Glacier PROBUS Club in the Comox Valley

What is in Activity Group News?

1/1/2021

Activity Group News Posts are like blog or FaceBook posts and cover the last two years of the Glacier Probus Club, you can scroll down and back to January 2018.

Hiking Group - September 17

9/17/2020

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For this trip we returned to a route near Royston that we explored last November. It was an easier hike this time with the water hazards dried up. We enjoyed blackberries along the way, and the little people in Glover Park.
Photos by Lindsay Sparkes, Lorraine Weir, Steve Hill and Bill Boham

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Regular Walking: Tuesday Sept. 15th

9/16/2020

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Off to Cumberland for this walk! There was a very light rain but the air was not smelling of smoke. Also, these trails were gentle so we avoided exertion. The start was Josh's trail. Plans were altered to avoid what might be slippery boardwalks on Monday's Child. So, the WTF trail became our exploratory. No boardwalks on this narrow trail. There were two groups which somehow managed to meet up at the marshy area of Josh's Trail. However, that was good for a photo op and physical distancing was still maintained. We were all glad to get out!

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Hiking Group - September 12th

9/13/2020

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Our hike to Hairtrigger Lake was a new experience for most of us and certainly a first for the Hiking Group. Hairtrigger is a beautiful lake that none of us were in a hurry to leave. This was another hike well fueled by blueberries and huckleberries. At 18 kilometres and with lots of hills we worked hard for our scenic rewards.
Photos by Lindsay Sparkes, Patti Spearman, Bill Boham and Bill Jorgensen. To see all of Bill Jorgensen's pictures from the day click here.

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Strollers ~ Sept 10th at the Exhibition Grounds

9/11/2020

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Our Thursday walk was from the Exhitition Grounds through the forest behind ~ on trails that touch the river in places. We encountered instructors from the Therapeutic Riding Society preparing for their resumption of services ~ and thereafter had to watch where we were stepping.
This year's "restricted admission" Exhibition evidently featured two large straw teddy bears ~ still standing and worth a trip to see.
Report and photos by Ian Thompson

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Hiking Group - September 8th

9/10/2020

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On this hike we explored the Finger Glades and Great Big View areas on Mt Washington. This is a favorite destination with some members of the Snowshoe Group. Our hike didn't include the steep climb up from the Nordic Lodge but rather traversed across the slope from the Alpine Lodge. At about 9 kilometres it is probably the easiest hike that we do that includes mountain meadows and views.
Photos by Patti Spearman and Bill Jorgensen. To see all of Bill's pictures from this hike click here.

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Bridge Group

9/9/2020

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The Bridge group is a real success story of the Covid-19 pandemic. Only five weeks after the physical distancing rules came into force we were up and running. Thanks to the Trickster Cards platform discovered by Joe and Ann Zanbilowicz, a "we can do this idea" from Dorothy McGinn and great coaching and logistical support from group coordinator Vicki Matthew play resumed on April 21

Each week up to 24 group members gather round their phones waiting for a call from their "anchor". We play four hands of bridge, hang up and wait for a new call. Five rounds are played each week. Anchors Phil Morck, Marie Morck, Dorothy McGinn, John McGinn, Stu Isbister, Joe Zanbilowicz and Vicki Matthew use group calling on Skype or Bell Mobility make four way call so friends can visit and play. It was a bit of a technology leap for some but Social Distancing is a thing of the past for this group.

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Birding Group - September 8th

9/9/2020

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And here we go....it is September, so another season of Birding commences for our Group, starting off with an outing to the Courtenay Airpark. Covid-19 protocols limits group size to six; we were an enthusiastic group of five, setting off on the loop path at 08:30a.m. The tide was incoming but still somewhat low, so we found the bay waters were off in the distance, meaning the bird life in that area was hard to see. Still, we were happy with the bird count that we came up with from the lagoon and river, plus those sighted flitting about from tree to tree. Most birds were at a distance, so the photographs supplied below are not particularly of good quality, but are of use in identification.

Our bird count for the day: Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Anna's Hummingbird, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Northwestern Crow, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Northern Flicker (heard, but not seen), Great Blue Heron, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Common Merganser, Pied-bill Grebe, Canada Geese, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Long-billed Dowitcher, Killdeer, Glaucous-winged Gull and Ring-billed Gull.

