Sleeping Beauty Rd.

Crisp and clear ... great day to be chugging up a "mountain" ... lots of people out too .... a guy showing off the inlet view to his lady-friend; a van parked close to the trailhead probably headed on up. Saw the mountain bike ramp? above the beaver dam; then lower down a dad having a campfire with his son along Kagan Bay. Delightful scenes on a great walk from the last sharp turn below the "y" down along into the bowl ... the Sleeping Beauty road is in pretty good shape ... most of the wind blown trees have been cut up! Thanks.

Gorgeous Day

Carolyn ... loading problem is moving pictures into this blog ... never been a problem before, now it suggests Picassa [which I tried to do] if I go the old route through ACDSee [my photo program] it won't load because I can't acknowledge that I can use my photos! Any help appreciated.

Not sure where we'll go today ... it is gorgeous out. Some are going to Tlell ours going westward!!!! But it is no fun without pictures!

Miller Creek beach

Another perfect day and on about 20 minutes notice, word went out, sort of.... some were in bed! We filled the car and headed northward ... lots of frost, so careful of our beach access point. It was perfect at the northern Miller Creek entrance ... tide was high but not too high and dropping ... great walk, jumping creeks, avoiding rogue waves, finding seaweeds and lots of great conversations. The sun was glorious and moving higher in the sky each day ... marvelous ending for the month.

Next week it is Dover Trail and Maragaret Atwood reading.

Still can't load photos ... anybody have any ideas what the problem is?

Trundl Loops

Today - a gorgeous day that demanded a hike ... so off we went with a visitor from the Washington, DC area ...  close to home we bounced along the Honna Rd. to the parking lot; then headed on the beach loop across to the river, then up through the woods, ducking under the large tree blow-down.A old logged area we were able to see the big stumps from decades ago. Then a quick hike along the road to the mid-trail cutback then we were back into the forest, where there was more blow down ... thanks to industrious person working on the fallen trees!. On we went and popped out at the beach and back to the car. Wonderful fresh air, great far ranging conversation ... you would have loved to be there!

A problem adding the photos ... sorry

Nest PLANNED Hike

Most of our hikes aren't planned far in advance .... Feb.5 we are planning to go to Sandspit for the Dover Trail and possibly the Spit Walk .... call 4691 to get on the list.
It is also the Margaret Atwood/Graem Gibson reading at the Kaay evening. We can do everything .. unless it is raining too hard or too windy for the woods.

Queen Charlotte Town Trails

Today, begun in sun finished in rain ... we hiked Crabapple Creek trails [eastern side to the creek] then crossed back into the Gore Brook trail system ... lots of blow-down from this winter's fierce westerlys. Mountain Biking platforms seem to have rotted out ... Paul has done some great work in there, new planking on the old pallets. Old second growth forest, nie trail walking. Markers have been ordered and we want to get some good trail marking work done ... These trails are a great asset to the hiking community ... we all need to work to maintain and grow what we have.

Sunset Walk, Port Clements

Following Doug Leach's Memorial ...[such a moving event for a wonderful man] we headed out of Port for a quiet walk along the Sunset Trail pathway at the edge of the Inlet.

Expecting solitude ... wrong, it was busy; a family with a stroller and dogs and dad with a bow and arrow; more dog walkers, and a very large family. The inlet had action too, high tide with lots of geese in close with their accompanying honks and squawks. Lovely walk along an easy well maintained pathway ... just a bit of snow remaining here and there, in the 11 degree overcast weather

Trails Strategy Questionnaire

Go to http://www.mieds.ca/ to get the questionaire or call 250-559-8050 or ask for it at trails@mieds.ca
deadline January 31, 2011

Questionnaire - Haida Gwaii Trail Strategy

Suggest you may want to go to trails@mieds.ca to fill out their trail questionnaire - deadline Jan. 31, 2011

Beach hike west of the Trundl

Snow storms everywhere across the province, traffic's a nightmare, power outages abound  ...  not here, so a couple of hikers went up the inlet in the sunny, sometimes, calm clam weather and headed from the Kagan Bay campsites around to the Trundl estuary .... it was a highish low-tide. A terrific winter's day,  ... it even had a couple of snowflakes at the end.

Picking up an original Over the Hiller!

Over to Sandspit to walk the "Spit" .... a chilly walk, 1 degree with just a bit of a breeze [felt like minus alot]. Many shells waiting to be picked up. Lots of time as the plane was a bit late ... but we got to welcome our hiking partner home after 6 weeks away in Ontario. Welcome home ... EB!

Queen Charlotte Geocaching

Word went out for a geocache hike on a behind town "Charlie Hartie Creek trail" ... there are 3 caches hidden in this area!
After meeting at Charlotte Tire and admiring the beautiful day we headed up the hill ... up 6th and then up the trail ... an easily followed path ... with ribboning of various hues ... although we tried to follow the green! Success was ours ... at the first, and the second, but skunked we were at the third.

We did find the remains of a shelter as we hiked through the very long ago logged forest. We would stop in awe to view the sunlight filtering through the trees, and to catch our breath. When finally we reached the third spot, we hunted and read and reread the clues but no luck ............ and then it started to snow ... not flakes and not hail, but tiny soft silent balls ...
Then home to sew or for hot chocolate. Who knows what next we'll do ... cold weather coming!

Heading to Masset

Yesterday we were heading to Masset to fit in several events, one was a hike with a novice OTH and  to attend a funeral ... the weather was very unpredictable; from beautiful sun to pouring rain mostly with very strong winds as well ... so we didn't get hiking but we did get to celebrate Hope's fine life and we will try to continue her inspiration in our own lives. She is included here as her Haida name was Nang gaa laa kaagang [Always busy walking] so she was obviously one of us ... in many ways. Thanks to the family for allowing us to share in the celebration.

Sunday January 2, 2011

A second excursion to the sandy dunes in Tlell by 2 OTHH, accompanied by the trusty German Shepherd Teva. We walked the opposite direction this time, found more pieces of the dogfish cartilage - and now that I am thinking about it - possibly the carcass tightly wrapped in a shroud of bull kelp. Also found the carcass of a bird, a sneaker, many plastic containers, small floats, and some beautiful rocks and shells.

New Year's Day Hike Tlell Beach

Sort of spontaneous, Plan B ... off to Tlell went 3 of the Hikers and Teva [gray skies but no rain and good clean air] ... we had talked of soup over an open fire, delicious smelling coffee and  chocolate treats ... all those things didn't happen but we had a great walk, across the dunes from the Park pullout and with the tide in-ish we walked almost to the Tlell river mouth , then back up the river where, with the dropping waters there was lots of room. Relatively calm, so no winds to combat, we came back with moon shells of all sizes a few rocks, no big agates but a photo of what we are not sure ... Teva enjoyed it though!
Home for soup and treats and games ... completing a New Year's tradition for some.
Driving home we did notice lots of folks out walking dogs, biking, and running too ... possibly New Year's resolutions!

Great day.