I’m an hour and a half into a 2 hour ascent to Century Sam Lake near the Comox Glacier.

A bead of sweat runs off my forehead and down my nose. I’m doubled over leaning on my hiking poles. My heart is hammering and my lungs are wheezing like an old vacuum. I’m thinking “Holy Crap, this is a steep hike”. I check my GPS, more to give myself a few more seconds rest than anything, but it’s given up the ghost claiming ‘no satellite reception’. Looking around at the steep and towering mountains surrounding me I guess I’m not surprised it can’t get a signal.

Glancing up the trail I see the smiling face of my dog, Chase. He loves this sort of thing and seems to draw a special smug satisfaction in staring down on me from up the trail silently saying “come on….lets go…what’s the hold up?” Ya, ya, ya…I’m coming. If I had his power to weight ratio, 4 wheel drive and built in crampons I’d be way up there too. If the smug little bugger comes any closer I’m going to grab his tail and make him haul me up the mountain!

For the 10th time I wonder how I managed to be here, in my own personal 9 km of vertical pain. It didn’t look this ugly on Google Earth!

The idea for this trip started several days ago. Reading a blog on the Vancouver Island Spine trail lead me to their website. There I saw a photo of some people hiking up near Forbidden Plateau. Thinking this looked like a very pleasant way to spend a day I did a little research on Google which lead me to post about the Century Sam Lake trail with some gorgeous photos. Making this destination even more intriguing was talk of snow caves in a small glacier at the end of the lake…how could I pass that up? A bit work on Google Earth and Fugawi Navigator and I had some tracks laid into the GPS. I was up early on Sunday morning and off to adventure.

A quick hour drive brought me off the Island Highway near Courtenay and onto the North side of Comox Lake. I was half expecting to be turned away by the guard at the gate but there was no sign of anyone. After a 20 minute teeth-rattling-bone-jarring-kick-the-crap-out-of-my-truck- haven’t-you-guys-ever-heard-of-a-Grader-stupid-rough-ride, the road turned away from the lake up Cruickshank Canyon and got smoother. Another half hour and I was at the trailhead. Most of the road would be fine in a 2wd but the last km was deactivated and heavily ditched so it was pretty well 4wd territory only.

By this time I was almost an hour into the bush and had only passed one other vehicle, heading out (not a good sign). Parking the truck and strapping on my hiking and photography gear I was feeling a little alone, wondering perhaps if it was such a good idea to be so far in by myself. The feeling was short lived, however, when I walked over a rise in the road and discover a number of other trucks at the trail head.

After my painful 2 hour ascent through mostly dense bush, I emerged out on rock outcropping near the lake….wow! The place was drop dead gorgeous! Towering peaks under a clear blue sky enclosed a beautiful aqua-marine lake fed by a small glacier. Fall colors provided contrast to the predominantly blue and green scene. Ascent pain forgotten, all I could think of is how lucky I was to have such a unique and beautiful place available on a day hike.

I made my way past the lake to reach my true destination…the snow cave. The glacier sits in a pocket of the surrounding mountains. It was high noon and yet I was standing in shadow at the mouth of the cave. Could it be true…had I finally found that most mythical of places…‘where the sun don’t shine’…funny, this wasn’t how I’d pictured it.

The glacier has a large cave hollowed out in it, presumably made by snow melt. As I entered the cave I heard a large, heavy sounding ‘thunk’. A small warning to keep an eye overhead perhaps? A couple of quick pictures and I got out of there. I had no desire to be some future anthropologists ‘20th Century Man’ a few centuries from now. On my way back out I couldn’t resist the temptation to walk on the glacier….bad idea. I hadn’t gone 4 steps before I was on my arse sliding back down. Momma, your boy’s going to be sore tomorrow!

A glance at my watch let me know that it was time to head back down. An hour later my shaky legs finally brought me back to my truck and the trip home. From front door to glacier and home again in time for dinner….you have to love Vancouver Island!

