At a glance:
1. President's message
2. Trip Report: 2025 Summer Camp
1. President's Message, October 2025:
Autumn has arrived in all its glory - red, orange, shimmering yellows. Don’t you just love: The crisp mornings with amazing sunrises? The hiking on familiar trails now transformed from summer’s green to fall’s burst of colours? Or, forests shrouded in fog? Autumn is a time of change.
In the spirit of change, this will be my last NSH President’s Message. Thank you for giving me the opportunity and privilege of serving on your Executive Committee for the past 6 years - five as Vice President and one as President. Now it’s time to move on. I urge you to consider volunteering to replace me as President. We have not yet had a candidate come forward, and the AGM is fast approaching (November 13th is the date).
I also urge you to attend the AGM. We came very close to not having a quorum last year. When it was time for the meeting to start, we were one person short. We had to call one of our members and ask them to participate by phone in order to go ahead with the meeting. This year please come one, come all! Enjoy pizza, camaraderie and give aways!
Come to the AGM to learn about new initiatives!
Thursday, 13 Novermber 2025
Sunrise Community Hall, 1950 Windermere Street, Vancouver
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
“For the times they are a’changin” (Bob Dylan)
Diane
2. North Shore Hikers 2025 Summer Camp
By Don Fockler
We set off for Vancouver Island on September 3, relieved to leave the smoky Vancouver skies behind. We headed north to Campbell River then turned west towards Buttle Lake and the northern entrance to Strathcona Provincial Park.
Most of us set up camp at the Ralph River Campground. It was deeply calming to pitch our tents amongst the ancient cedars and firs with the cold, clear waters of Ralph River murmuring by.
At our first evening meeting, introductions were forthcoming as we got to know each other. Due to predicted hot weather, we decided to hike the Bedwell Lake trail the following day because the elevation gain was less than for the planned hike to Flower Ridge.
Wednesday dawned with mildly hazy skies. Some smoke was in the air but not too bad. The smoke would persist over the next 3 days, obscuring views somewhat but never bad enough to discourage us from hiking. We carpooled to the trailhead 7 km up a gravel road. We were in three groups with 3 different objectives – Bedwell Lake, Little Jim Lake and Cream Lake. Group 3 got an early start. Groups 1 and 2 set out at the same time but soon spread apart.
The trail steadily makes its way up through the forest reaching Baby Bedwell Lake in just over 4 km. Baby Bedwell is a pretty lake framed by rocky bluffs on the far shore. Past Baby Bedwell we entered the subalpine. Metal steps carried us up the steeper areas thereby avoiding any scrambling. Soon, Bedwell Lake could be seen in the basin below.
We wound our way down to the lake and meandered along the foreshore to the South End, which was the destination for Group 1. For many it was time for a swim. The lake was delightfully warm so the swimmers got plenty of exercise frolicking in the lake.
Groups 2 and 3 each carried on separately. The trail is fairly well defined, but Group 2 managed to veer off it near the top. When the trail they were following started to descend, they realized their mistake and eventually found the short scramble to Little Jim. Little Jim is a smallish alpine tarn. Two of the 3 members of Group 2 ventured in for a swim and found out how cold alpine tarns can be, even in hot weather!
Group 3, meanwhile, had travelled up along the shoulder of a rocky drainage before passing a number of tarns. One, amazingly, had hundreds of tadpoles churning about. The last stretch to Cream Lake descended. Cream Lake is a vivid green glacial lake nestled beneath the towering crags of Mt. Rousseau and the snowfield of Mt. Septimus.
It was great first day, despite an unintended side trip by one of the hikers that led to a late finish.
The objective for Day 2 was Arnica Lake. The trailhead is just past the Westmin Mine site. The trail is well constructed. It switchbacks up a steep hill at a steady 10% grade. It is magical to make your way through the old growth forest of massive fir trees. Before reaching the lake, we stopped briefly in a small picturesque meadow. The alpine blueberries were everywhere. We gorged ourselves on these tasty delights!
We stopped briefly at the south end of Arnica and had a short swim before wandering along the trail an additional half kilometre to the north end. There we feasted on more blueberries, had lunch in a grassy area on the lakeshore and then had another refreshing swim.
Each afternoon back at the campground, the routine for most of us included either a dip in warm Buttle Lake or a very refreshing dip in Ralph River!
On day 3, some of us set our sights on Flower Ridge. For others it was the viewpoint part way up the ridge and then back down and off to explore Lower and Upper Myra Falls.
It was another hot day but at least the trail was in the trees. The viewpoint looks across to Phillips Ridge, Mt Myra and Big Interior Mountain. Westmin Mine, soon to close according to locals, can be seen in the valley below.
Higher up the trail on the ridge, it is more open with some small tarns, subalpine heathers and junipers and small alpine evergreens. We followed the trail to the highpoint on the ridge where we took in the 360° views – mountain peaks all around – Albert Edward, Augerpoint, the Golden Hinde, Myra, Big Interior Mt, Septimus, Rousseau, Harmston. Truly the high point of our hikes.
Sunday was a travel day. The campers were invited to spend a couple of days at Don and Diane’s place on Quadra Island. The forecasted rain discouraged some of the group, who headed home instead. As a result, there was plenty of room in the house and little cabin so nobody had to pitch a tent.
The main house had some other visitors, though – mice. This was puzzling, as the house is 6 years old and had never had these visitors before. Luckily, Lydia and Richard are Mouse Experts! The mice are very smart these days and often know how to eat the bait in these modern traps and then escape. Lydia and Richard recommend the old-style traps. In other words, nobody has built a better mousetrap yet!
It rained through the night, but by late morning the rains had stopped, so we all went over to Rebecca Spit for a short hike. On the way back, Don took us to his favourite chanterelle mushroom spot. We came back with enough chanterelles for a feast. And a feast we had with Lydia’s excellent preparation of mushrooms, along with roast baby potatoes, baked coho salmon, baked beans and coleslaw topped off with watermelon and vanilla ice cream drizzled with Drambuie for desert and champagne too. Yummy.
So much comraderie, so many adventure, such lasting memories.