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Sprockids Mountain Bike Park - April 26, 2013

It has been a gorgeous week for getting outside. Wednesday, Sprockids Mountain Bike Park was home to the North Shore League Mountain Bike Series. Some friends were helping to organize the race, so I stopped by to give a hand (and enjoy the sunshine).

Entrance to Sprockids Park

Over 100 students were on the Coast to test themselves. I have to say that it was a pretty cool event to watch.  Like cross country running, you really can't watch the entire race.  The course was set up on some of the easier trails near the bottom of the park, but older students had to ride additional laps of the course. Some students were very series and focused...immediately wanting to know where they placed. Some students fist-pumped as they finished, proud of their ride. For others, just finishing the course was an achievement and even though they were exhausted for a few minutes, the pride of conquering the course was clear on their faces.

High School Students preparing to ride

Today with all the students gone, I decided to hike much of the race course.  The first leg went down Ankle Biter and over to Stinger on the south edge of the park.  I must have never gone all the way along this trail, because look what I found. Isn't this the cutest picnic spot?

Picnic area with a live tree in the center

 The birds were singing on such a nice spring day.  This picture is along Stinger.

Love the "faces" in the trees

It was nice to hike along trails I haven't done in a while: Rock n Root, Skoolz Out, Technical Ecstacy.  It was also fun to see all the new signs throughout the trails that were installed last month. They don't all have their "you are here" dots installed, but it really helps when navigating this extensive trail network. Can't wait to find the new trail being created right now by the Capilano University Mountain Bike Program students. They've been working hard this month and if previous projects are any indication, this new trail will be great.

Sprockids Mountain Bike Park - March 24, 2013

Today was a day to celebrate community volunteers. Sprockids Mountain Bike Park is a place I've written about a lot. Last year it celebrated its 20th anniversary sharing our amazing forests with kids through the love of mountain biking. Teaching kids to ride safely with family and friends in a sanctioned park with educational components. This system is now used across Canada.  Here it is 2km from my front door and I place where I love to hike.

  

Sprockids Mountain Bike Park - shovels ready

Capilano University's Mountain Bike Operations students organized the day to install over 30 signs throughout the park. Students, families and some diehard trail fairies spent the morning digging and carrying signs. Never get lost again! I've often been hesitant to direct guests to this park because of limited signage and maps in a complex system of trails making it an easy place to become disoriented. This is a great addition and will be very helpful to hikers and bikers alike.

I decided to try it out with a short hike in an area I haven't been to for a while. These pictures are all from Skoolz Out which is just above the Skills Park. The question isn't "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound?"...the question is "If a tree falls in the forest, what can we make with it?"

I would love to see someone bank on this.

Some very fun bridges

Yes, that long "bridge" is one tall tree...rootball still in tact at the end

That boulder at the end of the jump is taller than me!

 As I hiked, I could here some bikers above me. I decided to wait and see what is was like to jump off this. I expected someone to just launch over it and fly down the trail. Turns out, all these jumps and bridges are great teachers and confidence builders. Three young teenagers rode down and all came to a stop either beside or on top of this jump. They studied it...rode past it to check the landing...and discussed. Three different times one of them would ride up to jump it and stop at the last minute...not ready for the leap...talking to themselves that it was about being there mentally.  Finally one of them did it, and they all celebrated for a minute. A brief pause before taking off together to find the next challenge.

I finished my hike just in time for the skills demonstration. After a morning of digging holes to install signs, the kids were treated to a free lunch from the Lions Club burger trailer. Then they hit the skills park for some serious jumps from Coastal Crew and friends. They were flying...25 feet off the ground. Sorry, no good pictures, but they were impressive. The really fun part was after one of the older kids would jump, an eager 4-8 year old would ride from the same starting point and off to the next small run with a couple of junior size berms. The little guys were just as thrilled to show off in front of the audience and just as proud to ride successfully. The older guys cheered them on as much as they did for their friends making the huge jumps. What a great day.

Hidden Groves - March 20, 2013

Hello Spring!  To celebrate, I managed to take time for my first hike in the forest in a month.  Boy did it feel good!  Holiday, March rains, and a cold have kept me off the trails.  I made time to explore Hidden Groves on Sechelt Inlet. I've only hiked here a couple of times and it seemed like a good day to explore.

Massive old growth tree...500+ years old

The volunteers who have developed this park have done an enormous amount of work to create not only trails, but informational maps and signage.  No worries about getting lost here...maps can be found throughout the trail system. They've even marked and named the largest, oldest trees to be sure you don't miss them. 

