Glacier PROBUS Club in the Comox Valley

Hiking Group

3/12/2022

The Hiking Group's aim is to get out on excursions at least once a week. Our hikes range from about 3 hours to all day. Hikes can be on any day of the week with start times optimized for the conditions. There is plenty of variety in our offerings, from gently rolling trails to climbing Mt Becher or Mt Elma. We hike year round when conditions are safe to do so.

Emails announcing hikes are sent out a few days before the event. When the weather systems are unsettled, it isn't always possible to give a lot of forewarning about an upcoming hike and so we ask for your patience. Members who signup for a hike are invited to gather at a carpooling location which is announced along with the hike details. Look for fellow hikers standing in a group, waiting for the departure time. A suggested "thank you" for carpool drivers is included in each hike confirmation email.

A description and pictures of recent hikes can be seen by scrolling through the Activity Group News pages.
If you would like to join the Hiking Group please proceed to the Activity Groups Signup Page.
If you have any questions or comments please use the Contact Form.

This webpage provides an outline and guide to some of the hiking trails in or near the Comox Valley that we frequent, along with a subjective difficulty rating. Each Trail shown in the Index below can be clicked on to "jump" to a description, maps, and pictures of that particular trail.

Index:

Chinese Peaks - Quadra - Grade 4 difficulty level
Comox Lake Bluff Trail - Comox Valley - Grade 3 difficulty level
Elk Falls Trail System - Campbell River - Grade 2.5 difficulty level
Mount Becher - Forbidden Plateau - Grade 5 difficulty level
Mount Washington Trail System
- Croteau Lake - Grade 3.5 difficulty level
- Kwai Lake - Grade 4 difficulty level
- Cruikshank Canyon Lookout - Grade 5 difficulty level
Northeast Woods/Lazo Marsh Trail System - Comox - Grade 1 difficulty level
Nymph Falls - Comox Valley - Puntledge River Trail System - Grade 1.5 difficulty level
Puntledge River East, Return - Comox Valley - Puntledge River Trail System - Grade 1 difficulty level
Ripple Rock - Campbell River - Grade 3 difficulty level
Seal Bay Park - Comox Valley - Grade 1 difficulty level
Snowden Demonstration Forest - Campbell River
- Lost Frog Hike - Grade 2 difficulty level
- Taz Hike - Grade 2.5 difficulty level
Wildwood Forest Trail - Comox Valley - Grade 1 difficulty level

March 12th, 2022

3/12/2022

NORTHEAST WOODS/LAZO MARSH TRAIL SYSTEM

3/6/2015

Trail map included in the photo section, or click on Comox Northeast Woods.

This trail system has several trailheads: the main one (with plenty of parking) is at the northern end of Torrence Rd., off Guthrie (Comox). Here, you find inter-winding multi-use trails for easy hiking, trail running and biking. Of note: This park is frequented by dog walkers and the dogs are generally off-leash. It might be better to plan hikes here for the early afternoon, when perhaps the incidence of dogs is a bit lower.

There is a large trail map at the car park detailing the various routes, which are mostly flat with a few small hills and which are suitable year round despite muddy patches after rains. The trails are well maintained.

The park is next to the Lazo Marsh conservation area which is also worth checking out. The maps found at the park indicate where one can divert from the main NE Woods loop trail to reach Lazo Rd. By crossing Lazo Rd and heading in the direction of Point Holmes, one quickly comes to a path following the edge of Lazo Marsh and eventually reaching Curtis Rd. From here, it is an easy walk down Curtis to a public beach access. This half-way point to the hike is the perfect spot for a snack break before retracing the trail back to the Northeast Woods to hook back into the main loop trail for the completion of the hike back to the trailhead. The Lazo Marsh trail is a bit hillier than NE Woods, but the uphill sections are short and easy to negotiate.

