Since the weather’s turned a little drier, we took the opportunity to plan a couple higher-altitude hikes where we might have enough luck to catch a view these cloudy days. We tried to head towards St Marks but was turned away by avalanche warnings so then turned to our trusty Eagle Bluffs hike that I’ve blogged about several times already.
Dad! There are snowboarders to chase there!
lots of warnings
fetching over a mountain of snow
throw it! throw it!
my ginger girl
the steep start is a good workout
The ski slopes were surprising still open so we still had a get a “backcountry pass” for access and then we quickly headed up the snow-covered trails alongside the skiers. Crampons were very useful and Whiskey had more than her normal amount of energy chasing snowballs up and down the mountain. You would think 3 hours of running in snow would tire her…nope!
views come quickly as you climb
so excited to be out
following the boys
perfect temperature for a hike
footprints of a mysterious animal…
in some places the snow was still deep
best place for a dog!
the one soft spot in the forest
The clouds parted just as we got to the bluff where we had a nice lunch and rest before heading back. I love these shoulder seasons as the paths are not yet busy on the more popular local trails. When the crowds start coming up, we move to lesser-known trails but those are usually harder to get to.
really nice walk around the lake loop
melting snow is so beautiful and Whiskey explores
we finally get to the top!
Whiskey as usual, had no idea why her humans were so slow and awkward coming down the slippery trails, and would try to give us kisses as we sometimes slid down on our bottoms. The best part of snow covered steep trails is the quick slides coming down. We are just waiting for a little bit more melting before heading up towards higher altitudes soon!
Did I mention that we ended up in Washington during a crazy snowstorm? We almost lost Whiskey except for her day-glo jacket in the snow (chillydogs.ca). She can barely surface to breathe…joking!
So I’ve seen so many beautiful photos online of this park and I was really excited to visit. Unfortunately, the worst part about this beautiful snowshoe is the parking price!! You must get a confusing number of two passes (sno-park pass and discovery pass) the total of $30 USD, for just one day of parking which becomes a very expensive hike (and we did see rangers who were checking).
Otherwise, the park was lovely and empty besides a couple cross country skiers, and a couple visitors just taking pictures at the entrance of the lake. I suppose no one brought their own snowshoes to explore for we explored a very easy snowshoe trail with interpretive signs and met no one. The trail would normally be very easy to follow had we not had 50cms of fresh snow, but even then we had no problems at all once we found the “start”.
From the amount of photos online of this lake, I would suspect this park is normally very popular and busy. Here’s to getting outside when everyone else is sleeping in after a snowstorm!
In fact it was so beautiful we went a second time while waiting for the highway to open up again on our way out (there are alot of closures with the snow storms). Here are some photos the day later.
My partner and I both work full time jobs. Our work is by contract, so sometimes we get a month or two off, and sometimes when there is a deadline we work alot of overtime. Lately we’ve been both working overtime which means 50-70 hours and 6 days a week, and we all live in an apartment so how does this work? I assure you Whiskey is a very happy dog that gets out more than any of us. Besides, every hour of overtime means time off with mom and dad at a later date and extra monies for treats.
We have a lovely walker that takes her to the forest for a hike everyday with 5 other dogs and she still gets her 2 walks on top of this. We stagger our overtime hours so there is someone home with Whiskey just like in a normal non-overtime work week. On the one day we have off, we go hiking rain or shine. Of course this means we don’t have much of a social life outside of dog friends and hiking buddies, but who needs that?
This involves some creative scheduling especially when we also like to socialize, take classes, and do normal errands etc.
Here’s a normal 40 hour workday
7:20 – alarm rings, crate is opened for morning cuddle time
7:50-8:40 -walk to the park mostly off leash
park play
8:45 Breakfast!!
9:00-12:30 Crate rest time (I am suspicious Moo takes this time to walk around and on top of Whiskey’s crate to tease her)
12:30-3:30 Dog walker comes and takes her for 3 hours, 1.5-2 hours off leash hiking in the forest with 5 other dogs, the rest 1-1.5 hours is transit time.
getting ready to be released into the forest
out for her daily hike while I work
3:30-6:30 Free roam of entire apartment (she usually sleeps)
This. While I work!
6:30-7:30 Evening walk in a park, off leash
7:30 Dinner!!!!