Too bad I didn't have a friend along so that you could see just how big this Lonely Giant is. The young trees are as skinny as a man's arm.  Lonely Giant towers over the others and would take a group with arms outstretched to reach around it.

Lonely Giant

 I covered most of the southern half of the park in about an hour.  These are easy trails with no serious climbing.  The ground can be uneven in places, but the terrain is mostly flat with only gradual elevation changes.  I look forward to my next trip where I'll explore the north side where there the maps show some steep climbs up to an amazing view of Vancouver Island.

You can't get lost here

The trail builders have been busy. The official grand opening of the second wheelchair accessible trail is Sunday April 7.  It is a special celebration for dogs and people of all capabilities.

Monty's Way

Snowshoe Adventure - February 1, 2013

You know how sometimes you just want to be out on your own with time to think?  Today was one of those days.  With the promise of sun, I grabbed my snowshoes and caught the Alpha Adventures shuttle to Dakota Ridge Winter Recreation Area.

Eagle Lookout Trail

Even though I arrived at Dakota Ridge with 15 other people in the shuttle and there were quite a few skiers near the parking lot and the warming hut, I had the trails to myself.  All the trails are now signed and have been well marked, so after of couple of times of hiking with other people I have no problem venturing out on my own.  I take care, one could easily get lost in the white snowy forest if you left the trails, to ensure I stay on the marked trails...letting the alone time be adventure in itself.  I hiked the almost 2km Eagle Lookout trail without seeing another soul.

just me and the forest

 Dakota Ridge had a ton of snow in December. The base was up to almost 3 meters. When we were there on Boxing Day, all the trees looked like white Dr Seuss candy canes.  Today the trees were green as we've had warmer temperatures lately that have melted some of the snow.  The snowshoe trails are obvious with hard tracks to follow.  Fresh snow in this week's forecast should cover that up with fresh powder.

Map along the trail

After a short snack break outside the warming hut, I headed out on the Balsam Loop. This is another green trail just over 2km long that starts and ends at the warming hut.  The first half of the trail meanders through the forest, but there is a point where you come over a hill and into a clearing where on a sunny day there are just amazing views. Today the sun was playing peekaboo most of the day. There were touches of blue sky and warm sun, but clouds kept hanging in. The view is still pretty awesome.  Check out my December post if you want to see the clear sky pictures.

Eastern side of Balsam Loop

It wasn't until the very last leg of the trail that I passed 2 groups that I had ridden up with in the shuttle.  Almost 4km of snowshoeing completely alone with my thoughts...great exercise and productive brainstorming.  When I finished, I had a nice break in the sun at the warming hut.  I was able to visit with someone who was waiting for the rest of his party.  Dakota was well used today.  A dad/daughter learning how to cross country ski, a large group of co-workers on a team building day, a husband/wife team on their first snowshoe adventure, screams of joy from the tobogganing area, and just as we were leaving a boy scout troop on a winter camping adventure.  I am sure I won't let another month go by before my next snowshoe.

Ferry Trail - January 30, 2013

A break in the rain today, so I headed for the forest.  There is a trailhead right at the end of the street which I have written about before, but it has been a while since I hiked here. Every sunny day possible...a treat in January...I've chosen to walk at the beach. Today was more of a warm and foggy winter day, so I headed to the forest.

To my surprise, the amazing trail fairies have been very busy. I often avoid this trail in the rainy season as part of it becomes a stream. Someone has been adding gravel improving some of the muddier parts in a big way. I was very surprised to see signage and trail markings to greet me...in hot pink. The trail was really in good shape, thanks to some unknown but special volunteers.

once mighty giant

 I know it's hard to tell without a frame of reference, but this was once a huge forest giant.  See the skinny trees on the right edge of the photo?  This moss covered stump is easily 3 people's outstretched arms around.

 Most of the lower part of this area are young alders, but this stately giant stretches wide and proud.

This trail connects Sprockids Mountain Bike Park to the Langdale Ferry Terminal and is the final stretch of day 5 of BC Bike Race. All downhill and a great finish for 500 lucky riders.  For me...its just the trail closest to home.

busy precious trail fairies

 You just don't see many hot pink trail markers......

This is the sign under the hydro lines clearly showing both the way down to Langdale or the way over to the Elphinstone Trails and Sprockids Park.  This is also the break between mostly young alder psuedo forest and the firs and cedars of the real forest further up the mountain. I love how green it is even in the middle of winter.  Ferns are huge and everything is moist and full of life. I won't wait so long for my next visit to the Ferry Trail just beyond my doorstep.