This hike is approximately 9km in length, taking around 2.5 hours to complete.
Grade: 1

Click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption:

COMOX LAKE BLUFF TRAIL

2/19/2015

COMOX LAKE BLUFF TRAIL

For a map of the Bluffs location, visit Map Link

There are various routes for approaching the Comox Lake Bluffs. In order to provide a hike of 2.5 - 3 hour duration, we are presently starting off at the Comox Lake Dam parking area, off Comox Logging Road. On the lake side of the road, the woods are riddled with trails that are primarily used by mountain bikers and by following those paralleling the lake, one eventually arrives at a trail leading upwards to the Bluffs. The route is basically stepped - uphill sections alternating with fairly level ones, giving relief from the upward grind.

Views along the way are lovely, making the hike well worth the effort of climbing. Sturdy boots/shoes are recommended and hiking poles are of use when climbing.

Grade: 3.5

Click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption:

Ripple Rock

1/23/2015

The 8.5km (return) trail starts off in an overgrown field and then heads into woods for the remainder of the hike, winding most of its way through terrain parallel to the Menzies Bay shoreline and coming out at the top of a bluff overlooking Seymour Narrows.

This hike involves a fair amount of climbing up and down along the route, culminating in the final ascent to the summit (which includes a large set of sturdy stairs). The Narrows are less than a km wide below the lookout: it is here that the largest non-nuclear explosion in the world occurred, to get rid of Ripple Rock, a major marine hazard.

This hike takes approximately 4 hours to complete, depending on length of the lunch break. The drive to the trailhead from Home Depot is one hour, so anticipate spending at least 6 hours on this excursion.

Grade: 3.5

Click on file to open, click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption:

ripple_rock_trail_map.pdf
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Snowden Demonstration Forest

1/23/2015

1. LOST FROG HIKE: The trailhead is at the Lost Frog Parking lot, at the eastern end of the Forest and involves a drive of approximately 3km on a potholey road (nothing that can't be negotiated carefully). If you don't want to take your car over this sort of road, be prepared to carpool.

The day's hike is around the Lost Frog and Lost Lake loops and includes Mudhoney Pass Trail. There are a few short uphill sections, but nothing extreme. Including rest and lunch breaks, the hike should take approximately 3.5 - 4 hours to negotiate.

A logical spot for a lunch break is at the Lost Lake picnic tables, about half way through the hike.

Grade: 2

Click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption:

This Forest is just north of Campbell River (off the road to Gold River); it lines the logging road leading to Loveland Bay Provincial Park. It takes about 1 hour to reach the trailhead from Home Depot.

This Demonstration Forest is absolutely lovely and well worth return visits. The multitude of trails are very well marked and are well-groomed. Many are dedicated to mountain bike riders, but there are a good number of multi-use ones just waiting to be explored.

Sturdy shoes/boots are recommended as the trails can be rooty and somewhat muddy in patches. A hiking pole might also be found useful, though not necessary.

Click on file to open:

snowden_forest_trail_map.pdf
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2. TAZ HIKE: We begin this hike at the Lost Lake parking lot on the south side of the Forest (off Loveland Bay Road, a gravel logging road usually in good condition during the summer/fall). The sequence of trails is: Lost Lake/TriMac/Riley Lake/Access to Elmer Lake/Lookout Loop/Enchanted Forest/Access to Taz/Taz/Upper Lost Frog Loop/Lost Lake Loop/Riley Lake/TriMac/Lost Lake to trailhead.

This is a longer (perhaps 4.5-5 hours), more arduous hike involving some uphill sections, but also about 3 STEEP downhill clambers. It could be rated in the same category as the Canyon View Trail - Elk Falls trail hike for the uphill sections; for the downhill sections, hiking poles or walking sticks are a distinct help.

The Taz section of the trail is the area that gives us the most workout, but it rewards the hiker with a wonderful bluff view to the area overlooking Seymour Narrows in the Ripple Rock area - a great location for a lunch break.

Grade: 3.5

Click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption:

Mount Washington Trail System

1/23/2015

The listed trails start from the Paradise Meadows trailhead, on Mt. Washington, about a 40 minute drive from Home Depot.

There are a number of hikes which can be undertaken from the trailhead, ranging from a simple circuit around the Paradise Meadows boardwalk trail (basically flat; about 2.5km) to...well, the sky is the limit!

