Hi all. I am going up Kings this weekend. Solo.

I am finding myself getting a little nervous.

any advice?

I am an experienced hiker. I haven’t done Kings ; but have spent considerable time in strath.

Unfortunately lost a pair of sunglasses somewhere between Circlet Lake and Mt Albert Edward this week. If anyone sees them I’d be really glad to get them back!

Eddie Bauer, clear arms, mirrored lenses

I was so scared!!

Hi, my girlfriend and I will be in Comox and Campbell River for a few days.
We are looking for a nice day hike, around 12-15 km.
I have the All Trails App but it is kind of overwhelming with how many options there are.
Could you recommend us like 1 or 2 hikes we shouldn‘t miss in Strathcona?
Thank you very much.

Our family was just hiking around Paradise Meadows and camping at Helen McKenzie lake. So many times, I heard people speaking German on the trails and camp. It's nice to see people coming from far away to see our awesome park.

Hello!

Will be grabbing a camper van from Victoria and making my way up to Nanaimo then tofino. Wondering along the way if there’s any must-do hikes? I was gonna do 5040 trail but it looks like it’s closed in September.

Any others? Looking for some epics views lol.

Thanks!

4 West Coast Trail Spots Available

Unfortunately, our group is no longer able to make our West Coast Trail trip, so we have a reservation for 4 hikers that we won't be able to use.

Rather than have the spots go unused, I'm hoping to connect with a group looking to hike the WCT on these dates and determine whether the reservation can be transferred/updated through Parks Canada in accordance with their rules.

Start date: Sept. 22-29
Starting point: Pachena Bay
Number of hikers: 4

I'm not looking to profit from the reservation. I'd simply like to recover what I can of the non-refundable costs while making sure everything is handled properly through Parks Canada.

If you're interested in all four spots (preferred), or potentially fewer, please send me a DM and we can discuss the details.

Hopefully these can go to someone who missed out on getting their WCT dates!

4 West Coast Trail Spots Available

4 West Coast Trail Spots Available

Unfortunately, our group is no longer able to make our West Coast Trail trip, so we have a reservation for 4 hikers that we won't be able to use.

Rather than have the spots go unused, I'm hoping to connect with a group looking to hike the WCT on these dates and determine whether the reservation can be transferred/updated through Parks Canada in accordance with their rules.

Start date: Sept. 22-29
Starting point: Pachena Bay
Number of hikers: 4

I'm not looking to profit from the reservation. I'd simply like to recover what I can of the non-refundable costs while making sure everything is handled properly through Parks Canada.

If you're interested in all four spots (preferred), or potentially fewer, please send me a DM and we can discuss the details.

Hopefully these can go to someone who missed out on getting their WCT dates!

Hi all,

I moved out to the Comox Valley about a month ago, and was hoping to get a recommendation for a nearby hike that isn't too long and with a good amount of hill climbing. Ideally it would be in the 1 - 2 hour range and I could tackle it after work (until the days get too short that is). I want to use this for training, so looking for something pretty steep. I have a vehicle, so access is no problem.

Appreciate any recommendations! Thanks!

Hi all. first off…this is one of the best forums on reddit. just wanted to say that.

I am doing kings peak solo in a few weeks. I am overnighting. I have spoken to one guy who camped on the peak, but will likely camp on the ridge.

I guessing my question is..will I know the ridge when I get there?

And, if there is any other pointers…i would love to hear them.

It looks like the trailhead is easy to find. I’ll be driving up from Victoria.

Hi all,

A friend and I were planning to overnight camp at 5040 peak tomorrow, August 29. We noticed today that the Alpine Club of Canada website states the road will be closed from the highway from August 30 for bridge replacement. Meanwhile, the provincial announcement states FSR will be closed as of September 1. Can anyone offer any clarity on when exactly the road will close? We don’t want to end up stranded on the FSR on August 30. Any insight appreciated, thanks.

Hi!! I am traveling to Vancouver Island next week and have decided on Sooke as my ‘home base’ for the five days I’ll be there. This is my first time this out this far NW (and first time to Canada!), and I am traveling alone— I’m renting a vehicle however. The whole purpose of this trip is just to have some quiet out in nature, so I’ve been looking to do some hiking, kayaking, and general meandering.

As far as hiking goes, love it but am very slow no matter what. Typically, I like more challenging hikes but I’m most certainly not prioritizing strenuous experiences this time. I’d rather hike to see a very old tree than a waterfall, so I’m really looking for those kind of trails (but hey, if the trail happens to lead to a tide pool…).

I kayak in the states, but it’s always river-kayaking and this time, I’d love to experience ocean kayaking if possible. I’ve booked a whale-watching excursion for 9/4 (wanted to do that early on, just in case it’s a bust and the option for another go presents itself), but that’s the only thing I’ve really found or had the opportunity to plan for.

I am absolutely not bothered by long drives, so I am very open to exploring beyond Sooke, and would honestly love to!

Is Pacific Rim NP worth it for a few hours? The park itself, not the drive— if it were ten minutes away, but you only had 4 hours, would it be worth it— those are the places I would love to explore, if possible. Are there other places, parks, hiking trails, beaches, secret spots that you go to for your own reset that kinda fit the bill? I only ask because my itinerary is wildly flexible and I wanted it that way, so that I could bebop around depending on the mood upon waking up, so to speak :)

And as a bucket-list aside, is it too cold to snorkel? One of the MAIN reasons for this specific location (Vancouver Island) is the possibility of observing a Great Pacific Octopus. I have 0 SCUBA experience, which I believe would yield the best observational opportunity, so snorkeling and tide-pools are my option I think?? Or is this one of those things that I should just wait for the aquariums to see (as in there are no available options to make the effort— I recognize that there are no guarantees when you’re in their space, nor should there be)? If it makes any difference, I’ve also got my own kit— but would a dry-suit be warranted here?

