Su-Laine on Eagle Bluffs:
“Holy, is the summit of Black Mountain ever a good place for a nap. Six of us were treated to a day of ideal conditions for hiking up the Baden Powell trail from the highway to Eagle Bluffs. No snow, no ice, and minimal mud were encountered. We liked it so much that we continued the 45 minute trip to the top for the aforementioned siesta amongst the mountaintops and Howe Sound views.”
First Brigade Trail 10/09/09
Steve on the First Brigade Trail:
“Fall is the time to do this hike. Notorious for ticks in the Summer, and with the Fall foliage, best to stick to alpine areas and reserve this for when the snow levels encroach. Whether I was out of shape or the stats were off, for some reason it seemed higher and steeper than I expected. In fact, I was questioning the popularity of this trail until we hit the forest fire remnants. This was what makes this hike unique – the open area in the midst of the former burn and foliage that is sprouting up as a result. To our surprise, where this trail meets the 1858 Trail (to Gate Mountain), there was an outhouse and picnic table! What else was really unique about this hike is that it is a loop of sorts allowing you to walk one ridge on the way out, and a different ridge on the way back (the lower half is common though). Views themselves on this trail are unique, but mediocre. We hit no snow, but there was evidence it was coming, What we did see a lot of was blowdown near the higher elevations, but it was easily stepped over and looks as if some recent cleanup efforts had been made. We went for “I Fly for Pie” for post-hike eats”
Mt Frosty 10/09/09
Tracy on a frosty night on Mt Frosty:
“Ten people turned out for the Mt. Frosty overnighter: Chris M. (the organizer), Tracy, Brenda, Lana, Dorothy, Lucy, Jeff, Daniel, Paige, and Sebastian. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, but decidedly nippy out as we started from the Lightning Lakes parking lot. The plan was to camp in the larch meadows, but when we reached the aptly named Frosty Camp at 12:30, we discovered it was bitterly cold and made a group decision to set up there, since we’d be able to have a fire there. After setting up camp, we continued onto the beautiful golden larch meadows. The trail was quite slick due to ice; crampons would have been nice but everyone made it in their boots.
Once in the meadows, unfortunately Chris had to turn back due to increasing flu symptoms. A few others decided to join him on the journey home, having seen what a cold night it was going to be. Chris kindly waited while everyone continued with the rest of the group to the Frosty summit. After taking in the stunning 360 degree views, we turned around; some back to camp, some back to the car with Chris.
Chris left us a plethora of treats to enjoy: wine, cookies, and Thanksgiving ham. We shivered around a campfire that barely seemed to give off any heat at all. Huddling close together, we enjoyed Chris’s treats, except for the ham, which we saved for breakfast. There was some debate over who would sleep with the ham to keep it from freezing. In the end this job fell to Jeff, I think.
We estimate it reached -15 C overnight. In the morning we hustled out of there, looking forward to getting warm. A stop at the Chilliwack airport for its famous pies finished off the outing quite nicely.
Many thanks to Chris for organizing, and so sorry he couldn’t be there to shiver in the cold with us.”
Mt Strachan 04/10/09
Su-Laine on Mt Strachan:
“Strachan was a delightful place to spend one of those you-have-to-get-out-there beautiful fall days. We took the advice of a fellow Wanderunger and went counterclockwise, which had the benefit of putting the more-slippery part of the trail on the uphill. We encountered about 4 cm of snow about halfway up but besides the occasional slippery rock it wasn’t a problem to walk on. As a variation on the usual route, we had lunch on the non-crowded south summit, then hiked back to the saddle and up to the north summit to take a look, and then back to the south summit to continue our counterclockwise route. Then on the way back down we cut over to the ski run which saved some time. It worked out quite nicely, giving us lots of time to take in the magnificent views at the top and the blueberries on the way down.”
Brew Lake 04/10/09
Steve at Brew Lake:
“Despite many warnings of poor markings, we found this trail to be relatively easy to navigate (we assume recent markers were added, plus we had Club Tread GPS waypoints). On a great day for a Fall hike five of us traversed scree slopes and pine needle trails.
This trail marks my memory most with three images: a great view of Black Tusk, the scenic bowl containing the lake itself, and the rather unique first few km walking on train tracks.
I was not feeling 100% this day so a big thanks to my hiking companions and their patience, which kept the group together. Despite dragging my ass up there, we still managed to get back in almost exactly what 103 Hikes suggested: 7 hours. We did see a hint of a trace of snow, but had to walk on none.”
