THURSDAY,  NOVEMBER 8, 2012

The Now Completed Section of the Sea to Sky Trail in Whistler

The Sea to Sky Trail is the 180K hiking, biking, walking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and running trail that stretches from Squamish to D'Arcy.  Overall the trail is still under construction, however, the beautiful route through Whistler is finally in place and for the most part, complete.  This extraordinary trail meanders its way through many of Whistler's seemingly endless, beautiful sights.

The Whistler section of the Sea to Sky Trail is 33 kilometres long between Brandywine Falls Provincial Park and WedgeWoods Estates just north of Green Lake (north of Whistler Village).  The Whistler section of the trail is paved near the Village, and further out, dirt or crushed rock.  Some sections are narrow, dirt and challenging as they wind through deep forest in an absurdly winding, though very fun, roller coaster like route through the trees.

North of Whistler Village the trail can be challenging with several hills as it rises above and beyond Parkhurst.  This marvellous and newly built section is a wide, crushed rock path that is relaxing and smooth despite continuous hills to reach the summit of the trail.  High above Green Lake, the high point of the Whistler part of the Sea to Sky Trail has some fantastic views of mountains all around.

South of Whistler Village, the paved Whistler Valley Trail that the Sea to Sky Trail shares, ends at Cheakamus Crossing and becomes a narrow dirt trail with some wider sections of crushed rock.  This beautiful section follows the Cheakamus River making four dramatically beautiful river crossings.

The Cal-Cheak area is one of these beautiful crossings.  The Calcheak Suspension Bridge spans the wide and always rushing and chaotic Cheakamus River.

You can't help wonder how Whistler seems to have these great bridges on various trails.  They are very long and well constructed and certainly expensive.  There is another one further up the Cheakamus River towards Cheakamus Lake.

Evidently, if you are thinking the cute suspension bridge at Calcheak is nice you are in for a shock.  Further down the trail you come to the enormous, chasm spanning, Whistler Bungee Bridge.  This amazing bridge crosses way above the Cheakamus River far below.  The bridge is ridiculously long and absurdly high.  Expect to spend some time in this area, not just for the amazing bridge, but also the cliffs just past the bridge, that have some impressive views as well.

Across the Bungee Bridge the Sea to Sky Trail passes near and past some nice viewpoints of distant mountains and valleys.  The trail eventually leads directly through Brandywine Provincial Park and very close to the wonderful viewpoint across to the falls.  Brandywine Falls is a great place to park your car and start out on the trail.

Calcheak is also a good place to park and there is plenty of room near the, hard-to-miss Sea to Sky Trail signs.  Nearer to Whistler Village there are dozens of good places to park.  All of the parks in Whistler on the trail have convenient and free parking.  Right in Whistler Village you will find parking near Lost Lake Park in Lot 4 and get on the trail just metres from your car.

North of Whistler there is convenient and free parking at Nicklaus North Golf Course, just a five minute walk from the Green Lake part of the Sea to Sky Trail that rises from the Lost Lake Trail.  Further north still, the turnoff for Wedgemount Lake, just north of Green Lake has lots of parking near the Sea to Sky Trailhead there.

Whistler Hiking Information for the Sea to Sky Trail >>

TUESDAY,  JULY 17, 2012

St Mark's Summit - Still Some Snow in Late July

St Mark's Summit on the Howe Sound Crest Trail beginning at Cypress Mountain Resort.  Beautiful and amazing views of Howe Sound.  Some patches of snow on the trail and lots of snow at St Mark's Summit, except for the rocky outcrops.  The hike is well marked though consistently steep as you gain 460 metres in just 5.5k.  Once reaching St Mark's Summit there are several amazing peaks to explore and just when you think you have seen every viewpoint, you find another.  There are even a couple amazing viewpoint clearings to put up your tent as many do here.

WEDNESDAY,  JULY 18, 2012

Sproatt Mountain Bushwhacking Trail in Whistler

Sproatt mountain is the almost never hiked mountain that lays across the valley from Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.  There are no real trails to the summit, but instead about four (poor) options.  You can hike from the North Air Mine, near the Whistler Olympic Park, or bushwhacking from the Rainbow Lake trail, or long distance alpine hiking from beyond Rainbow Lake or bushwhacking from the Flank Trail near Rainbow Park.  This is the route we took, bushwhacking from the beautiful Flank Trail.  Starting at Beaver Pass (a bike trail), then on to the beautiful and steep downhill bike trail, Cheap Thrills then connecting onto the Flank Trail which then crosses Sproatt Creek.  The bushwhack route follows Sproatt Creek to the alpine and the summit of Sproatt.