7:30-8:30 bother mom and dad for attention, food, and playing
8:30-11 nap
11pm- last pee outside
11:30-12am evening cuddle time, then Whiskey usually crates herself
12am-7:20am crate for the night
Crate- Whiskey has never been destructive (in a year she’s only shredded my sheepskin slippers) and she doesn’t “need” a crate, nor does she like hers much. She never goes into her crate unless it’s a scheduled “crate time”, otherwise she is on her pita bed or our bed. I believe the crate is a good habit to keep up though, and it’s also nice to have a peaceful sleep.
On the weekends we will do longer walks, usually in a forest or mountain, sometimes on-leash in the city with some off leash sections. About once a month we will do a larger adventure if we aren’t working too much.
I’ve been wanting to do this hike for years now and have been finding multiple excuses not to (the distance drive from Vancouver, the crowds, the rain). Finally, I got lucky with a break in the rainy weather and a free day with nothing planned. We woke up rather early as our sun sets now at 4:30 and drove the 3 hours up to the start of the hike (including a coffee stop). There were already cars up and down the stretch of highway that led to the parking lot, but the parking lot wasn’t full of cars because instead it was full of snow! We parked right next to the trail and Whiskey jumped out super excited about the white stuff, amusing all the day hikers while we got geared up.
the parking lot and start
kisses on the way to the camp ground
The first lake is a tiny walk from the parking lot, but even then I would suggest well soled boots if there is snow. Assuming you are planing on the hike past the first lake, I would highly recommend crampons because although the trail is very packed, it’s extremely slippery and you will spend most of the time back on your butt if you don’t have spikes. Although my sweet Vizsla was initially excited about snow and was fine while moving on the trails, she did get chilly if we stood still too long (like while waiting for a drone flight).
first lake
just really beautiful everywhere
the trail is very easy to follow
catching snowballs (sort of)
I really couldn’t believe how fast winter had hit here and everywhere I looked I was smiling at a winter wonderland. We took the drone for a couple spins but otherwise hiked up to the 3rd lake in a much faster pace than websites have you think. Because of the weather and season, the hike was less populated than normal but on weekends I hear it is a line-up and you must get here very early to find a camp spot. In the winter or shoulder season though, you may still find some moments to yourself and we were so happy we came despite the long drive time.
Now this was an adventure! To get to Widgeon Falls, one must drive to Pitt Lake, canoe or kayak across, make your way up a creek, and then hike a couple kilometers to a beautiful waterfall. This was my first time and I really enjoyed this day trip. The previous day Whiskey had cut her back paw so we were happy for a short walk (and a bootie to protect her).
The sunrise light on blueberry fields
Arriving at Pitt Lake
Whiskey and Millie, her half sister
We woke up really early on Sunday to drive to the canoe rental shop since we had heard it can get really busy and we had a big group that didn’t want to miss out on canoes (11 people and 4 dogs). Well the shop was supposed to open at 8am but we didn’t realize we needed to knock next door in order to get the shopkeeper (presumably living next door) to open up so we waited around for a good half hour before figuring it out.
Tugging on a found sock, yucky!
What mom? can we go yet?
Millie checking out the view
You got the canoe? Lets go!
The canoe was wonderful and all dogs behaved themselves, even the boat with 4 people and 2 dogs (we were on a 3 person 1 dog canoe). Canoeing to the hike point can be harder than you expect if you aren’t used to paddling and steering but we had enough Canadians to work it out.
a 4 person 2 dog canoe
Little Ginger was also keeping watch in her canoe
It was hard to keep Whiskey fully inside
Amazing mist on the creek
Really beautiful scenery
She kept sniffing the water
We reached the hike point (also the camping grounds) in an hour and the hike itself is very pretty and quite short. The falls were fantastic (my best friend even trucked in a cake to celebrate my birthday early) and it was just wonderful to sit in the sun.
Beautiful light on the trail
Millie takes a dip in the cold water
Widgeon Falls
Part of our group
A little birthday on the rocks
My family
Millie inspects a hole
Shira is our gorgeous 4th dog today
We had paddled out in the early morning on high tide (Pitt lake is large enough to be tidal) but coming back was reaching low tide so there were moments the heavier canoes had to be pushed to get through some very shallow parts (it’s a good idea that someone has water shoes). Also, on the way back Whiskey decided she had enough with canoeing and jumped out into the marsh. We were really happy we could convince her to get back in without jumping out ourselves! I do believe my Vizsla is not the biggest fan of canoes and would rather walk.
