a new spot with an even better view with shade trees as a bonus.  The smoke that has bothered the entire coast for the last few days had not arrived last Saturday and we had clear views to the south west of the Sabine Channel, Lasqueti Island and the mountains on Vacouver Island.

JD.

http://texadatrekkers.blogspot.ca/ 

        

        The view of the Sabine Channel, part of Lasqueti Island with Mt. Arrowsmith in the far distance.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 4th July.

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

Last week we drove down the Davie Bay Rd as far as Eagle Creek, then turned left and parked just after the old sand pit.  From there we had welcome shade right from the start and it was pleasant and rather surprising after a long spell of hot dry weather to be walking on short green grass. The old logging road climbs quite steeply for a while and only eases off after it passes a small swamp on the right. Reaching Thompson Road at a T junction we turned right and headed south, still in the forest shade, but now on a quite level stretch of road.  Our lunch spot destination was to be Balanced Rock Lake and this is at the end of narrow winding rather overgrown trail that climbs steadily from the end of a short spur road on the left of the main road. 

It was great to find an adult Nighthawk on the ground in the very same area where we have seen this species nesting in the past. We were careful about not stepping on the eggs which are laid on the bare ground where there are small patches of open forest, but saw no eggs or young this year. 

JD.

Hiking in the cool dappled shade along the northern part of Thompson Road.       Stu Broderick photo.

Hike Notice — extra.

I forgot to include in my last email hike notice an invitation to hikers from Diana Vaughn.

You are invited back to Diana's house on Blair Rd. after the hike tomorrow where I have no doubt the very best English tea will be served in great style, together with some appropriate goodies of the edible kind.
JD.

Next Hike

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

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

Last week we had a day that started off quite cloudy but it soon became hot and sunny and we were glad to be hiking much of the time in forest shade.  We parked on the gasline at Second Lake and followed a circular route that took us on old logging roads and forest trails over a ridge to Thompson Road and back again.  The lunch spot was on a bluff with quite an extensive view across the straits to Vancouver Island. The hike included natural history features of interest that included a handsome black and white garter snake, some rare and some common wintergreen flowers and a clear pool of water not far from Third Lake with lots of active trout fry.

JD.

Hiking near Thompson Road on an old logging road covered in masses of white daisies. 

Next Hike

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

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

Last week we drove south on Bell Road just to the Hydro East Junction and parked there in the shade. We started by walking south towards Hydro East and then turned off on the very first old road on the left. This part of the hike is very pleasant in summer time as there is lots of shade on most of the route all the way to the viewpoint lunch spot which has a choice of sun or shade and a great view to the Coast Mountains and nearby Sunshine Coast.  Not long before reaching the lunch spot a crossroad offers a short optional side trip to a lovely beaver pond and close to the water a not so lovely blown-up camping trailer.  Some years ago a propane leak inside must have ignited and the result is a field of debris that is quite extensive.  We were surprised to find the dam and lodge were in excellent condition with evidence of recent beaver maintenance activity. 

My photo this week is from two weeks ago when we hiked to the top of Mount Flicker which lies close to Bobs Lake on it's east side.

JD.

On top of Mt. Flicker near Bobs Lake with the Vancouver Island mountains in the far distance.