WEDNESDAY,  JUNE 27, 2012

Lone Cone Mountain - Paradise Hiking in Tofino

In an effort to avoid the crowds in Tofino we took a water taxi to Meares Island and hiked the Grouse Grind of Tofino, Lone Cone Mountain.  730m in 3.3k.  Ducking and dodging fallen trees everywhere.  Not many views along the trail, but at the top, incredible.  We thought we couldn't top the tent view yesterday, but we did.  Amazing.  Tofino is just amazing.  Day 5: $0

TUESDAY,  JUNE 26, 2012

Hiking in Tofino - Radar Beach

The streets of Tofino were packed as summer finally hit in late June.  We managed to find a quiet beach far off the radar.  Radar Beach, far below Radar Hill in Tofino.  The hike down to the quiet beaches (there are 3) is amazing (at least in my view).  It looks and feels like the West Coast Trail.  Deep jungle, mud, lots of mud, steep at times and lots of massive, dead trees to climb over, walk across, or duck under.  There are even three ropes to assist in steep sections.  It's this difficult and dirty trail that keeps the tourists away.  We didn't mind.  Finding a beach in Tofino this beautiful and this deserted is something special.  Never saw anyone for the almost two days we were there.. crazy.  Day 4: $0

MONDAY,  JUNE 25, 2012

Hiking in Tofino - Virgin Falls

We arrived in Tofino on a mission to dispel the reputation that Tofino is expensive.  Hotels run seldom less than $160 and campsites are always full.. and crowded.  Our third night was at the famous, though tough to get to, Virgin Falls.  Not hard to find, but far.. 30k of sketchy, bumpy, paint scratching logging road to reach the extraordinary Virgin Falls.  Our first night out in the woods in Tofino and we hit paradise.  Aside from the water being brutally cold to swim, the place was perfect.. and there must not have been another soul for 20k in any direction.  We had paradise to ourselves.  Day 3: $0

MONDAY,  JUNE 4, 2012

Keyhole Hot Springs (aka Pebble Creek) - Breathtaking

The amazing Keyhole Hot Springs (sometimes called Pebble Creek Hot Springs) are only 3 hours from Vancouver.  Located west of Pemberton in a very geologically active part of BC.  An area along the crashingly beautiful Lillooet River about 100 metres long contains several hot spring tubs.  Ranging from the luxurious, cemented into the side of a cliff, hanging at the edge of the river.  To the less luxurious, but also amazing sand pools where the hot water bubbles from underneath you as you relax.  You can dig these as large or as small as you wish and have to cool them down with river water from time to time as the temperatures rise.

Meager Creek Hot Springs are just a few kilometres before Keyhole Hot Springs, and still there and usable, however the giant bridge was destroyed in 2010 when the massive mudslide swept it away in moments.  The $900,000 scrounged together over years of squabbling and negotiating to build it crashed through the valley below.  This extraordinary bad timing and luck will almost certainly ensure that a new bridge will never be built.  Not just because of the massive cost, but also the massive activity under the ground here. You can still get to Meager, but you have to walk there, parking and hiking from where the bridge used to be.  The river here spreads through the valley considerable, so even when the water is high it may only be two feet deep, so very manageable.  For a hot springs enthusiast, this is a small barrier, though if you do you are risking a very possible and sudden death.

Catastrophic mudslides can and do strike often here.  Roughly one a decade.  Meager Creek Hot Springs are in the wake of these slides, however, Keyhole Hot Springs is not.  It is shielded from the path of these mud slides by a massive wall of rock laid down by the massive eruption of Plinth Peak in 410BCE.  Plinth Peak is visible as you lay in the Keyhole Hot Springs and this wall of rock lays across the river valley from you, towering high above.  Bring binoculars if you go and look at it closely and you will spot dark spots.  These are trees and parts of trees eroding out of the rock face, frozen in time on that day 24 centuries ago.

What an amazing, incredible, spectacular place... and there is a beautiful, huge campsite too.  There are two more hot springs in the opposite direction of Pemberton (the town you pass through to get to Keyhole and Meager Hot Springs).  These are Skookumchuck Hot Springs (2 hours from Whistler), and Sloquet Hot Springs (3 hours from Whistler).  Skookumchuck Hot Springs is a collection of hot tubs of the kind you would see at someones house that collect hot spring water.  It is a shabby looking hot springs, but somehow has a beautiful charm to it.  Well worth a visit, at least if on the way to the beautiful Sloquet Hot Springs.

