We tentatively planned to head to the southern Chilcotin for BC Day long weekend, accessing the area via Tyaughton Creek. With dry weather and lightning strikes the week before, a wildfire started in exactly this area and the entire area was under evacuation order.
Pivot to Vancouver Island, which means ferries and finding frontcountry camping. We succeeded with a ferry booking to Nanaimo and with a Saturday of constantly checking for a booking availability we got a perfect ferry for the return on Monday.
Wednesday evening we headed to Horseshoe Bay.
Gods against us #1 – with our roof box. Our car was 1 inch above the regular height booking. Luckily we were allowed to board, but there was no over height space for our return on Monday.
Gods against us #2 – we arrived in Campbell River at 10 pm and hoped to get a first come first served site at Elk Falls. No luck. The dreaded Campground Full sign was posted. We ended up going to Morten Lake, which is lovely and quiet – perfect pitch.
Thursday morning we figured out that we could just fit our roof box inside the car with all our camp gear and Gill (we’d considered she could go as a foot passenger if space was too tight). One problem solved. Put the tarp up at the campsite in preparation for the forecasted rain.
We drove to Strathcona Wilderness Center to do the Forbidden Plateau / Mount Albert Edward hike, camping overnight at Circlet Lake. Weather not great. Cloud socked in over Mount Albert Edward and spots of rain when we reached the campsite. But it’s a nice camp spot and it was good to be camping in the backcountry for the first time in two years. We went for a walk towards the summit access trails, and were glad we didn’t venture up into the clouds and crags with the poor weather!
Friday morning we woke up in the clouds. Couldn’t even see the other side of Circlet Lake. We decided to make a fairly swift exit and descended down via Kwai and Lady Lake. Not many backpackers heading up to the Plateau – hardy souls. We arrived at the trailhead just before the real rain started.
In Campbell River we showered at a Rec Centre and had a great lunch at Meera Bakery – good pie! We brought supplies and had a good fire and bbq back at Morten Lakes.
Saturday we got up to the surprise of bluebird skies and had some regrets about leaving Strathcona. As we prepared for a day hike/run the clouds started to gather. We decided to head over to Quadra Island (20 mins on the ferry) and go for an easy trail run / hike up to Beech Mountain and around Morte Lake. Two other small peaks there are called Chinese Mountain, and we wondered what horrors led to their naming. It was a great hike/run and we just missed the banks of rain and thunder storms rolling in from Vancouver Island and across the Johnstone Strait. Quadra was nice and we’d come back with bikes to explore more.
We checked out Beachfire Brewing in Campbell River on the way home – good beer, even the dill pickle gose was drinkable!
Sunday we took the long drive via Campbell River into Strathcona to hike/run Flower Ridge. It’s a steep and relentless climb through nice forest to the wide, rocky alpine ridge. Great views which get better and better as you hike/run the undulating route. Trail is clear but not flagged at all on the entire route. The further you go the more remote the feeling. Out and back all the way to Central Crags would be 32 km round trip, and we decided to turn around at 13 km for a total of 26 km. Unfortunately, Gill rolled her ankle on the way down the steep trail and it was a slow hike to the trailhead instead of a run.
Monday we managed to stuff the roof box on the back of the car with all our other gear! We returned, stopping in Cumberland for a good breakfast sandwich, but sad that the Cumberland Village Bakery was closed for holiday Monday. We also checked out Courtney and Qualicum Beach on the drive to Nanaimo, seeking a good bakery. Nothing to report.
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