"Popular Day Hikes of Vancouver Island" has been revised and updated

By Keith and Heather Nicol

Revised and updated

     If you like to explore on foot on Vancouver Island then this newly revised book by Theo Dombroski – Popular Day Hikes of Vancouver Island is worth having a look at. The author outlines 35 hikes – mostly on the south and east side of the Island – which typically range from just a few kilometers to over 20 kilometers in length.  They tackle a wide variety of landscapes from river trails to mountain summits. Since we live in the Comox Valley we have done some of the ones listed but look forward to lacing up the hiking boots this summer to try some of Theo’s other suggestions that are nearby. In particular we want to hike to Ripple Rock near Campbell River (hike 35 in the book) as well as to hike up Mount Arrowsmith (hikes 19 and 20). 

       Each hike has some basic info about the route like distance and vertical change that the trail follows, where to start and the trail’s difficulty. There are also many colour photos which highlight scenic views and other features of the trail. There is a map for every trail as well as a more detailed route description. The route descriptions and distances seem to be fairly easy to follow using the hikes we are familiar with as guide but GPS coordinates could have been used to help get you on the right trail in some cases where many trails criss cross or where there may be confusion. 

Walking along the Puntledge River is a popular hike in the Comox Valley

 The book focuses on the hikes but does have a short section that the beginning which deals with topics like wildlife encounters, weather, clothing and equipment, how to interpret the maps and how to get the most out of the rest of the book.  At 144 pages and measuring 14 cm by 21 cm it could be small enough to carry with you or you could simply make a copy of the hike of interest (or take a photo with your phone) and leave the book behind.  The book has also given us some great hiking ideas when we head to Victoria area to visit friends and family and should be on any hiker’s bookshelf. It is published by Rocky Mountain books and for more information see: https://rmbooks.com/.

There are several hikes listed in popular Strathcona Provincial Park

Checking out the Point Holmes Web Cam

By Keith and Heather Nicol

  

If you have a small boat or sea kayak then one of the most popular places to head to is Point Holmes if you live in the Comox-Countenay area of Vancouver Island. The boat launch makes getting on the water even at low tide a breeze since the paved launch extends well out into the water. Although the boat launch is ideal for most summer conditions when the wind is from the north, a south east wind can be bad news for this location since it faces directly into the waves.  And given the long fetch of water that faces to the southeast large waves can pound into this area making launching or bringing a boat in almost impossible. 

The web cam gives you an idea of the wind and wave action

   But recently the Point Holmes Recreation Assocation (PHRA)  has installed a web cam which makes checking the real time launch conditions very easy. The web site is: http://www.pointholmesrecreation.ca/rampcam/    and we use it any time we are thinking of heading out for a paddle. We even used it through the winter when we wanted  to see big waves roll in. Our most recent trip to this Pt Holmes was on Wednesday, May 22 and we had a great paddle in one of the lowest tides (0.9 meters) we have kayaked in this area. After launching we headed out past Cape Lazo toward Kye Bay but had to skirt way out to avoid the rocks. Eagles seemed to be everywhere and further out on the rocks were dozens of seals. We came across several exposed reefs that were ready made for seal haulouts.  Point Holmes has much to recommend it and now with a web cam available it makes it that much easier to see what the wind and wave conditions are. Check it out if you haven’t already done so.  

This is roughly the web cam view of the boat launch and surrounding beach

 

Biking the Greenway Loop-Jubilee Connector in Campbell River

Checking out the map of our route

by Keith and Heather Nicol

    I recently purchased a touring bike with the idea of exploring the roads and trails of the Comox Valley and beyond and to familiarize myself with some of the better routes I decided to head out with the Evergreen Cycling Group from Courtenay. The plan for May 20 was to check out the Greenway Loop in Campbell River and since it was all new to me I was keen to tag along. The weather forecast was not stellar (showers and wind ) and it wasn’t until 9:00 Monday morning that the decision was made to head out. Eleven of us congregated at the Discovery Foods parking lot in Willow Point and we set out to do the loop in a clockwise direction.

   This route is a mix of roads, walkways, and gravel trails and our group had a variety of bikes from hybrid and road bike and there were several electric bikes in the mix. The route was about 30 km in total and started uphill paralleling the Jubilee Parkway on a gravel trail. Some people opted for the road and we turned right at Dogwood Street which we followed until Hilchey Road. There we picked up a gravel trail through the Beaver Lodge Trust Lands which seemed to have lots of options in terms of other trails snaking off from the main trail. These side trails looked like they might be best handled by a mountain bike and I made a mental note to check these out on another day. From there we followed the Elk River Timber Road which fortunately had no traffic and it ended at Homewood Road and Maple St which brought us suddenly into downtown Campbell River.

The broad gravel trail of the Beaver Lodge Trust Lands made for easy cycling

    From there we worked our way along city streets to Tyee Spit and Dick Murphy Park which is adjacent to the estuary of the Campbell River. Here we enjoyed a fine view of Quadra Island and Discovery Passage.  Lastly we peddled back along the waterfront of Campbell River past stores and shops where a lunch spot was selected for fish and chips. After lunch the final 6 km were along either roads or the seawalk trail which parallels the ocean.  Overall this route has abit  of everything but I enjoyed cycling through the Beaver Lodge Trust Lands the most since it was quiet and tucked in the trees. For more information on the Evergreen Club and some of their wide ranging programmes see: http://evergreenclub.ca/    That web page also provides links to the cycling club and many others.   

At Tyee Spit looking out to Quadra Island and Discovery Channel