West Vancouver Sea Wall Walk

Capilano River, Lions Gate Bridge, West Vancouver
A Different Walk

It is not often that I go to Vancouver: there has to be a compelling reason. I love the slower, less urban environment of the Sunshine Coast, and forget sometimes that Vancouver is only a 40 minute ferry trip away. Yesterday I had to go for car maintenance and for a specialized dental appointment. 

Between dropping off the car and the dental appointment, I found myself with several hours to kill. This lead to a very happy discovery of the West Vancouver sea walk

The Walk, West Vancouver, From Park Royal to about 25th Street

Most people going to Vancouver for the day from the Sunshine Coast take advantage of all the shops and restaurants. I so enjoyed just walking for 2 1/2 hours, relaxing before the dentist. And I was so surprised by how lovely this area is! The river, the views of the bridges, the much clearer ocean than I would have expected, the piers to explore, the houses and apartments along certain sections: so interesting! There were also a number of seals, a popular crab fishing place, many birds. I recommend this walk.

Train Bridge

Lions Gate Bridge

The Seagulls Seem Much Tamer in the City

A Most Interesting Walk

Turkey in the Woods, Sunshine Coast, BC

Anyone Lose a Turkey?

Hiking on the Sunshine Coast, BC, has taught me to always expect the unexpected— and a few weeks ago this was certainly the case. It felt very weird to look down off a bridge into a mountain river and see... a full size turkey! It took few seconds for it to sink in, what this thing actually was, and then our small group had a lot of fun speculating on how the heck it had ended up there.

The two most promising theses were A: someone had put it on their deck / patio to thaw, and a large animal (dog, cougar, bear) had snatched it and dragged it off into the wilderness. But then why leave it? And why was it not more chewed up? B: someone thought this would be a good place to thaw a frozen turkey (they do recommend cold flowing water). But who would think leaving it in the wilderness, crawling with hungry animals, would be a good idea?

Definitely this was one of the strangest things I have come across while hiking.

But there is always, always, something. Below is a shot of a cardinal-- a bird not native to this area --also in the middle of the woods. Always something!

Hiking, Sunshine Coast, British Columbia

Typical Hike Scenery, Sunshine Coast, BC

The biggest influence on my work is without doubt this beautiful area I am fortunate enough to live in. The ocean, the beaches, the rugged shores, and the forests.

I try to go for at least a walk everyday, regardless of the weather conditions. And once or twice a week, I strive to go for a real hike.

Lately Mount Elphinstone has been the target. This is a huge area and it is absolutely littered with hiking trails-- from easy to ouch, from short to as long as you want.

Yesterday we enjoyed one of my favourite hikes-- a favourite even though I had only been on it one time before. Just the right amount of up and down (nothing lung breaking), no other people, a decent length for an afternoon (2 1/2 hours, including 20 minutes for a nice picnic lunch).

Nothing refreshes me and inspires me like a good hike in our woods.

Hiking, Sunshine Coast BC, Highway 102 Trail

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Maps.Me Excellent for Hiking

We enjoyed another, even longer, hike yesterday, all the way from just above the Langdale ferry terminal to the bottom of the B and K logging road. That took about 3.5 hours and was a great choice because much of the lower Sunshine Coast was covered in thick fog. Up on the side of the mountain, warm sunshine, blue skies.

We started in the crazy maze of trails known as the Sprock Kids park, a jumble of criss-crossing trails made by volunteers for mountain bikers. Now especially through this part is where I wish to give huge thanks and high recommendations to my favourite hiking app: Maps.Me, available for iOS and Android. I believe this app is crowdsourced, which may explain the incredible detail of hiking trails that appear. It's really up to date, and really, really helpful. It works offline, too! It shows exactly where you are (blue triangle, not shown in the above image), and which direction you are facing (pointy part of the arrow). I probably referred to it over a dozen times yesterday, to find the trail, or just to be sure we were on the right trail. Exceptional!

The Sunshine Coast has more than its fair share of trails. Some are very well marked, but a lot of them are either not marked, or marked in a confusing way. So unless you are certain you are venturing out on one of the easy, well marked trails, I would not go without Maps.me, or another good map-- if there are any.

Oh, by the way, Maps.Me is free... so really no excuse!

Because the hike was a bit longer than anticipated, it was cool ending up at the highway, where a bus arrived within minutes and took us back to our car in Langdale.

Here are a couple of pics from yesterday.

Highway 102 Trail, Langdale to Roberts Creek

Little Things are Often the Cool Things on a Hike

Hiking, Sunshine Coast BC

A Bridge That Turned Out to be a Sheet of Ice

After more than 25 years living on the Sunshine Coast, BC, it amazes me that we still find new hikes. This is a reflection of the terrific number of gorgeous trails criss-crossing the Coast. New trails are frequently being added, I think mostly thanks to a keen and energetic mountain biking community.

Yesterday we maintained our tradition of going on a long hike the first day of the new year, and discovered a previously unexplored (by us) network of trails not far from where we live. The surprises were multiple, in that this was definitely one of the most interesting hikes yet (complete with an old graveyard, a well displayed and signed bunch of old logging equipment, and most surprising a whole lot of snow! Looking at a map before departing, I never would have thought we would be in that much snow, and it just goes to show how you really have to be prepared for anything when hiking on the Sunshine Coast.

The most amusing moment came when my wife got part way across the above pictured bridge, only to discover it was one large sheet of extremely polished, slick ice! She did manage to creep the entire length without plunging, and I was happy to step down and across the stream without risking it.

