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 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.