Last weekend we took off on a little mini vacation to a place I kept hearing about, but had never visited: Salt Spring Island
the beautiful clouds at the ferry terminal
Stuck in the lower deck with Whiskey
Yey! We’re here
We spent a total of 5 days on this small but packed island with the whole family including our cat, Moo! While we started driving to the ferry as soon as we got off work, we had to endure a 3 hour ferry ride getting shuttled from one island to the next to finally reach Salt Spring late in the evening. When we finally reached our super quaint airBnb cottage and herded everyone in, we were so tired we fell asleep super fast and couldn’t wait for our next adventure.
Moo explores and dreams of escaping
The dock at our vacation home
breakfast with posers
I’m not sure why, but our normally mellow Vizsla was very very excited to be on vacation and wasn’t happy to let us sleep in. While my partner slept until noon, I took Whiskey out for a little tour of the farm we were staying at. She was so excited about meeting the sheep, I was afraid she would sneak under the fence!
Vizslas are the best!
She kept trying to “touch” the other dog
omg sheep!! hello sheep!
We choose Mt Erskine as our first hike of the island as it promised great views and hidden fairy doors. The start of the hike was a little hard to find, but once we got started we really loved the trail. A relatively short hike, we soon reached the top for extensive views of Vancouver Island. Along the way we only found 2 fairy doors but we heard there are many more we missed and along the other trails. At the top was a beautiful stone dog bowl dedicated to someone’s loved one.
On our way up Mt Erksine
No better place to explore
A fairy door! Who lives inside?
I love banana slugs!
At the top much faster than expected
really nice views
I love these fairy doors
knocking to see who’s inside
The next day we headed over to Ruckle park on the other side of the island. It has a much longer trail up to Yeo point and we met few people. We passed by a couple tiny beaches and overall loved how quiet it was on a long weekend.
Ruckle park’s scenic walk
It’s chilly but there are some dive sites here
loving the moss covered rocks
racing to the camera
Taking a moment
Loving the fresh air
more sheep! why cant’ we be friends?
After the hike we checked out a local cheese farm, brewery, and hopped out a couple times on the road to check the farm stalls. There are unsupervised stalls along the roads with fruit, veges, eggs (and one time bacon!!) that you can pay for on the honor system leaving cash in the cash boxes provided. We just loved the trust here. Afterwards we drove around the main town which was full of cute little local stores. The Saturday market was in full swing and I really loved wondering the stalls (but dogs are not allowed) and buying up all the local produce, even local dog treats!
Saturday market
cooking with all local ingredients (Moo approved)
This is how Moo hangs out
Farmer’s stalls everywhere
On our last full day it looked pretty cloudy but we hit Mt Maxwell anyways hoping the clouds would clear when we got to the top for a little view. We didn’t really get our view but what we saw was much better: fog. I love fog and the pictures usually look so much more beautiful than under blue skies. It’s also easier taking photos with someone else to direct the dog and being able to take your time. The hiking here was super well mapped out and signed and I suppose the clouds had scared away most people because we didn’t meet anyone except at the top (which you can drive to). I’m so happy we didn’t drive!
We started here and walked 1,5,4,6,6a,2 and back
Just starting out and it’s pretty
This is the life! 4 days off
not much of a view, just a hint
I am in love with fog
Playing with silhouettes
running around the trails
My shot of the day!
I’m not sure how much Moo enjoyed the trip but she wasn’t stressed out at the change whatsoever (great appetite and went straight to exploring). Her escape plans are getting better though, and we had a couple scares but we caught her quickly. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have such a confident genius cat…
Last day’s beach visit
until next time Salt Spring
A much nicer ferry ride for us
Whiskey wonders when we’ll be done with ferries
The last day we had found out the ferry was full so we ended up taking a ferry to Vancouver Island, then another one back to the mainland. We were so happy and tired when we got home!
