Hiked this horizon of Tzouhalem the other day in January from end to end and then back along the road. We started at the Church of St Ann's on Tzouhalem road.
The church that was built in 1903. Trail starts just next to the church and follows a pilgrimage path to the Cross on top of the escarpment that looks over the church. The Way of the Cross is an annual pilgrimage that happens on Easter Fridays. A steep climb of about 1200 feet.
The trail of course starts off in the woods on old logging roads, but eventually turns into just a beaten path that opens up on the conglomerate rock outcrops. The whole mountain looks like it is build completely out of this sedimentary rock.
The trail continues past the cross and sticks to the cliff top most of the way along the ridge. Lots of great views of Cowichan Bay and its valley beyond. You can even see Mt Whymper far to the northwest, a snow covered pyramid shaped peak. A few signs have been erected to guide the visitors.
When you get to the far end of the ridge you begin to see over to the gulf islands, Saltspring appears quite close.
There were very few birds this day, a group of Nuthatches had been harassing something in the trees above, with their " nat nat nat" scoldings. Maybe an owl but I couldn't find it in the dense Firs . No eagles soaring because there was no wind at all , calm. Only when we got down to the road below did we see a few eagles and a young Peregrine falcon fly over us at treetop level.
Not as steep a climb on the way down through the Garry Oaks and Arbutus trees. and then a long walk along 40 minute walk on the road back to the car .
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| Bald Eagle nest |
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