The entire walk was 3.5 hours, and a little higher than this picture it became a winter wonderland. Very refreshing! The hot tea with a delicious lunch hit the spot!

For anyone not terribly familiar with hiking on the Sunshine Coast, two recommendations. First, absolutely go prepared (sun, rain, snow, wind may all be encountered during a single walk). Second, the very best maps for iPhone / iOS, and Android too, that I have found is called Maps.Me  I believe the wilderness maps are crowdsourced, updated frequently, and very, very valuable when hiking in areas such as where we went yesterday, where there are many trails, and it is easy to get turned around / lost. They work offline, so brilliant. Can not recommend strongly enough.

Fall Hikes, Fall Chores

One of my favourite trails
Mount Elphinstone, Roberts Creek, BC

After many months of preparation, the 2017 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl took place last weekend, and it was the best one yet! The only real glitch is that after investing in several thousand awesome fairy lights, for the first day the power was out the entire time! It was kind of fun, getting everyone to take out their cell phones and to use their flashlights. Still, I am sure that cut down on the sales for Friday a bit. Especially Friday and Sunday, but Saturday too, were all far busier than past years (which were already super busy!). Excellent!

It is now time to unwind. Today I went on a solo hike through one of my most loved trails, above Roberts Creek on Mount Elphinstone. It was delightful taking time to stroll, breath, let nature wash over me. Really nice!

I have also already started and made good progress revamping my website. First I had to clear out over a hundred sold items-- nothing like browsing on a website where it appears everything is sold! Now it is a much nicer experience. I changed pictures on the homepage. Polished some of the language. If you have time check it out: Coast Chimes.

Tiny Mushrooms, Mount Elphinstone Fall Hike

Hiking, Roberts Creek, Sunshine Coast, BC

One of My Favourite Spots
Just Above Roberts Creek, BC
Sunshine Coast

From Powell River to Port Melon, the Sunshine Coast is without doubt rich in awesome hiking options.

Before moving close to Gibsons, we lived in upper Roberts Creek, and that is where I first discovered the almost countless trails this area boast. Every once in a while, I enjoy returning to this part of the coast, to revisit those trails. Just yesterday, I took a friend through one of these routes. A beautiful blue sky day, and early enough so we did not wilt from heat. Perfect!

The picture above is one of my very favourite spots on the coast. It's such a peaceful spot. But it is also typical of many of the trails on the Sunshine Coast.

One thing: because there are so many trails, it is pretty easy to get turned around and loose your way. I recommend the free app, Maps.me, available at the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Apps. Unlike Google Maps or Apple Maps, Maps.me actually has a lot of hiking trails on the maps. If I did not know the area well, I would not go to a place like where I took this picture without it, and even though I know the area well, I still reference the maps from time to time.

Hiking, Sunshine Coast, BC, Canada

Cool Hiking Trail
Inland Lake, Powell River, BC

There's nothing to clear the head and raise the spirits like a good long hike. This past weekend, we went on one of the nicer ones I have been on, and that says a lot, since I have been on hundreds, maybe thousands, of hikes around BC.

Inland Lake Provincial Park is just a short drive from Powell River. Although it is a top rated destination, GPS is useful to find the start of the trail, near the boat launch. The trail follows the entire perimeter of the lake, about 13 kilometres (8 miles). We spent an exceptionally pleasant day frequently pausing for swimming. Warm, clear water, and a pristine view.

The trail is in excellent condition: wide, and completely flat. A very easy hike. Although highly rated on Trip Advisor, on a beautiful Sunday we saw very few other people.

The entire Sunshine Coast is loaded with awesome hiking opportunities. Tough to beat.

When you visit the Coast, take time out to visit my studio gallery in Granthams Landing, Gibsons. You'll see glass, copper, beach stone, driftwood works that you won't find anywhere else You can preview them on my website: Coast Chimes.

Happy trails!

Hiking, Sunshine Coast, BC

Hiking on the Sunshine Coast
Gibsons, BC, Canada

The Sunshine Coast, BC, Canada is rich in hiking adventures. The picture above is from the Mount Elphinstone trail, an estimated 6 hour round trip route. My wife and I did not push too hard, and managed to complete it in about 4 hours, including a lunch break at the top enjoying the view. It is one of the more beautiful hikes out of a very long list of gorgeous hikes I have undertaken on the Coast, but also, no doubt about it, one of the more strenuous.  In fact, I was not wearing very good shoes, just slip ons, and coming down was so steep that my toes constantly banged forward hitting and now, about a year later, I still have two black toenails! Such a beautiful trail, a little pain is nothing.

From Langdale through Gibsons, Roberts Creek, Sechelt, and on up to Pender Harbour (and beyond, to Powell River) there are hundreds, if not thousands, of short to long hikes, full of stunning scenery, and the likely hood of seeing some interesting wildlife, too (i.e., bears).

Be prepared to be wowed, but also be prepared. Know where you are going, tell someone where you are going, and when you plan to be back, dress appropriately (don't wear crummy slip ons for mountain hikes!). I know from early hiking days, a step off the trail, a little turn around, and you can get very lost, very fast. Most trails are well marked, but some certainly are not!

When visiting the Sunshine Coast, pick up the Purple Banner guide of artists' studios and galleries, because the Coast is also full of serious talent. Lots of fun to stop in and visit the art scene. You can certainly stop by Coast Chimes, and see wind chimes like you never imagined (also enjoy a unique house and urban food garden).