INFO AND DIRECTION TO KEYHOLE HOT SPRINGS CAN BE FOUND HERE>>

SATURDAY,  APRIL 7, 2012

Upper Shannon Falls - Summer Hiking Begins

The tremendously popular Shannon Falls in Squamish has a trail that leads to Upper Shannon Falls that goes unnoticed.  Way up above, 3.5k and 450 metres above you come to the amazing views near the Upper Shannon Falls.  The falls are not very impressive but the views from the plateau above them is amazing.  Similar to the Chief but quiet and serene.  We only saw two people on the trail, but the trail to the Chief was absurdly busy.  Sunny and warm, feels like the first day of summer 2012!

SUNDAY,  MARCH 25, 2012

Snowshoeing Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver

Hollyburn Mountain (aka Hollyburn Peak), in Cypress Provincial Park, is an amazing place to snowshoe or hike south of Whistler in North Vancouver (1.5 hours drive).  The 1.5 hour drive from Whistler is beautiful and certainly the drive up to Cypress Provincial Park is beautiful with great views of Vancouver.  From the always beautiful crossing of the beautiful Lions Gate Bridge, to the incredible views of Vancouver from the approach drive to Cypress Mountain and the Hollyburn Mountain trailhead.  You would almost expect that there would be various fees for parking, trail use, etc.  But the Hollyburn Mountain snowshoeing and hiking trail is completely free, and also quite convenient.  You will likely be able to park withing a few metres of the trailhead and if you don't happen to own snowshoes, you can rent them at the trailhead for a very reasonable price.  As if it couldn't get better, it does... the trail is so well marked that it can easily be done after dark, as many do.  What a perfect escape from the city.  A perfect mountain escape to a towering mountain paradise far above the big city below.  The city lights are amazing.  From the lights of the Lions Gate Bridge, to the beautifully bright tankers, to the wondrously glowing Vancouver towers.  This hike has it all.  Great views, easy hike, convenient times to use, and of course free.  Hiking or snowshoeing Hollyburn Mountain is yet another spectacular piece of the whole amazing Vancouver experience.  Hollyburn Mountain is easily done in a half day trip from Vancouver as it is quite close and quite a short hike/snowshoe, at only 7k roundtrip.  Go early for the amazing sunrise, or late in the day for

the unbelievable sunset.  The Hollyburn Mountain trail is very well marked with light reflecting, neon orange, 6 foot tall marker poles, only a few metres apart most of the way.  Though the trail is a fairly constant uphill it is a relatively short trail.  Most make it to the summit of Hollyburn in an hour from the trailhead.  Coming down is quite a bit faster and you will see people using crazy carpets on the trail in the winter.  In the summer with no snow, your downward pace will be quite fast as compared to uphill.  If you plan to hike or snowshoe Hollyburn Mountain after dark, make sure you have a light and a backup light.  The trail marker poles only reflect light, so you could easily lose the trail without lights after dark.

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO HOLLYBURN MOUNTAIN CAN BE FOUND HERE>>

TUESDAY,  FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Elfin Lakes/Diamond Head Hiking and Snowshoeing in Squamish

The Elfin Lakes/Diamond Head trail in Squamish is an amazing place to hike or snowshoe and only an hours drive north of Vancouver.  The winter hiking/snowshoeing/skiing trail is easy to follow, not too steep, and after the first 5k the views are phenomenal.  And astonishingly, amazingly, there are two luxurious huts.  One after 5k is called the Red Heather Hut and is a day use only, warming hut.  Which means it is a cute little house in a snowy paradise with large windows, a fantastic wood stove and stacks of ready cut wood to fill it with.  This may not seem luxurious, but in the cold mountains of Garibaldi Park in Squamish, a little house with a wood stove is paradise.

From the Red Heather Hut to the Elfin Lakes Hut is a further 6k, and constantly beautiful.  The views are incredible because the trail runs along a sharp ridge so you often have views both left and right.  In the early morning or evening light this makes for quite an amazing contrast in light and colours reflecting off the mountains all around.