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Hiking Group - September 4th

9/5/2020

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This was another new route for our group to explore. Just south of Campbell River we hiked mountain bike trails along Woods Creek and around the perimeter of the Storey Creek Golf Course. The route featured a nice variety of terrain with mostly mature forest, streams, ponds and wetlands. It was a relatively easy 13 kilometre hike that will likely be included in our regular repertoire.
Thanks to Steve Hill and Dawn Moore for the photographs

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Hiking Group - August 31st

9/4/2020

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Two groups led by two Bills, Jorgensen and Boham set out to conquer the two summits of Mt Washington. This new route for our group took us very steeply in an almost straight line to the main summit. This was a longer stretch of near vertical scrambling than we have taken on before. After enjoying fantastic views from the highest summit we were soon descending to a ridge then climbing to what the resort calls Little Mt Washington. The resort trail map showed a viewpoint not too far beyond so we carried on. We never did find the viewpoint but did find a route back up to the ridge and the climb back up to the main summit. Our trip down the mountain on Linton's Trail had a comfortable grade and a nice mix of forest and meadows. All together we climbed 726 metres, about 70 metres more than Mt Becher and we covered 11 kilometres.
Photos by Steve Hill, Lindsay Sparkes, Bill Boham and Bill Jorgensen. To see all of Bill Jorgensen's pictures from the day click on link 1 and link 2

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Regular Walking: Tuesday Sept.1st

9/3/2020

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A new walk for this Tuesday. Our group met at Jumbo's cabin. This exploratory had us explore the frisbee golf course. Lorne was so quick at spotting the next "tee off" spot and the posts. Some have baskets and others are just posts, which total 18 and lead us up and down and around through that lovely forest. Next, we ventured on the Swamp trail. Thanks to Lorne for the photo.

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Hiking Group - August 29th

9/1/2020

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Last December some of us did an exploratory hike looking for a loop south of the Trent River. On that occasion we encountered a creek that we could not cross. This time water was low enough to complete the loop as planned. Most of us met after the hike by the estuary in Royston for a physically distanced, windy lunch.
Photos by Dawn Moore and Bill Jorgensen. To see all of Bill's pictures from this hike click here.

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Hiking Group - August 25th

8/27/2020

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The 23 km return trip to the Cruikshank Canyon Viewpoint is one of the most challenging in our group's repertoire. With lots of hills to climb in both directions we all finished quite exhausted. And yet it is always a popular hike, a highlight of the season for some of us. Why? The route passes by 7 beautiful alpine lakes and through Paradise and Murray Meadows. And then there is the breathtaking views from the top of Cruikshank Canyon. Two groups completed the trip this time. One led by Bill Jorgensen was billed as "photography friendly". Indeed the day was very well documented. In addition to the pictures below please check out online albums by Katie Hubberstey and Bill Jorgensen.

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Regular Walking: Tuesday August 25th

8/26/2020

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This is a new walk that will likely be added regularly to the schedule. Royston Seaside Trail is short so to add distance, we walked south along Marine Drive first. Being low tide, we discovered a short trail through the sea grass. Views were amazing from there. This became an exploratory as we took the time to check out sea asparagus, gumweed and this sea grass that shot into a log as if it were darts. Walking along the whole stretch of Marine Drive was enjoyable as we talked with a few locals and admired the scenery and the unique houses. Very little traffic, smiling faces and a village or hamlet ambience! A wake of vultures were feeding on the shoreline though many flew away before the picture was taken. A heron or two was also spotted. I must admit we did saunter a bit but picked up the pace once we were on the seaside trail. Not too quick though! A fairy trail was spotted so we checked that out. Debrief was at the Royston Cafe where you can sit outside on picnic tables or inside and with its recent renovation, it is airy. Thanks Helmut for pictures.

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Hiking Group - August 19th

8/19/2020

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Since cooler weather had been forecast for the day, our hiking group decided to ignore the clouds and to get out on an easy morning hike, before afternoon showers began. Good call, as the outing was very pleasant. Since we started from the trailhead fairly early and anticipated being back around noon, we decided to start our walk at the BC Hydro Day Use picnic area at Comox Lake, heading for Nymph Falls before turning to retrace our steps. This is the opposite of our usual expedition over this trail system, but it meant that we could wait for our lunch until returning to the picnic area, keeping the food and drinkables cool in our vehicles in the meantime. Sure was nice to sit around afterwards for a sociable meal!

click on photos to enlarge for viewing:

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Regular Walking: Tues. August 18th

8/19/2020

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Pub to pub or no pub to no pub trail is a long time favorite. The only change was starting from the Oyster River Nature Park rather than from Salmon Point. Also, one group left after signing in while another small group waited. Lovely 7 k walk! There seems to be a bit more soft sand on the trail parallel to the beach. Ocean views are always admired. Debrief was at Miracle Beach. All of us now carry chairs in our cars. The view from Miracle is amazing! Thanks to Helmut and Lorne for photos.