Gear for this trip:

GPS:  nice to have but not essential.  The trail is well marked but the GPS was very useful in sorting out which logging roads to take in.

Hiking Poles: almost essential.  This trail has only 2 states: up or down.

Camera:  essential.  How could you not take pictures of a place this gorgeous?  For this trip I carried an SLR body, 10-22mm, 24-105mm and 70-200mm lenses but ended up only using the 10-22mm.  A tripod would be nice since many photo ops in the bush and in the snow cave have low lighting.

Hiking Boots:  nice but not essential for when I went (Oct 4).  The trail was pretty dry reflecting the recent weather so there was only a couple of muddy places.  However, if the weather has been wet I could envision this trail being very muddy.

Travel Times:
Nanaimo to Trail Head: 2 hrs
Ascent to Century Sam Lake: 2 hrs (less if you are fit)
Descent from lake: 1 hr

Links of Interest:
Other photos by Tim Penney
Directions to the trail head. This links describes how to get the the Comox Glacier Trail but the trail heads are the same.

My Flickr site.

If you have never heard of the Vancouver Island Spine Trail, you’re in for a nice surprise. The proposed 700km trail from the north tip of Vancouver Island, is getting geared up for some major action. Some of the trail utilizes current trail system but there is still a lot to be done. This is the progress report for September 9 2009. You can find out more on the website, vispine.ca

Vancouver Island “Spine” Trail Association is now constituted as a registered non profit society. VISTA is now happy to receive support of interested persons, and membership is $20 cash or cheque (or PayPal soon on our website) that entitles you to receive the progress reports, to vote at the AGMs for 2010, and to brag about your support!

Snail Mail: VISTA, 325 Irving Road, Victoria, BC, V8S4A1

VI Spine trail will be part of “Hike BC” network, the B.C. wing of the National Hiking Trail. We’ve applied for Federal tax free status. Our trail association, VISTA, has an active Board of Directors:

Gil Parker, retired engineer/writer, President

Bill Feyrer, retired engineer, Treasurer

Robie Macdonald, oceanographer, Director

Ray Parks, CEO Provincial Capitol Commission, Director

Peter Berrang, retired businessman, Director

As a result of media reports, we have had a tremendous response to our concept and volunteers offering assistance in several specific areas.

We have a committed Task Force with active representatives up and down the Island.

Don Watmough, ex CRD planner, Victoria We also have several helpful

Robert Gunn, president AVOC, Port Alberni consultants and volunteers

Ken Rodonets, president CDMC, Courtenay along the route of the Spine.

Tak Ogasawara, Campbell River

Jerry Davidson, Port Hardy

Positive Steps:

All hiking clubs have been contacted. The Spine has been endorsed by many clubs and regional and municipal institutions. See our website.

Jen Segger of “Challenge by Choice”, outdoor athlete extraordinaire, has just run and cycled the length of Vancouver Island in four days. We expect a hiker to take about a month!! While her route is different from that of the Spine, many parts are the same. Jen promoted our VI Spine in her radio interviews and on her website. Thanks, Jen!

All regional districts have been contacted and these liaisons will be continued. Meetings in Victoria have resulted in endorsement by the CRD Parks Committee. A presentation to the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities-AVICC resulted in expanded communication with Port Alberni officials, and with mayors from other Island centers.

Meetings are scheduled this fall with Capitol Region and Cowichan Valley Region to expedite the southern portion of the Spine (actually the long-incomplete Trans Canada Trail from Langford to Shawnigan Lake) for a probable start of construction in 2010.

A recent announcement of $450,000 from ICET provincial funds will allow the section from Headquarters Bay on the Alberni Canal to proceed east to Francis Lake. In general, the trail planning is following the (1913) historic Canadian Northern Pacific Railway from Victoria to Port Alberni, still quite visible along the Canal south of Port Alberni.

