Mt Becher is a fine 1/2 day hike but do not underestimate it.

Ernie looking over Comox Lake

By Keith and Heather Nicol

     Mt Becher had been on my to do list for a while so when Ernie Kimball, a biking friend suggested it I jumped at the chance.  The weather for July 17 was for clearing which was good since we had lingering cloud which kept us cool for much of the hike. We read some trip info about the hike and it certainly got good reviews 9.4/10 from 10 Adventures and 4.5/5 from Allttrails. We tended to use the 10 Adventures info which told us the distance (return) was about 11.7 km with an elevation gain of 648m. They gave it a 3/5 for difficulty although rated it a beginner trail from a technical standpoint. For anyone looking at doing this hike, pay attention to their 3/5 difficulty rating which factors in the rough, steep nature of the trail in several places.  The hike starts near Courtenay at the top of the Forbidden Plateau road  which is mostly gravel but easily passable in a regular car. 

Ernie with the Comox Peninsula in the background

   Route finding is a slightly challenging at first but as long as you head up there are several ways to go.  We took at trail to the right to start and it wound its way up more gradually than the route that looked to go straight up. We ran into a small bear almost immediately which reminded us to make lots of noise and bring bear spray next time! Keep climbing and a good marker to watch for are 3 concrete remnants of an old chairlift tower that once ran here. Shortly after you will see a sign that you are entering Strathcona Provincal Park and watch for the small sign that directs you to Mt Becher. Don't go left to Boston ridge trail. From there the trail climbs quite steeply to the top of Mt Becher. 

Clouds obscured the mountains near the Comox Glacier at the summit

The trail on this day had some muddy spots but generally it is well drained. We encountered several groups doing the trail and most people used light hiking boots. Of course bring plenty of water and food and extra clothing although in our case we hiked in t shirt and shorts for the entire hike. The summit offers great vistas of the rugged mountains in and near Comox Glacier as well as Comox Lake, Mt Washington ski area and  back down to the Comox Valley. Clouds obscured some views but it is certainly a scenic spot. We ate lunch at the top in the company of another group that had arrived just before us and then we wondered around the broad summit to get pictures in a few directions. The route back down is the same as the route up and it took us 4 ½ hours to do the hike which included 30 minutes for lunch. It is not a hike for families with small children but will be most enjoyed by fit hikers who are used to hiking on steep, rocky trails. Bring your camera and be sure to watch for wildflowers which are out at this time. Check it out!

Keep your eye for wildflowers