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Regular Walking: Tuesday Aug. 11th

8/13/2020

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Another pleasant day for walking on this variation of an established route was had. Parking at the Goose Spit, we walked up Hawkins and Yates until we reached Nob Hill. That gave us a wee bit of cardio.The climb was worth the view from the top. After a few streets the Summer Greenway led us back to Hawkins where we walked by the alpaca farm. Yes we spotted four of them. Next, we enjoyed the view at the beach. Never tire of the glacier views! Mack Laing, Brooklyn Creek and eventually the steps by the alpacas before heading back. Debrief for 5 of us at the Comox Marina park again. A few of us even indulged with food from the trucks that opened a bit earlier than usual. Thanks to James, Helmut and Deb for photos.

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Hiking Group - August 11th

8/12/2020

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Once more, the hikers formed two groups. Group 1 headed up to Campbell River to check out our Elk Falls trail system (Canyon View, Millennium and Elk Falls), having heard that the Millennium Trail is open once more. It was a pleasure to pace its paths again, as we got caught up on the changes that have been effected there since the new hydro-electric system started operations. The John Hart generating station has disappeared, with a display area (complete with two totem poles) taking its place. We are back to using the original trail now, amended with the addition of a new staircase stretching from the display area up to the established trail above. At the far end of our trail system (above Moose Falls), the day use area complete with picnic tables, outhouse and parking lot has disappeared; we now will be using the newly expanded picnic area to the side and above Elk Falls. This is all rather hard to explain - have a look at the photos below...
The Pink Salmon are running at the moment in the Campbell River so both fishermen and gulls were lining the banks, in anticipation of a catch. All in all, it was an interesting outing, with plentiful sights of nature to enjoy.

Group 2, Mt Washington Mine:

This was a new destination for our group. We hiked up a haul road now closed to traffic to the remediated site of the Mt Washington copper mine. Along the way we were treated to views south down the Straight of Georgia, across to Desolation Sound and north up Discovery Passage. At the mine site we found the remains of a few small building to speculate about and colourful rock formations. On the way back we took a side trip to McKay Lake and the base of the ski resort's Boomerang chairlift.
Photos by Lindsay Sparks, 2 Steves (Ray & Hill) and 2 Bills (Boham & Jorgensen). To see all of Bill Jorgensen's pictures from this adventure click here.

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Hiking Group - August 8th

8/10/2020

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The day's weather seemed ideal for a strenuous hike, so two groups were formed (one to tackle the trail to Drabble Lakes while the other headed for the Mt Becher trail). The trailhead - the parking lot for the old Forbidden Platea Ski Lodge - was the same for both groups and they followed the same route until reaching the pertinent trail fork within the Strathcona Provincial Park (Group 1 left earlier, so the groups never did overlap).
Group 1 reports that their hike was every bit as strenuous as expected due to the distance travelled (16+km) and the undulating nature of the terrain. The trail needs a bit of attention regarding hacking back of foliage: it was sometimes hard to see the path surface, which is a factor when the trail is narrow and a bit crumbly at the edge of the steep hillside(!). Still, we were very taken with the beauty of the scenery along the way and enjoyed our lunch at one of the picturesque lakes.
Thanks Patti and Dawn for contributing the photos below:

Group 2 faced a dilemma right from the start as it seemed from our observations and some weather forecasts that we had about even odds of being in the clouds or having a view when we get to the Mt Becher summit. Hoping for the best we set out on our 660 meter (2200 foot) ascent. We were very happy to see that the clouds were above the summit, so we could see the the valley and Straight of Georgia below. Nearby mountains disappeared into the clouds above.
Thanks to Steve Hill and Bill Jorgensen for the pictures. To see all of Bill's pictures of this adventure click here.

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August 06th, 2020

8/6/2020

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This was a variation of the NE Woods walk. Starting from the Lazo Road Marsh parking area, we ventured the trail to Curtis Rd. and the path to Balmoral Beach. With the tide low enough, we were able to walk on a sandy section for a ways before backtracking and heading up Brent Road. Wish I had beach photos to share as the views were lovely. Next, it was off to the Lazo Marsh loop before heading into the NE Woods. No flying deer to be seen on our exit via Colby Road. Five of us brought chairs and enjoyed a debrief at the Comox Marina park, which was a perfect end to a lovely walk (mini hike) that took 1 hour and 45 min..