VISTA is working with the Kwakutl nation in Port Hardy to assist in their funded study of the route from Port Hardy to Shushartie Bay. We are still trying to decide on a simple system of field coordinates and mapping to permit definitive mapping of the route, a system that all sections can utilize.

Next Tasks for VI Spine

In addition to the on-going activities (above), VISTA will focus on completing a brochure and revising the website to give a more complete virtual tour of the VI Spine.

Continue and expand contacts with RDs, especially with their planning of recreational trails. Through the RDs, make contact with timber companies. We need to eventually secure occupiers’ licenses for our trails. VISTA expects a meeting with MOTCAs Island representatives at an early date. (This Ministry was responsible for the BC Trail Strategy in 2009, and they are the lead administrative organ for trails on Crown land.)

The on-the-ground work of locating the VI Spine has been hampered this summer by road closures due to fire hazard and for other reasons. As much as possible in fall and winter, we will continue with our trail crews for route identification and location.

Our major media event in the near future will be a Torch Relay (or with something more appropriate to hiking, maybe a Backpack Relay). Probably in the spring or early summer we hope to have individuals and clubs (hikers, service clubs, schools), hike the route of the VI Spine as near as possible to the proposed route, the complete length of the Island. We won’t do it in four days, like Jen Segger, but more likely a month, with many media events en route.

VISTA will begin serious PR and fund-raising work. So far, all the press that we have received has been initiated by the media.

The VISTA Board is open to your ideas!

You will be able to soon. The Vancouver Island Spine Trail will allow you to do it.

Here is their latest progress up date straight from one of their organizers, Gil Parker.

VI Spine: A Trail from Victoria to Cape Scott

What is VI Spine? July 2009 Progress Report

{If this is the first Report you have seen, refer to our website www.vispine.ca.}

The Vancouver Island “Spine” is a proposed trail from Victoria in the south to Cape Scott at the northern tip of the Island. The route is an inland route that passes near many communities, yet retains its wilderness character, following historic routes and completed trails where they exist.

Over 700 km long, 190 km of which is already built or planned, the “VISpine” will provide a recreational trail for residents and tourists through the beautiful back country of Vancouver Island. Primarily a hiking trail (but permitting non-motorized, multi-use where appropriate) the route traces mountains, forests and lakes, similar to successful routes in North America.

The “VISpine” trail will encourage local economies, both in the building of the trail and in the maintenance of the route. Local hiking clubs will be encouraged to monitor and adopt the trail, and businesses to provide services to travellers in their regions.

Where are we now?

VI Spine is part of “Hike BC,” the B.C. wing of the National Hiking Trail. We’ve applied for Federal tax free status. Our trail association, VISTA, has formed a Task Force with active representatives up and down the Island. Our active North Island member,Tim Sander, is leaving for the Kootenays, and we have a knowledgeable replacement in Jerry Davidson, Port Hardy. And we have added Tak Ogasawara, a former forestry employee and a well-known climber, in Campbell River. We are also getting many offers of volunteer assistance from young and capable outdoors people.

All hiking clubs have been contacted. The Spine has been endorsed by many clubs and regional and municipal institutions. New since our April Report are Victoria Outdoor Club, City of Campbell River, Village of Cumberland, Comox Valley Regional District, and the Capital Regional District Parks Committee.

While VI Spine has made extensive efforts to find partners to apply for the recent Federal funds ($25m infrastructure funding for trails) this has resulting in no application being made. The large amount actually diminishes to $3m for BC trails, and of that, only $1m for non-motorized trails. In the time available to apply for these funds (closed June 26th) no regional district could be identified to have the required 50% matching funds and/or the willingness to commit funds to specific parts of the VI Spine. However, meetings with the CRD and CVRD to expedite the southern portion of the Spine (actually the long-incomplete Trans Canada Trail) has been productive. We have been invited to participate in the detailed design of the section from Langford to Shawnigan Lake, for a probable start of construction in 2010.