The Lions 04/10/09
Michelle at the Lions:
“Gone away is the blue bird, here to stay is a new bird. Yep, walking in a winter wonder land. So, there’s like snow up there. We hit some snow on the trail but it wasn’t until the boulder field that the ever increasing blanket of snow and ice presented a challenge. Though negotiable, it made for slow slippery progress and the climb/decent of the ridge connecting with the HSCT proved to be a bit “interesting”. The rocky Lions themselves looked sunbathed and bare and a steady stream of people crawled like a line of ants up and down them. Our climb to the saddle provided gorgeous clear views of the city and entire lower mainland with Baker and the US beyond on one side opposite Howe Sound, the Gulf Islands, HSCT and Sunshine Coast on the other. PS: the crowds of summer evidently haven’t yet cleared on this popular trail. However, the trail itself won’t be clear for long (or at all) as the snow has already started to stick and the daylight is fading fast.”
Mt Seymour 27/09/09
Su-Laine on Mt Seymour:
“Beautiful day! Seymour was a lovely hike as always, and almost bug-free. There were plenty of people on the trail but it wasn’t so crowded as to be annoying. Bandidas Taqueria near 12th and Commercial is my new favourite post-hike place (https://www.bandidastaqueria.com/). Good food, and as it’s near the Broadway and Commercial meeting spot, the people who need to go somewhere else don’t have to stay for dinner.”
Mt Rexford and Slesse 26/09/09
Michelle at Mt Rexford and Slesse Memorial:
“Chilliwack rarely disappoints – and these two trails exceeded expectations by miles. Chilliwack truly is full of hidden surprises and we were rewarded with larger than life rugged sheer peaks, pocket glaciers and miles of views. The perfect pair – these two trails are literally just a minute down the road from one another and you CAN skip the 4wd (at this time/in dry season this relatively short FSR trek is 2wd to or close to the Slesse Memorial trailhead (thus making BOTH accessible by 2wd with a little paitience – at least in mid summer/early fall). Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park was the perfect overnight accommodation (just down the road) but Riverside Recreation Area would be even better when open during season if not backpacking. It was neat to be able to see where you were going the next day/where you were the previous day (and gave true appreciation for the steep Rex trail hugging the sheer wall beneith Illusion). Slesse Memorial includes a lovely trail, nice gradual climb, a ridge walk, amazing fall colours, jaw dropping setting, plenty of view points and stunning panoramic views from the Propeller Cairn. Rex at 30% average gradient (much more in spots) is not for everyone. But for those up to a non-stop climb, the first half of the trail (after the old road) was a pleasant surprise – a rapid climb but a well formed lovely forest trail. The second half boasted incredible views that just didn’t quit, but it contends with very steep and often loose/unstable terrain. Early starts recommended for both no matter what season – you’ll want the time to fully explore and enjoy the end destinations (which are only the fantabulous enviable beginnings for the climbers).”
Coliseum Mtn 20/09/09
Rob M. on Coliseum Mountain:
“We first laid rubber an a rolling, museum grade asphalt road, biking towards an underrated jewel on the North Shore, Coliseum Mountain. After this idyllic 9 km, a 1 km Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Logging Road change-up ends at an unmarked but obvious trail. The overtaped Christmas Tree look beginning belies the rugged and unrelenting ascent festooned with small root and rock scrambles through new and old growth hemlock. The trail from the 1000 m Paton Lookout takes you down into a small valley then a grind up through a bolder field and the 1441 m summit of Coliseum. The forces of good prevailed after a dramatic struggle between sun and cloud and we were awash in warm light. Lotsa blueberries along the way and hence one bear encounter, who had better things to do than deal with humans. The Coliseum to Burwell (1521 m) hike is a must-do over a large field of smooth open granite for a modest net elevation gain. We met one intrepid hiker travelling incognito with full pack from Cathedral Mountain. The rangers here are kept busy de-taping The Needles to Cathedral Mountain corridor made by renegade hikers. There are a couple of large, deep R&R tarns before stumbling down the slicker-than-heavily-oiled-banana-peel descent. To take us out of our (dis)comfort zone, Eric led us on an off-trail bushwhack around the summit. The bike ride back was a scream! A full 10-hour day.”
Golden Ears 19/09/09
Heather on Golden Ears:
“Bob, John, and Heather did a shorter overnight trip, leaving Saturday afternoon and hiking 5.5 km up to Alder flats to camp. From there, they left the tents Sunday morning and hiked to the peak of Golden Ears, enjoying blueberries and watching the clouds come and go. The peak was clear of clouds with partial views to Pitt Lake and some of the mountains to the north. However, other clouds obstructed Mt. Robie Reid and the Fraser Valley, so the views weren’t quite as stunning as they could be. Unfortunately, the trail was the most littered with garbage of any provincial park that I’ve been in. This included the emergency shelter being a complete mess, and random garbage and graffiti everywhere else. Too bad. Sunday’s total distance, 18.5 km, took us 11 hours with a few nice breaks. A bit of a slog as a hike… I have previously done it in one day by mountain biking 6 km up the east canyon trail, stashing the bikes, crossing the river, and bushwacking up to the main trail, and I think I prefer that strategy to the 24 km slog.”