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Hiking Group - August 4th

8/6/2020

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Time to check out the Nile Creek trail system once more and for this one, we got a fairly good response from our members, necessitating a 3-group outing. Group 1 and 2 headed out along Nile Creek as far as the first waterfall, with the faster group 1 (Gil leading) leaving the trailhead first. Group 2's members were the photographers of the Club, so took their time over the pathways. Their leader, Bill J., states: "Group 2 challenged the Nile Creek trail with enthusiasm and fun in mind. The conditions were ideal; lots of sunshine, comfortable warm temperature and tons of mud. We were rewarded with the opportunity to have lunch at a wonderful spot near a beautiful waterfall. We even managed to find a previously unexplored side trail. It turned out to be an effective detour around a section dominated by mud. It was an excellent day that offered up some entertaining photo opportunities and fun times." Gil says he certainly concurs with these observations!

Photos below were provided by Patti Spearman and Bill Jorgensen (Thank you!). Do check out the link to Bill's photo gallery to get a full appreciation of the mud-challenging route!

Group 3, led by Dawn, used a nearby trailhead to explore another trail system in the area, one that the hiking group refers to as "South of the Nile". We were roughing it a bit, as none of us had led on this route before, but, with the exceptions of a few short accidental side excursions, we made it to the end without any real mishap and thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the woods in the dappled sunshine. Unlike the last hike over this route in January, the trails were dry and in good condition.

Thanks, Steve Hill and Dawn Moore for your photo contributions, shown below.

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Hiking Group - Wednesday, July 29th

7/31/2020

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Two groups headed up Mt Washington way on Wednesday, since the pertinent forecast indicated warm rather than hot weather for the day. Yeah, right. Well, it did start off nicely warm, but we were all feeling the heat build by the time noon approached. Still, a welcome breeze played with us and we returned in fine shape (though perhaps a teensy tired). Both groups enjoyed the beauty of the day-in-the-alpine-hills and look forward to more such hikes as summer progresses.

Group 1, led by Gil, roamed the furthest - the route included a climb up the rougher west side of Lake Helen-McKenzie to Kwai Lake and then looped back to the trailhead via Croteau Lake.

Dawn led Group 2 along the usual routing to Croteau Lake and back.

Thank you, Bill Jorgensen, for your link to photos taken of your group's Kwai Lake hike: a few of these photos are featured below:

And, thank you Steve Hill and Dawn Moore for providing Group 2's photos:

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Regular Walking: Tuesday July 28th

7/28/2020

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Refreshing temperature for our walk through several parks today. Thanks to Deb who led us through Puntledge Park, the Rotary Riverside Park that connects to Ruth Masters Park, Morrison Nature Park and First Street Park. Only a few city streets were accessed to reach a few of the parks. The parks are great exercise with its hills, inclines and steps. A wee bit of cardio! At Morrison Park, we met an excited boy with his Grandpa and they showed us a dragonfly nymph and freshwater mussel. Thanks to all for a sociable, lovely walk!

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Hiking Group - July 24th

7/25/2020

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What's with the Oyster River MBT (Mountain-biking trails) and bears?? When Gil and I were up that way with friends in May, we encountered two; this morning, our groups took two paces towards our trails...and a big bear paced along the road we were heading for. Good start! It reacted appropriately and headed for the bushes as soon as it detected our presence, thank goodness. That was it for excitement - no more to be seen.

There were two groups on the day's hike. Separating upon reaching the road, they tackled the same trail system (with a few modifications) but in the opposite directions. As Gil's group went a bit further via an additional trail, we never did meet along the way, but arrived back at the trailhead within 15-20 minutes of each other. All enjoyed the outing, but Dawn's group decided that the other direction is the preferred one, since it is easier to go UP steep trails rather than DOWN, especially when the substrate is slippery.

The photos below were contributed by Steve Hill (Gil's group) and Patti Spearman/Dawn Moore (Dawn's group)...thanks everyone!

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Hiking Group - Monday, July 20th

7/23/2020

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Time for a real workout: on Monday, some intrepid hikers decided to tackle Mt Elma once more. Whew! For us, this is serious hiking, since the actual ascent involves nearly one km of steep steady climbing. The descent wasn't much better - I was on my rear end at least once to manage a particularly steep section! But, wow...the views at the summit make this route worth while (every once in a while!). Mt Elma is situated between Lake Helen McKenzie and Croteau Lake so at one viewpoint, we looked right down on Croteau Lake's new group campground while at another, Helen McKenzie is featured. Other lakes in the region are all visible and views of the Glacier and Mt Albert Edward (and all peaks in between) were also a highlight. All in all, a memorable outing.

Thank you, Bill Boham, Steve Hill and Patti Spearman, for your photo contributions below.
Bill also provided a link to the day's plotaroute.
Finally, thanks, Bill Jorgensen, for the link to your photos, a few of which are included below.

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