A recent announcement of $450,000 from ICET funds will allow the section from Headquarters Bay on the Alberni Canal to proceed east to Francis Lake. Project partners include the City of Port Alberni, the Tseshaht First Nation and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. The total cost of this section is estimated at $929,000. We will have our VI Spine representatives discuss route location details, in order to coordinate the eventual connection to the Cowichan Lake section. In general, our trail planning is following the (1913) historic Canadian Northern Pacific Railway grade from Victoria to Port Alberni, still quite visible along the Alberni Canal south of Port Alberni.

All regional districts have been contacted. The Comox Valley “Echo” reported on April 10th the support of the Comox Valley Regional District in a complimentary report. Meetings in Victoria have resulted in endorsement by the CRD Parks Committee, and an invitation to meet with the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities-AVICC.

We have received a query from Channel A (#11) up-Island, and Ken Rodonets of our Task Force has responded. The Victoria Times-Colonist interviewed Parker and, on June 25th, ran an article about the VI Spine with a map of the route. Three days later, Dave Obee wrote a positive editorial about our trail project.

Next Tasks for VI Spine

Continue and expand contacts with RDs, especially with their planning of recreational trails. Make contact with timber companies. We need to eventually secure occupiers’ licenses for our trails. Expand contacts with MOTCA and First Nations.

Plan trail crews for route identification and location. We have volunteers available who are expert in route-finding and GPS location.

Begin serious PR and fund-raising work. So far, all the press that we have received has been initiated by the media. But keep an eye out for a major media event for 2010. Something like an Olympic year, relay from Victoria to Cape Scott. Ideas?

Another update is due soon and I will post that as soon as I see it. If you have any other questions let us know at pureoutside [at] gmail [dot] com or email Gil Parker at vispine [at] vispine [dot] ca.

Check out a crashed plane near Tofino.

Relax beside some long waterfalls on Bonnell Creek.

Playing in the snow on Green Mountain

Hiking on Flower Ridge near Gold River

This trip started out as an unknown for me. It would take us into some country that I’d never even thought of going. I’d heard of this Strathcona Park place before but had never really seen any of it aside from the lodge perched on the side of Buttle lake.

Erik thought we should get out there and check it out. How tough could it be? Looking at reviews online. Steep….steep…..steep…. lots of flowers. Oh I like the flower part, what did it say before that? Apparently it’s steep.  The reviews weren’t joking around.

We arrived at the trailhead as it was getting dark and decided to hike until we found a suitable tent location and continue on in the morning. Do you know how hard it is to find a camping spot on the side of a ridge when it’s pitch black out? We went about 3 km in that night and were able to find a nice flat(ish) spot next to a stream.

I woke up the next morning partially on the ground. I hadn’t closed one of the valves on my sleeping mat the whole way and they don’t hold air well when they are open. Grab the food caches, down a quick breakfast and continue on up the incredibly steep hill.

It wasn’t all fun and games going straight up the hill, there was the odd flat section and then we’d round a corner to find more steep hill. Did I mention it was steep?

After what seemed like ages in the trees we started to see more sunlight and then burst out of the trees. Almost accidentally we stopped and turned around to take in the incredible view down the valley of the lake kept in place by high green ridges.

For those not wanting to go to far down the ridge or needing a spot to camp soon after coming out of the trees there were a few here. There were a few ponds but not much nice water.

There is a pretty good trail down the ridge from the end but we decided to meander a bit and take in the scenery. It’s hard to get lost up there. You can see the other end where you want to go and you can’t really go off course too much; walking down-hill equals off course.

We weren’t sure exactly where the “South End” of the ridge was but stopped where we thought was almost the end in a fairly protected rock outcropping.  We ended up being about a kilometre away from the end of the ridge but there was much more snow further on so we decided to camp out here. It provided some incredible scenery. The picture at the top of the post was taken 30 feet away from the tent.