The Elfin Lakes Hut is quite a thing as well.  Buried in a few metres of snow, you have to descend snowy stairs as if walking into a snow cave.  Once inside two remarkable things hit you.  First the warmth, the thing is heated... shocking.  Second the size.  This half buried hut looks small from the outside, but once inside you marvel at the hugeness of it all.  Sinks, large tables, windows everywhere... and a set of stairs going up to another floor above.  The upstairs is wall to wall bunk beds.  Unbelievable cozy and tidy.  The whole interior has a wonderful ski lodge feel.  After I went back downstairs with the bouncing walk of a kid in a new tree fort, still amazed at this hut in the mountains, I noticed two modern timer dials on one wall.  Turning one a bit sheepishly and brightness filled the place.  There are lights.  Unbelievable.  The Elfin Lakes Hut has power.  Unbelievable.

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO THE ELFIN LAKES/DIAMOND HEAD TRAILS IN SQUAMISH>>

MONDAY,  JANUARY 23, 2012

The Brothers of the Grouse Grind

The Grouse Grind, the astonishingly popular endurance trail in Vancouver has two increasingly known and popular siblings.  The Chief in Squamish and Wedgemount Lake in Whistler.  The Chief is wonderfully beautiful and much quieter than the Grouse Grind, though shorter but steeper.  It's much better known as a year-round hiking trail.  Wedgemount Lake is much tougher but incredibly beautiful.  Unfortunately, Wedge is the highest mountain in the entire Garibaldi Range and therefore buried in snow, too much to hike for most of the year.

Grouse Grind: 853m in 2.9k

Stawamus Grind: 630m in 1.8k

Wedgemount Grind: 1220 in 7k

The Stawamus Grind

The Chief is the mammoth rock face that towers over Squamish. Though hardly believable from looking at, the summit is an easy two hour hike. In fact there are three peaks, South (First), Centre (Second), and North (Third). Each accessible from the single trailhead.

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Info and Directions>>

The Wedgemount Grind

The increasingly popular trail run to Wedgemount Lake is as magnificent as it is brutal.  It's brutal in elevation gain, 1220 metres in only 7km.  But a wonderful challenge due to the ruggedness and steepness of the trail. You will be focussed on the trail so much as to become mesmerized into a runners trance.

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At a good pace, often not running, but hiking fast, many make it to the top in around one hour and twenty minutes.  It's Whistlers Grouse Grind with the added bonus of a spectacular lake to jump into at the top.  If you can run the Wedgemount trail, you should have no problem jumping into a 3 degree lake.

The Wedgemount Lake trail is very rugged and you may encounter fallen trees early and well into the season.  The 14k round-trip can be extended to 18k by continuing to the Wedgemount Glacier.  This section will be rocky to run on as the trail runs through the scree slope running to the lake, but this part is relatively flat and touching the edge of the Wedgemount Glacier is fantastic.

Info and Directions>>

TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2012

Joffre Lakes Snowshoeing - 3 Hours North of Vancouver

Joffre Lakes is an amazing place in the winter.  Only a three hour drive north of Vancouver though it feels worlds away.  As it's much higher and colder than Vancouver there are considerable amounts of snow.  And being located way up the Duffy Lake Road there are few people to break the silence.  It's a great place to snowshoe.  Not too difficult or dangerous.  As long as you can follow the trail which is usually marked by ski tracks they should lead you right to the third lake and the immense and immensely beautiful lake filled valley of Joffre Lakes.  The trail is much slower on snowshoes than on foot in the summer so expect to take 3 hours to reach the third lake and 1.5 hours to return to the parking lot.  Bring a map and or gps along as it's easy to wander off the trail on the way back.

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO JOFFRE LAKES>>

SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2012

2012 Trail Running Events and Competitions Calendar

March 10th The 2012 Dirty Duo (15k, 25k and 50k) Trail Running Race.  North Shore, Vancouver.

June 24th Comfortably Numb 25k Trail Running Race in Whistler. Recognized as Whistler's signature mountain biking trail is now becoming its premier trail running route.  It's brutal, dirty and wonderful.

June 30th Tenderfoot Boogie 50 Mile, 50k and 28k Squamish to Whistler Trail Running Race.  The 28k starts at Brandywine Falls, the 50k starts at the Tenderfoot Fish Hatchery and the 50 Mile starts at Adventureland in Squamish.  Last years 50 mile ultra winner came in at 8 hours, 27 minutes.  What a crazy race!

July 14th The 2012 Knee Knacker 50k Trail Running Race. In Vancouver from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove, this 50k race climbs an astonishing 8000 feet and descends 8300 feet.