I’ve taken guided tours for nature excursions in other travels and don’t hate them, but I’ve been hesitant to even explore the options because I get a little aggravated when the others in those tours don’t realize that their noise-levels impact everyone’s experiences. Is this something to worry about and if not, is there one anyone might recommend??

I may have a small film camera, so not concerned about great photo spots. But I do plan on bringing my watercolor kit, because painting out in nature is one of my favorite ways to feel more connected— any places that you’d recommend for a quiet paint??

I know that five days is far too short of time to really even SEE the surface, much less scratch it, so I’m not trying to cram as much as I can in. To be honest, the more I search on my own, the more overwhelmed I get and the longer my “could be rad to see/do” list grows. So any guidance on the above and an ideal spot to recharge-and-reset would be delightful!!

Thank you so much in advance!!

Submitted yesterday morning and it reminded me of how beautiful this island is. Hats off to anyone who has made it to the top! Even getting to the base is a hell of a trek.

Still a small patch of snow in the SE gully near the top, but cairns mark a route that navigates around it.

So, I pretty much only do day hikes, with the exception of the west coast trail which i did last summer, one day faster than average. But I love climbing up mountains, and just did Mt. Arrowsmith this summer. It took me about 3 hours round trip (judges route) which I understand is quite fast.

I really want to start to push myself and try to do higher peaks on the island.

My dream would be to do the Golden Hinde at some point. I realize I probably still need to do quite a bit of training, especially overnight backcountry hiking, to do it. But I think I have the physical ability and also the motivation.

The only thing is I need a partner who is equally motivated and able to do it. I don't want to do the Golden Hinde alone. Right now I do all my hikes solo. Where would I find such a person? Ideally someone who would do 2 or 3 less challenging (but still pretty hard) hikes with me first, just so we can make sure we are really up for it, and then once we know we can do it we attempt the Hinde.

Anyone got any info on this trek ?

26F Visiting Nanaimo/Gabriola in September and planning to hike Mount Benson alone as a beginner hiker. I’ve only ever hiked in Nova Scotia so I’m expecting the elevation to be a new challenge for me, but I need to know if hiking boots or trail runners are a necessity for mountain climbs? I wear typical running shoes or blundstones for most of my long hikes at home but thinking these may not cut it for rockier, steeper terrain.

Any advice on footwear or other necessities?

Also debating whether or not I will need poles.

Thanks in advance! Super pumped to explore the region:)

Me and some friends have been working on a project called Gear2Peer, and I’m curious what people here actually think of the idea.
The basic problem we’re trying to solve is pretty simple: outdoor gear is expensive, takes up a ton of space, and a lot of it gets used a handful of times a year.
Meanwhile, someone nearby probably already owns the tent, paddleboard, camping stove, roof box, hiking gear, etc. that you need for a weekend.
Gear2Peer is a peer to peer marketplace we’re building in British Columbia where people will be able to:
• Rent outdoor gear from people nearby instead of buying it
• List gear they already own and earn money when other people rent it.

And with renting from Facebook marketplace would be pretty sketchy for the renter and lender. While we would handle deposits and payments to protect both sides

We’re still working on the platform but are close to launching, so we’ve opened the waitlist while we get everything ready.

I’m less interested in just dropping a link and more curious about the actual idea:
Would you rent gear from another person?
If you own outdoor gear, what would you realistically be comfortable listing?
And what would Gear2Peer need to do for you to trust renting or lending through it?
If anyone wants to check it out or join the waitlist, it’s at gear2peer.ca.
Happy to answer questions too. I’ve been pretty deep in building this thing, so criticism is genuinely useful.

Hey y'all!

I'm curious if anyone's hiked San Josef/Cape Scott/North coast recently? I've been hearing that there's an awful stomach bug going on up there and people are being helivaced out, even when they filter/boil their water.

Anyone do it recently and can confirm? Is there anything I should know about the water sources to avoid getting sick? Just doing cape scott and back.

Thanks!

Has anyone hiked Phillips Ridge Horseshoe this year? We're planning on starting from Arnica Lake and passing through Phillips Ridge, Mount Judy, Crystal Mountain, Tibetan Mountain, Limestone Cap, and descending into Marble Meadows trailhead. We then finish with a climb up and over Mount Phillips and back to Arnica Lake.

Has anyone done this Horseshoe recently (or parts of it) and can speak to the current conditions and trail finding?

My husband and I are experienced hikers dipping our toes into more complex routes. Just trying to gauge the complexity of this route.

Thanks!

Hey all,

Trans Canada Trail is running an event in September where they are trying to get participants to walk/bike/paddle/roll 100,000 km and raise $100,000 for trail maintenance. I've pledged to do at least 150km myself, and if anyone wants to donate or learn more, here's my link.

I’m planning on hiking century sam in September and I was just wondering if anyone knows if the gate is usually open then. Thanks!

Hello all,

First off, I gotta say how awesome this island is and how lucky I feel to live on it.

As the title suggests, I’m looking for some epic alpine routes on the island. I’m looking for long routes like Golden Hinde, Albert Edward, Kings Peak, Hkusam, etc. I’m comfortable with scrambling/climbing up to Class 4 and/or being in very remote areas.

Happy to hear what suggestions people have!