Bluff Mtn Sooke

Hiked up Behind Camp Barnard, a Scout camp at Young Lake off of Otter Point Road in Sooke. From the Main Road of Otter Point you can see the bluff to the north as you drive past Poirier lake.
The trail goes straight up the Bluff, and takes about 25 minutes non stop. Oak Bay High school running team was coming down at the time I went up and the boys were doing it in 12, running.
From the ridge at the top you can see  Whiffen Spit and part of Sooke Basin.

From the top of the trail on the ridge I hiked along the open outcrops to the west. Lots of Lodgepole pine and only a few Arbutus trees , and 3 different Northern Pygmy owls calling, all doing their trill they unoften call... like a rapid toot-toot-toot...

Further along the ridge I came to a bit of a motor bike trail, so I followed that, up and down and westard, toward what looked like a logging road down along a steep valley, on the GPS.  I thought I could follow that back down to the scout camp. But, the road turned out to be jus the creek bed in the gulley and the bike track kept going westard toward Robinson Road, which I didn't want. SO, I took the trail less travelled and headed down the creek bed.
















Kind of a mistake, it got to where I was crawling sometimes on my hands and knees under the salmon berries and Nine Bark trees. I eventually came to an old overgrown Logging road. I followed  the next creek bed down to the scout camp roadway,  yay! back to sort of civilization.

French Beach Provincial Park

Spent an afternoon at French Beach Provincial Park, that is between Sooke and Jordan River the other day. beautifully calm with warm sunshine on the beach but the surf was up. Couldnt stop watching the big waves and could talk because they were slow loud and close up. Tide was in and the waves would sometimes kick stones up and bounce off our feet.  for more photos....


https://picasaweb.google.com/113917368483863816327/2014#6064694918903632050

Up to the headwaters of Niagara Creek, Goldstream Park

 Hiked up above Niagara trestle the other day, looking for the headwaters of the creek, that is a crescent of small lakes, the largest called Ark Lake. It was a 7 1/2 mile hike so I was hoping it was mostly on old logging roads in the Sooke Hills Wilderness Park Reserve. The trail that heads up past the trestle quickly dwindled to nothing and so I had to bushwack though about a kilometer of tall salal and alot of windfall . After finally finding the access road, I thought I would cross it and head onto the logging road I  could see through the woods. Mistake, I stepped on a wasp nest and got 5 or 6 stings on my lower legs... ouch man. from there I stayed on the roadways up to the lakes.

 some very large Firs in the area, with lots of limbs down the size
of trees to climb over on the way through. A Pine White butterfly, dead on the trail, I suppose they are dying of old age since I found two that way.

 Chantrelles, the first of the season.

And the lake, Ark Lake , pretty little lake but hard to get to. bushwacked through the pines and salal, alders and skunk cabbage to get to this vantage point.

 A few Ruffed Grouse were on the roads around the lakes, 8 in all. At the far end of the lake there is a roadway leading down to the lake where there is fire water access. but the view from there is not as nice as the bushwacking lookout.
On the way back I ran into a black bear that was crossing the road in front of me.. I made my presence known to him  and he took off faster than I did from the wasp nest.

Finally back on the rail line next to the trestle

a hidden canyon

Hiked up along and ridge today and dropped down into a canyon with limited access. I think very few people know about this little jewel of paradise. It is so special I can not reveal where this is exactly.. but enjoy the photos.

our trip to Alaska

https://plus.google.com/photos/113917368483863816327/albums/6017757935096822449

Up above Little Niagara Falls and out to the Tunnel on E and N Railway line

Took a hike up past Little Niagara Falls in Goldstream Park today, they are actually as high as the real Niagara Falls, but not as much water flow.  this photo is from a few weeks ago when it was frozen over .

the next photo is an attempted HDR of the falls a week later when it had rained several inches the night before.
















The trail heads up the steep slope on the right side of the falls
when it is actually very well groomed. with chain link fencing, stairs and a maintained bridge above the falls.

You can't actually see the falls from the top of them, but you see the drop off. When you look up the from the bridge there is still a small canyon that the water shoots through.                                    The trail switches back and forth from here up and up some more until you see the first trestle
It is a little unnerving crossing the trestle for the first time at the 500 foot level.
The second time it is a little easier and when standing where some people repel off my feet start to tingle.

Its a fair distance to the next trestle that is a little shorter but seems just as high, the timbers are abit further apart on this trestle as well. The Ravens are rebuilding a nest just under the rail base, and are upset with my passing.

through the cracks you can see the old nest.

A bit of fog on the tracks made for a bit of an eerie feeling.
After about a half hour walk on the tracks I finally come across the tunnel.

A little surprised it isn't longer, maybe a hundred feet long. dripping at both ends.




Inside you can look up and see the multi coloured ceiling of the chipped tunnel .

Out the other side it opens up abit more and makes a better photo opportunity.

Views of the Saanich inlet are kinda peek a boo. but if you climb on top of the tunnel you get a pretty good view.

And the Turkey Vultures are back , or atleast migrating today, 3 of them drifting about.

It was a 3 hour hike out and back. 4 miles round trip