This event began in 1989 with only 8 participants and now has become very popular.  Check out the website for info as there is a waiting list and lottery to enter.  www.kneeknacker.com

Aug 11th Squamish 50.  50 mile and 21k Trail Running Races.  50 mile solo race and a 21k solo through the beautiful hills of Squamish.  There is also a 50 mile relay race.  Previously known as the "Stormy".  Last years race was cancelled due to permit difficulties.  This years race looks poised to be a tremendous success.

Aug 25th Salomon 5 Peaks Trail Running Series - Whistler This years Enduro 10.6k will take place on Blackcomb Mountain.  Starting at the Rendezvous out to Blackcomb Lake, Overlord trail to Decker Loop, up the 7th Heaven Road and back to the Rendezvous Lodge.  This is a magnificently beautiful route to have a trail run and promises to be amazing.

MORE 2012 TRAIL RUNNING EVENTS AND COMPETITIONS>>

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2011

Snowshoeing in Vancouver! - Dog Mountain

Dog Mountain is a beautiful, short and fun hike or snowshoe trek close to Vancouver and starting from the parking lot of Seymour Mountain.  Just 2.2k gets you from your car to breathtaking views of the big city below.  It's fairly popular, so even in the depths of winter you will find the trail in the snow well packed down and easily followed.  It is also a favourite evening hike to catch the sun setting over Vancouver.  Dog Mountain is a fantastic trek partly because of the drive to the trailhead.  The trailhead is located at the far end of the main parking lot to Mount Seymour Ski Resort.

MORE INFO ON DOG MOUNTAIN IN VANCOUVER>>

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2011

The Lighthouse Park Trail - Vancouver Is Amazing

Lighthouse Park is an extraordinarily little know piece of paradise, so close to to Vancouver as to see its tall buildings, yet immersed into a dramatically beautiful coastal rainforest.

A wonderful network of trails winds throughout massive Douglas-fir trees and Western Red Cedars as well as golden Arbutus trees stretching toward the ocean.

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO LIGHTHOUSE PARK>>

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011

The Lions Hike In North Vancouver - The West Lion Summit

The Lions or Twin Sisters lie in North Vancouver, about an hours drive from downtown Vancouver.  The two distinct, rocky peaks are visible from downtown Vancouver.  The view from the top is spectacular.  Howe Sound stretches out into the blue distance.  A tough but wonderful hike.

THE LIONS HIKING INFO AND DIRECTIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE>>

THURSDAY, AUGUST  25, 2011

The Cheakamus River & Whistler Train Wreck Art Exhibit

Decades ago a train derailed south of Whistler.  The cost to clean up the mess was deemed too high, so seven train cars were left scattered next to the Cheakamus River.  As it turns out, time and local effort has transformed this mess into a wonderful work of art, an extraordinary bike park, and a great place to hike.

MORE ON HIKING TO THE WHISTLER TRAIN WRECK>>

TUESDAY, AUGUST  9, 2011

Wedgemount Lake in Whistler - Still Snow in August!

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO WEDGEMOUNT LAKE>>

SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011

Whistler's Peak Chair - Still Too Much Snow to Hike the High Note Trail

Another year of record breaking snowfall in Whistler means that this much snow is still around at the end of July!

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO THE PEAK CHAIR AND HIGH NOTE TRAIL IN WHISTLER>>

TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2011

Sloquet Hot Springs - Amazing!

Sloquet is wonderfully designed, as it were, though randomly by nature. The large, spread out campsite lies a short walk from the springs. You have to follow a dark and quickly descending trail toward an enormous, crashing river. As you near, you can smell the unusual, but kind of nice hot springs smell, and you see steam rising all around you, some steam rising, bizarrely, out of the grass clearing on the edge of the river. On your left a rising cliff, on your right the crashing river. The path narrows and steepens. Finally, you come to a large fallen tree which the trail seems to run to. So huge though as to not worry you walking the length of. Then, there it is. The massive fallen tree flanks it. Nestled between the tree and a cliff, in a large triangular area, with the river forming the third side are the Sloquet Hot Springs.

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO SLOQUET HOT SPRINGS>>

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2011

More Hiking in Victoria!  Mystic Beach on the Juan de Fuca Trail

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO MYSTIC BEACH>>

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2011

Victoria's Beautiful Beaches - Sombrio Beach on the West Coast Trail

The Juan de Fuca Trail is an incredible part of Vancouver Island.  Wild and beautiful,and accessible.  All along the 47km length there are convenient access points.  It's wild, and beautiful, and varied, and deep in the wild rainforest of the coast.  From the beautiful flowers of Victoria to the wild and majestic forest of the Juan de Fuca Trail, the drive just to get to it is beautiful.