Those with only 3 hours available for a workout can settle for the Lake Helen McKenzie loop at around 8km in length (Grade 2.5, with a climb up to the lake, an undulating trail along the north side of the lake and then the descent back down to the Paradise Meadows boardwalk. The elevation gain is 70m...this is a fairly easy hike on well-developed trails through a mix of sub-alpine meadows alternating with elevation gains).

And then, there are more energetic hikes...

Click on file to open:

mt_washington_trails_map.pdf
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1. CROTEAU LAKE

This hike starts out as an easy hike on boardwalk, becoming a bit rougher heading up to Lake Helen McKenzie and then rougher yet as one heads further on. While on the Lake Helen McKenzie loop, the trail diverts southwards from the eastern edge of the Lake, leading past a few intervening lakes (eg Lady Lake) until it reaches Croteau Lake. Total trail length is about 14km (including the Lake H.M. loop); it takes around 5 hours to complete.

Grade: 3.5

Click on photos to open or cursor over for captions:

2. KWAI LAKE

The trail length is about 15 kms, taking about 6 hours, with an total elevation gain of about 185 meters and offers hikers access to beautiful sub-alpine lakes and mountain vistas. One climbs up from Paradise Meadows to the eastern side of Lake Helen McKenzie and then continues on southwards past Croteau Lake until arriving at Kwai Lake.

Rounding the lake on its southern side, one then loops northwards to make the return to Lake Helen McKenzie, arriving on its western edge. Halfway along this stretch, there is a switchback descent which is relatively steep and from this descent to Lake H.M., the trail often tends to be muddy - best to do this one during drier periods!

At the west edge of Lake H.M., one has the choice of hiking straight back to the trailhead (a distance of around 3km, which is included in the 15km total length), or of completing the Lake H.M. loop, adding an additional 1.3km to the 15km route.

Grade: 4

Click on photos to open or cursor over for captions:

3. CRUICKSHANK CANYON LOOKOUT

At Kwai Lake, the hiker can take a side trail to the Cruickshank Canyon Lookout - a further distance of 3km (return) and involving an additonal elevation grade of 60m. The trail passes Mariwood Lake and Lake Beautiful. Expect to tack on an additional hour to the Kwai Lake Loop trail to include this lookout, bringing the total hike to around 7 hours. It is well worth the day to do this one!

Grade: 4.5

Click on photos to open or cursor over for captions:

Mount Becher

1/23/2015

The trailhead is at the old Forbidden Plateau ski lodge ruins, at the end of Forbidden Plateau Rd - a drive of approximately 30 - 40 minutes from Home Depot

Mt. Becher provides excellent views of the Comox glacier and the coast mountains across the Georgia Strait - unless the clouds are low. Hiking time is approximately 6 hours return and the distance is approximately 11 kilometers return. The elevation gain is listed at 650m.

The beginning of the hike is up the old ski hill and gets you panting in no time. From there, it is a case of following signs and continuing upwards (some steep sections, some more gentle), with some level breaks.

As with the Mount Washington hikes, this is best done in late summer and into the Autumn, to avoid snowy conditions. Dress in layers and be prepared for changes in weather.

Grade: 5

Click on video to play, click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption:

Puntledge River East, Return

1/23/2015

A scenic trail along the east side of the Puntledge River. The trail starts on the east side of the Comox Lake Dam and continues to connect up to the pipeline leading east towards Courtenay. One can access the northern end via logging roads near the Comox Lake Hostel. This is a generally flat route which can get quite soggy in spots during wet weather or when the Puntledge River is high and so is best tackled during the drier seasons..

Grade 1

nymph_falls_to_comox_lake_map.pdf
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Nymph Falls to Comox Lake, Return

1/23/2015

This route generally follows the Puntledge River from Nymph Falls to the BC Hydro Day-Use park by Comox Lake; three loop sections are available, to provide a bit of variety to the basic trail.

Once more, this is a forested trail system, providing many pretty views over the river. Almost all the route is flat, though there are a few short uphill sections.

This 13.74km return hike takes approximately 3 hours to complete (not including lunch/snack breaks) and the picnic tables at the Comox Lake end provide a good opportunity for a lunch or snack break.

Grade: 1.5

Click on file to open, click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption:

nymph_falls_to_comox_lake_map.pdf
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