Had to get Out Hike - February 24

Always a close standby hike for us is heading out to the Tarundl, tides hardly matter for the inside loops ... so overcast, cool but no rain in sight we headed off ... gumboots in hand as it was wet and muddy last week. We parked at the Honna and decided to enter off the middle entrance.

The eastern route from the beach was pretty wet as the drainage seems a bit overwhelmed and needs some help. Then we crossed to the Tarundl flats ... having sighted a new species ...  apparently a red beaked disc-owl. You may see it too, if you look carefully as it seems to have taken up residence.

Since last week there were new trees down, we moved one, making the trails still navigable, with some bending!

Sad to see to big spruce with flowing garlands die!

A Spirit Lake Report not a hike ... February 19, 2013

 If you have walked Spirit Lake recently you will know of the many trees, very large and small that have come crashing down across trails, parallel to trails and in the woods too. Some have snapped off, some are uprooted others have been fallen as dangerous.

Thanks to lots of volunteer hours, one root wad has been tipped back into place, others places have had new routes made around blockages, limbs have been trimmed. Bridges have been swept. A bit of ditching has been done to get water running where it should be. Materials lists are being made.

The skunk cabbages are poking up and the swans are still there.

One section of the trail is marked closed and there is  flagging tape up to stop entry .... well after obeying it totally for weeks ... finally on a calm lonely day, curiosity got the better of me - was it closed; there were footprints; had someone forgotten to take down the signs?


The damage along this section is spectacular, I sure don't advise walking this stretch ... the trees on top of the rock outcroppings, above your head, have fallen, slid, split, etc.
Chaos ...  you sort of want to tiptoe along, thinking well hope nothing happens right now!

We tend to think that it is a wind that always brings down the trees yet on this very trail system I was walking along when I heard a terrific crash across the narrow part of the lower lake, about 100 yds away when, totally out of the blue on a calm day an old snag just fell down, I guess its time had come.

It is a beautiful walk but take care ... be wise, look up, down and around!

Memorial to a hiking pal ... Feb. 16/2013

Recently she hasn't been well enough to hike with us ... we enjoyed it when she did. She had to be helped over the ditches and creeks but she was always game to go. She was pretty old, with very short legs, she couldn't see well and she couldn't hear ... but she was gentle with us all. She loved chocolate and sometimes even helped herself!

So we went to Tlell today in separate cars thinking of our friends Aeriel, Bruce and Maureen ... and knowing we wouldn't get to see little Aeriel any more.

So we walked the beach thinking of her ... it was a beautiful day but there were polk-a-dot rocks ... so tears were shed for Aeriel ... our hiking pal, a miniature dachshund with a big personality.

Unexpected and Fantastic January 27, 2013

The week previous we planned to hike Sleeping Beauty/Slatechuk today ... we are ever optimistic. Yesterday was sunny so we were even less expectant ... at 9:30 the first call to cancel came and a few more later but the 3 hardy over the hillers headed up the hill.

The night before was a beatiful full moon, the snow was virually all gone from the top of Sleeping Beauty ... who thought that when we got up that there would be snow down low on the mountain!

Off we went wondering about the roads ... no problems though so we parked mid road at the "Y" turn-off and headed up the trail ... calm, with a few inches of snow.

On we went it was amazing, as on Friday, we had talked about missing snow while we watched Conflict Tiger [the inspiration film for John Vaillant's The Tiger].

There were just us and tracks in the snow ... we neither saw nor heard anything.

An hour or so later we stoped at the benches for a delicous muffin snack while HH continued on a bit to find the geocache, by now we were in snow occassionally up to our knees ... HH broke trail for us so she deserved to find the cache, which she did.

It was magical, and so unexpected ... the best part is no snow in town.

The knees held up on the way down and we shared some amazing fire stories ... strange as it wasn't cold.

Once back to town, we instituted our Plan B as well ... lunch and movie.
Great way to spend a Sunday.

Jan. 20 Hiking to Geocache Duncan's Vision

Lots were busy today but a few enthusiasts decided to head out ... the weather was mild and dry. So we looked at Branch 10 B, C and D as well as Stanley Lake Rd ... then went back to 10C and headed in to find the geocache, Duncan's Vision, hoping to the first  [FTF - first to find is special]. So remembering the clues we were able to find it.

The "trail", a long ago abandoned logging road was pretty good, fairly dry with only a few trees down and it was quite easy to get though them. Much work has been done on these trail to make them accessible for hikers and runners but not for vehicles ... signage is coming, please be patient these trails are maintained by volunteer visionaries.

Only one squirrel was heard, the rest of the chattering was us. Never saw another person nor vehicle!We just went to the cache site ... 4+k round trip.
Totally calm, restorative day .... Sleeping Beauty Slatechuck is on for next Sunday.

Rained Out December 6, 2012

Doesn't happen very often ... we did head out on Nude Beach for a beach hike but we didn't go that far as it was kind of wet! Fortunately, there was food involved so that made everything wonderful even if more calories went in than out!

First of the Year Jan. 1, 2013

Again that forecast ... but again it was fine for a hike ... no sun, no rain, no wind. So the rumour was that Spirit Lake Trail was open ... some of us didn't know it had been closed ... so off we went it try it.

At least 100 trees have fallen, many huge, some small ... but all over the place there are trees down ... part of the trail is still closed. Frost patches and icy spots are still on some of the bridges ... care is needed. 

Most everything is open but there are at least 2 very scrambly places spots where huge trees and root wads have come down and the detours over and under as well as around are necessary.

Totally calm today ... and we only ran into a couple of other hikers.

Several times we stopped in admire the skim ice and the vivid reflections.
Great beginning to the hiking year. Special thanks to the folks working on repairing the trail ... you are appreciated.