The following day offered little in the way of surprises, only beautiful scenery and decent weather. We meandered our way back down the ridge and descended into the woods. The way down was nicer on the quads but not so much on the rear end. The loose rock is frickin slippery!

Going up on the way out and down on the way back is definitely the way to do it!

Gear on Flower Ridge

Shoes: Salomon Wings
GPS: Garmin Colorado 300
Backpack: Arcteryx Naos 50 – This bag was a delight to use but didn’t really have a chance to shine. It stayed relatively dry the entire trip so the waterproof exterior of the Naos didn’t really come into play. If there is one midsize bag to get for the wet west coast, this is it.
Tent: MSR Hubba Hubba – always a pleasure carrying.
Stove: MSR Windpro – nice in the wind but a little slow with the cooking.
Water Purifying: Steripen – First time we used this one. Probably wasn’t required with the water coming straight out of the snow but we could sleep easy knowing there (probably) weren’t any bugs going to ruin the trip(or our next week). It’s extremely light and a pleasure to carry. Read the manual once to get the gist but it’s pretty straight forward. It’s a little finicky when the battery is cold.

GPS on Flower Ridge

The trail is very clear on the way up to the ridge and then it’s walking along the ridge. If you want to continue on down the other side or around one of the other ridges, a GPS would be handy.

Extra Links

Track on Trailpeak: http://trailpeak.com/trail-Flower-Ridge-Trail-near-Campbell-River-BC-1221

Images on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcthink/sets/72157616691076118/

Hike to the Canso Bomber crash in Tofino

This hike was definitely an random adventure that turned out to be a lot of fun. We wanted to look for this plane that we had heard was in the area of Radar Hill in Tofino. We weren’t really sure where exactly to go but knew it was somewhere at the end of a trail.

Off we go.

We parked at the bottom of Radar Hill and hiked south along the highway for a few hundred metres. Just after one of the big bends about a kilometre away from the parking area turn into the bush on a fairly well used trail. It should be good single track. You shouldn’t have to duck through many brambles or branches. If you have, then you’ve turned off too early (or late). The trail is around the telephone pole marked 300.

Continue on up this single track up a hill and down the other side. You will have to go around an old creep abandoned building to do this. You can go inside if you want, there shouldn’t be anything there. At least there wasn’t anything(one?) in it when we were there!

Heading down the other side you’ll get into some pretty muddy territory. It’s quite low and wet in this area so take good boots. I was in trail runners when we did and had to be extra careful but that kept the trail interesting. A couple people ended up in the mud up to their calves, so pick your footing well.

Follow the marked ribbon all the way across the flat marshy area. If you can tell direction well keep heading in the direction of the ocean. You’ll see the land start to slant up before you get to the water in a ridge that runs parallel to the beach. The crash site is on the near side of that ridge. You should come across a couple large pits filled with water that are left from detonating the explosives that were on the plane when it crashed.

You can continue up the hill if you like and get a view of the water. I’m not sure exactly where this trail goes off to as I only checked out about 200 metres of it. It was slightly grown over and my hiking group was tired by the time we reached the plane so we decided to turn around.

Check out this page on pinetreeline for a bit more detailed information about the wreck: http://www.pinetreeline.org/other/other43/other43ad.html.

GPS for this trip:

Having the gps for the trip  was nice but not required. It would definitely help finding the entrace to the trail off the road and the correct trail on the way there. Most of it is marked fairly well.

Gear for this trip:

Colorado 300 GPS – nice to have, not required
Salomon Wings Trail Runners – boots would have made it easier, just pick your footing carefully with runners when it’s muddy.

Extra Links about the trail:

Trailpeak track: http://trailpeak.com/trail-Canso-Crash-Site-near-Tofino-BC-5053

Flickr Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcthink/sets/72157605969155301/

Triptracker track: http://triptracker.net/trip/4064/