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO SOMBRIO BEACH>>

SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2011

More Hiking In Victoria - Port Renfrew's Avatar Grove - Home to Canada's Gnarliest Tree

Avatar Grove and the Canada's gnarliest tree is absolutely spectacular.  The wonderful little town of Port Renfrew, known for it's logging, amazing fishing and home of one of the trailheads to the world renowned West Coast Trail, is now reworking it's image to include this fantastic wonder.  Dubbed Canada's gnarliest tree this mammoth cedar will surely leap from the unknown to the feature of millions of tourist photos in the coming months and years.

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO AVATAR FOREST AND CANADA'S GNARLIEST TREE>>

SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2011

Vancouver Islands Incomparable West Coast Trail - May 28th - June 3rd

The West Coast Trail is incredible.  Everything about it is amazing.  From its wildly, incomprehensibly enormous trees to it's endless jaw dropping views.  And it's tough.  Very tough.  It is a trail that shouldn't exist.  Trails always form out of the easiest route worn down over the years.  This trail was formed out of necessity.  And the route is the only route.  Hemmed in by steep cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other, the route evolved where it shouldn't have.  Always wet, always up and down, thousands of creeks and canyons.  Even with all the construction of suspension bridges and ladders it's brutal.  And yearly, winter storms blast down impossibly enormous trees.

It's difficulty can be measured by its relatively short distance of 75km yet it takes 4-7 days to complete.  This is for two wonderful, spectacular and telling reasons.  First it is a jigsaw of a trail, up and down over endless chasms tangled with rainforest.  It just takes a long time to snake through.  The second reason is just too good to be true.  It's so beautiful.  Wildly beautiful.  And this is a phenomenon that the West Coast Trail is alive with.  It's unbelievably beautiful at every glance.  Everywhere you look.  This alone would secure this hike as one of the worlds best.  But there is another thing that combined with its beauty, makes it what it is.  The West Coast Trail.  This is a phenomenon that is seldom understood or explainable, but I'll try here.  It's tough.  The trail is brutal.  It's invariably raining.  So you are always wet.  This makes you soggy and crabby.  Tired and exhausted.  The treacherous trail in this wet is muddy, slippery and requires your full attention at every step.  This mesmerizes you as you hike.  You focus completely on your next step and your mind relaxes into a meditative state.  This is when it happens.  You look up, catch a glance of what's around you.  And it's marvellous.  This is it.  The West Coast Trail is a perfect combination of brutal difficulty and spectacular wildness and beauty.

The West Coast Trail, originally called the Dominion Life Saving Trail was built out of necessity because of the enormous number of shipwrecks that gave this stretch of ocean from Tofino to Victoria the brutal name, The Graveyard of the Pacific.  With at least 484 shipwrecks this trail formed to facilitate survivors walking to Victoria and rescuers hiking to help them.  It inevitably became a recreational hike in the last few decades.  It's difficulty, once it's worst trait, now it's defining feature.  It lies within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve which represents and protects three beautiful, coastal lowland forests.  Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail.

MORE INFO ON THE WEST COAST TRAIL>>

TUESDAY,  MAY 17, 2011

Squamish Hiking - Shannon Falls and the Stawamus Chief

The Chief is the mammoth rock face that towers over Squamish. Though hardly believable from looking at, the summit is an easy two hour hike. In fact there are three peaks, South (First), Centre (Second), and North (Third). Each accessible from the single trailhead.

Growing in popularity as the newest brother to the Grouse Grind in Vancouver because there are quite a few stairs and considerable elevation gain.  540 metres in 1.5k.  (The Grouse Grind is 853 metres in 2.9k)

The trailhead to the Chief is easy to find. From highway 99, in Squamish. As you approach the Chief, visible for several kilometres, watch for the sign for "Stawamus Chief." The large parking lots are arranged next to the trailhead.

There is a nice campground with 47 tent sites.  This part of the world is somewhat expensive so this is an amazingly cheap option at $8 per person, per night.  Officially open May 15 - October 12.  If you go outside these dates you just have to walk in from outside the gates and camping is free however there are no services available which means that the washrooms may be locked and no water available (though there is a river nearby).  There are no shower facilities here any time of the year.

MORE INFO AND DIRECTIONS TO THE CHIEF>>

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