Polar Bear Swim - January 1, 2013

Happy New Year!  I've come to enjoy a New Year's tradition...sleeping in (one of my favourite pastimes) and making our way to a Polar Bear Swim.  I haven't felt the need to actually be the person in the water, but I love to cheer on the brave souls who start the year with a splash.   This year, we cheered on the polar bears at Armour's Beach in Gibsons.

It was a beautiful crisp, clear morning and temperatures just above freezing.  Plenty of sunshine and a fresh dusting of snow on the mountains...just low enough to touch the highest point on Bowen Island.  A large group that included all ages plunged into the water.  I love to watch the kids...they are very excited about the prospect of swimming.  Then there is this point once they are in the water when they realize, "Hey, this is really cold!"

After the plunge of excitement we took a nice stroll along the beach in Gibsons Landing.  It's a good start to the year when you can take a refreshing walk along the ocean.  Thank you to those who organize the Polar Bear Swim...a festive and energetic way to start the year.

Dakota Ridge - December 14, 2012

It may be another week until the official start of winter, but today we enjoyed our first day of fun in the snow.    Saturday, December 15 is the official season opening for Dakota Ridge Winter Recreation Area.  Our good friends at Alpha Adventures took us out for a sneak peak & guided snowshoe tour.

15km Nordic ski trails

All trails have been named this year

It was an AMAZING day!  You couldn't ask for better weather conditions.  It is early in the season, but new snowfall was 50cm (that's 20 inches) in the past 24 hours. The clouds broke overnight and the sun was shining this morning. Temps were just around the freezing level.  We were warm after a bit of hiking and the snow on the trees was just melting a bit in direct sunshine. A perfect bluebird day. 

Knee deep in fresh powder!

Dakota Ridge has almost 4km of groomed snowshoe trails and another 3km of wilderness trails. With our expert guides, we were able to get off the beaten path (though in all that powder...not so beaten) and break fresh tracks through the forest. The forest is magical....so very quiet. Snow makes the most interesting shapes covering varied terrain, small trees, and moved by the wind. It was a bit like a Dr Seuss picture with rounded magical shapes.

Our expert guides Jamie & Lauren

Alpha Adventures offers guided trips and lessons for both cross country skiing and snowshoeing. They also operate a convenient shuttle from Wilson Creek up the mountain roads to Dakota Ridge. The access road is much improved this year thanks to a provincial grant.  The road is wider and has more pullouts, but it still requires chains or 4x4.  My little VW isn't making that trip, so I am more than happy to ride in Alpha's comfortable shuttle.  The parking lot has doubled in size, so there is more room for everyone making the trip.

We hiked quite a distance without seeing another sole...partly because this was the day before opening day, but these trails are never crowded.  Plenty of room to get away from it all and just enjoy exploring on your own.  Coming down over the Eastern trails, we found the most amazing view. We could see the North Shore Mountains, including Cypress and The Lions. There were low level clouds & fog blocking the view of the ocean, but we were so far above the thick clouds that they looked like a big fluffy ocean.

What a view! Mt Elphinstone in the background

 It was the perfect spot to stop, take a few pictures and have a snack. Just an amazing 360 degree view.

After a full day of snowshoeing we stopped in the warming hut for lunch and hot chocolate. A much needed rest at the end of a great day. I can't wait to get back up on Dakota Ridge...thinking a great way to spend Christmas Day.

Chapman Creek Trail - Oct 21, 2012

Today was an exciting day.  In between visiting numerous studios & galleries during the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, I took some time to attend the official opening of the Chapman Creek Trail. This new trail is a very important connection in what will be the Suncoaster Trail connecting Langdale to Earl's Cove...80km by highway and much longer by trail.  What is important about this trail is the new bridge that crosses Chapman Creek...the only non-highway crossing of the main watershed here on the Sechelt Peninsula.

The trail was actually christened in July during BC Bike Race.  Volunteers raced to have the bridge installed just days before 500 riders hit the Coast for the prestigious race.  Today was a beautiful fall day to dedicate the trail and to honour the many, many volunteer hours that went into building the trail.

The forest is watching

This section of trail runs from the Sechelt Airport near Wilson Creek to Selma Park.  Today I only hiked the first section which is about 20 minutes from the airport to the bridge.  It is a beautiful, fairly easy hike...just some uneven ground and a bit of a hill at the very end as you return to the airport.  From the airport, it is a short distance to the B&K Road network of trails which is a prime mountain bike area.

downstream from the bridge

the highlight - the bridge itself

We've had a bit of rain the last two weeks, so everything was a deep rich green.  Lots of ferns, moss, and thick vegetation.  Pine needles rained down and covered the trail.  There are some very large old stumps from the original grand forest that I am guessing was logged 70-100 years ago.

upstream from the bridge

Chapman Creek is also home to the Chapman Creek Hatchery which is a bit downstream from the bridge.  Here, millions of salmon are released each year and are now returning to spawn.  Here is a short video clip to try and share the power of the water.

