- British Columbia (and nearby), Hiking & Scrambling, Outdoor Recreation, Sea to Sky, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Brew Hut: Neil’s First Overnighter
This trip was an adventure. Yes, we have been to Brew Hut a few times over the years. But this trip was different. Being Neil’s first backcountry overnighter, we really didn’t know how it would go and even whether we would make it to the hut, and in fact we almost didn’t. On the morning of the trip, before leaving, I suddenly realized that with the warm weather we would probably need snowshoes. After making a phone call or two, I dashed over to Ron and Dana to pick up their snowshoes, which in retrospect were very much essential. We were finally ready to leave, sometime after 11am, not exactly…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Chilliwack and Nearby, Hiking & Scrambling, Outdoor Recreation, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Harrison Grind: Not That Kind of Grind
The Grouse Grind in Vancouver has become a popular tourist attraction, but for no apparent reason. After all, it’s a steep stair-master like trail, crawling with lycra clad racers with fanny packs busy trying to improve their “Grind time” while overtaking you without missing a heartbeat. It’s the kind of place where you can scan a card at the start and end to have your time recorded for posterity, and have a latte at the coffee shop at the top, not exactly a remote wilderness experience. Then there’s the odd issue of the trail name being trademarked… How often does that happen? With that in mind, we set off to…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Hiking & Scrambling, Metro Vancouver & North Shore, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Black Mountain: Tummy Time on Top
If you are looking for a hike close to Vancouver, relatively easy and short but still rewarding with good views, then Black Mountain just up from the Cypress ski area is a good option. As you can see it’s also a great place for babies to take naps while doing their tummy time… We started not early on Saturday afternoon, somehow when you have a baby the days just fly by, and before we noticed it was already noon, so we started hiking around 2pm… The trail up is in excellent condition and is well maintained. We hiked up Black Mountain in the winter when I was about six months…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Hiking & Scrambling, Metro Vancouver & North Shore, Outdoor Recreation, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Diez Vistas: Even the Baby Did It
Diez Vistas (“ten views”) is a bit of a weird hike. For starters, it’s not really clear why this hike is named in Spanish. Then there’s the issue of the number of viewpoints on the hike: it is not even nearly close to ten, although we did forget to count them. The last time we did this hike was several years ago. It was a gray day, and the views were close to non-existent. This time we got luckier, or perhaps smarter, and hiked in full blown sun, enjoying beautiful views of Indian Arm. Two girls passed us on their way down. One of them pointed to me, carrying Neil…
Vancouver Island: The Quiet After the ‘Storm’
On Easter long weekend we headed to Vancouver Island again. The last time we headed in that direction was on New Year’s and it was our last getaway before our son Neil was born in late February. Incidentally (or not) this was also our first getaway with him five weeks after he was born. Our dear friends Jan & Warrick invited us to spend the long weekend with them and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get out of the city for a bit. Last time we visited they were in Australia (and we stayed at their place), but this time they were around, and it was great to…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Hiking & Scrambling, Metro Vancouver & North Shore, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Dog Mountain: Back to Hiking in Baby Steps
When our new baby boy Neil was just over a month old, we decided that it was time to get back into outdoor activities. We heard about Dog Mountain a while ago, and it was always on our list when a short and not too strenuous hike was in order, but we never got around to going there. This seemed like the perfect opportunity. We drove to Mt. Seymour ski area not too early (i.e. 2pm). The sight was a bit sad. Like the rest of the local ski hills, Mt. Seymour has been closed for most of this season due to a lack of snow. Is this the future…
Vancouver’s Secret Beach: Exploring Close to Home
With shoulder season stretching longer these days, and since anyway I won’t be doing much skiing this season, it’s time to look for some adventures close to home. After the cold spell last week and then the pouring rain afterwards, we finally got a break in the weather on Sunday, so we headed out for a walk along the beach. Or as I like to call it “Vancouver’s secret beach”. Not everyone is aware that there is a stretch of beach behind the rich people’s houses on Point Grey Road, only accessible by foot or boat. I actually first became aware of this beach a few years ago when our…
Vantage Peak: The Peak of Summer
There was a feeling in the air that summer was close to its end and autumn was fast approaching. But just before Fall officially started we were blessed with yet another sunny weekend and the mountains were calling our names for one more summer adventure – probably the last one for this season. Jan and Warrick, friends from Vancouver Island, planned to join us, so on Saturday morning we picked them up from the busy Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal and then headed north towards Pemberton and beyond. When we arrived to Keith Hut trailhead we were shocked by the number of cars parked there. We could barely find a spot to park and…
The Rockwall: Braving the Storm for Rewarding Sunshine
There is something about beautiful places that draws us back to them again and again. This was not our first trip to the Rockies, and rest assured, it won’t be the last. But every time we make the long drive, past numerous lakes and rivers, across mountain passes, and basically cross the province to reach that beautiful area known as the Rockies, I know it will be well worth the effort. Even if in the beginning the sun does not shine in our faces, and the mountains look sad and sometimes are well hidden behind a thick wall of clouds, I know that in the end it would all be worthwhile. We decided…
Illal and Spiral: Who Knew There was a Trail?
At 10pm on Friday evening we were still trying to figure out what to do on the weekend. After scanning various maps and trip reports, I somehow recalled a trip we did five years ago to Jim Kelly and Coquihalla Mountain, a beautiful and under-appreciated area up the Coquihalla Highway, about a 2.5 hour drive from Vancouver. After a quick call to Pascale and Ignacio, we finished packing and headed to bed for a few hours of sleep. After a 20km drive on a smooth gravel road, we reached the trailhead for regular cars. It took us a few hours of relaxed hiking to reach the sub alpine meadows, with…