BC Bike Race - July 5, 2012

BC Bike Race is an amazing 7 day adventure bringing 500 mountain bike riders in search of some of the world's best singletrack.  Every year there are a combination of world class racers, international adventurers, and weekend warriors who tackle the course.  Three of the seven days are spent right here on BC's Sunshine Coast.  I caught part of Wednesday's action...the longest course of the tour at 63km and 2,100m of elevation change...when they hit the finish line in Sechelt.  Have you ever seen 500 identical tents in a row in one field?  Assembled & disassembled daily?

Today was my favourite part of the race, though,...and for many of the riders as well.  It's a 'short' course at 40km, but a serious climb from Sechelt up and over Roberts Creek and Mt. Elphinstone to finish with 7km of straight downhill into Langdale.  This last section of riding is the part of Mt. Elphinstone that I often hike...around Sprockids Mountain Bike Park.  The riders emerge from the rainforest a block from my house and cruise down our steep hill to the ferry terminal.

Yes! - thrilled to emerge from the forest toward the finish line

Neighbourhood kids came out to watch and cheer along the street.  Many of the riders waved and appreciated the young fans.  One man even stopped to chat with the kids while he waited for his teammate to emerge from the forest.  Pretty cool...and inspiring for the kids.

As one rider popped over the hill, all I heard was "Wow..look at that!".  The view opens into the deep blue water of Howe Sound, heavily forested Gambier Island, and the Coast Mountains in the backdrop.  Yes, this is the view I'm lucky enough to see every day when I leave the house.

2 person team excited to cross the finish line

 The finish line buzzes with activity as the racers shower...bike shower first of course...then personal shower, food, new clothes, medical tent if necessary and off to catch the ferry to the campsite in Squamish.

In line for the bike showers - lots of mud!

SUP in Davis Bay - July 4, 2012

The sun returned and it was finally warm enough to really get outside.  I took advantage of the blue skies and celebrated some WOW - Wednesdays on Water with my friend and guide Sarah at Alpha Adventures.  This was my first time out on the water this year...it finally felt warm enough.

It was high tide and the water was so smooth.  Hard to believe this is the ocean, sometimes.  A quick reminder of some basics from Sarah and I was off.  This was only my 3rd time paddle boarding and the first time out since last fall.  Yes, just like riding a bike, it all comes back.  In no time I was up on the board and cruising down the beach.

Davis Bay w/ Vancouver Island in the background

WOW takes place every Wednesday.  It's a social paddle...anyone can join and its about practicing skills, making friends and having fun.  My fellow WOW group members were all from out of town. John is visiting from the other Sunshine Coast in Australia. He chose the wet suit because we don't have the tropical waters from Down Under, but he was sweating up a storm after the good workout that paddling provides. I was happy to not have 'taken a swim'...a.k.a. falling in. Every once in a while a wave would run across the top of my board and my feet and remind me that the water is still cool. Two sisters from Canmore Alberta were in town for BC Bike Race (more about that tomorrow) and decided to have a little ocean adventure.

So much fun.  You know how the sun shines and creates a trail over the water as it gets lower in the sky?  I just let myself line up with that trail and paddled along.  Not a care in the world...just me and the ocean.  It's a real sense of freedom.  When I looked back toward the beach, I couldn't believe how far from shore I had gone.

These shots are from the beach after a good workout.  I can really feel my abs tonight!  A couple days of rest and then I hope to be back on the water for Sunday's 2nd annual SUP Festival in Porpoise Bay.  Come out and try paddle boarding for yourself!

2 kayaks - 2 Alaskan cruise ships

smooth water with Vancouver Island in the distance

Canada Day - July 1, 2012

Happy Canada Day!  This afternoon turned out to be a wonderful sunny Canada Day.  We enjoyed taking some time off to enjoy the day with our friends and neighbours in Gibsons Landing.  One of the special activities was the Gibsons Paddling Club giving trial paddle experiences to anyone who wanted to give it a try.  Two outrigger boats spent most of the afternoon taking adults and children alike for a short trip around Gibsons Harbour.

Gibsons Paddling Club - Gibsons Landing

 The main attraction was live music in the amphitheater in Winegarden Park.  The Song Butchers...complete with white butcher coats...were the headline act and did a great job with 2 hours of Canadian music covers.  Live music, farmers market, family & friends, Rotary hot dogs and the Mayor and Council serving up birthday cake...small town fun to celebrate the nation's birthday.

Winegarden Park