20km (roundtrip), 8-10 hours starting from Seymour Mountain Parking lot Link to hike OR this link
Lake Elsay
This was a tough one as we didn’t expect such technical terrain and had started later than planned. Carrying heavy backpacks we took about 5.5 hours each way with lots of breaks. While it was my first time on this trail, I found the trail pretty easy to follow even though there are loads of warnings about the “poorly marked trail”. There were orange markers everywhere although I can see how it would be difficult to find the trail with fog or snow so make sure you are fit and experienced before attempting this one in less than ideal conditions. Also, there are a couple creek crossings which may be difficult in high water (we are currently in a drought so no issue there).
photobombed!
It would be so nice to sit down…
Well marked path in the summer
technical terrain
We parked at the 2nd Seymour parking lot (designated for overnighters) and started on the trail to Seymour peak’s first pump. Right before first pump, there was a marker to veer off towards the Elsay Lake trail. From here there are about 8kms to get to the camp site and about 6kms of it is technical and tough terrain going down down down. Just a note of warning, we did see someone carrying their dog back the trail in a backpack because the poor pup had warn through their pads on the hot rocks, so make sure your dog is used to hiking on rocks and check their feet often.
starting out with Seymour’s first pump ahead
my vizsla-goat
turn off to Elsay trail
From the turn off, we soon turned a corner to see an enormous panorama of the valley. We crossed about 4 rockslides and followed one more down. There are some streams along the way (about 2kms to the lake) and the lake itself was pretty large for swimming. For space in the emergency hut, make sure you get there early (houses 6). It was a long weekend and we were a bit surprised to find another 6 tents up and a group staying at the hut.
She loved the rocks
just wow!
my hiking buddies
Taking a well needed break
crossing a creek
The way back seemed so much easier although it took the same amount of time (this time going uphill). We had run out of water in the summer heat so we stopped by the creek to filter a couple liters while Whiskey rested on some mossy rocks. I was surprised since this is the first time I’ve seen her lay down on a hike! We made sure she had plenty of dehydrated food, water, hard boiled eggs, and she shared all our food. She even crawled into our sleeping bags at night taking turns with mommy and daddy.
setting up camp while Whiskey supervises
so hungry!! feed me
it was too hazy for stars
waking up with a Vizsla in the sleeping bag
swimming in the lake
heading back home
Overall the hike would be much faster without the packs, but it’s still pretty long for a one day hike unless you are a trail runner. The payoff wasn’t as amazing as many of the other trails we’ve done though I acknowledge we are spoiled for choice in BC. In the end I’m glad we did it but I won’t be planning another hike or overnighter here for a couple years.
It’s been such a busy summer that this weekend I found my usual hiking buddies were already booked. No problem! I’ve got my most dependable canine buddy to go with. This day ended up being scorching hot and I finished my 3L hydration pack with Whiskey. It’s probably the fastest we’ve done this hike since I skipped 1st and 2nd pump and took very little rest on the peak.
just starting the hike
mom! take a picture!
a resting space with a view before going on
very hot today!
Around first pump it becomes very rocky
fantastic views all around
With just me and Whiskey, we didn’t have any distractions and finished in under 4 hours (taking our time) despite not having been hiking this incline in quite awhile. Whiskey never wanders far, usually in my eye line and a little shout brings her right back to me if she runs to far ahead. She also poses like a professional model and several times froze in a position begging me to take several photos. I’ve always treated her for posing so it seems now that she knows what to do without asking. Over time I’m realizing I’m not the great dog photographer I was hoping to be- Whiskey is just an amazing model I’m lucky to have (because no other dog I’ve photographed does what she does).
2nd pump just beyond
looking back at first pump
it becomes steep to the peak
great views of the north shore mountains
the scariest section
my hiking partner
As we were on the way to the first pump we passed several groups that had been waiting 15mins for a mama bear and her 2 cubs to pass. I put Whiskey on leash for a bit after that, made lots of noise, and took out my pepper spray. We saw no sign of the bears but it’s good to remember that the wildlife is moving more than normal because of the drought so watch out!
view back on the city
so many mountain ranges here
Coliseum Mountain behind Whiskey
Since Whiskey doesn’t like to drink water along the route, I’ve found mixing dehydrated food in a container with water worked great. We’re experiencing a unusual drought in Vancouver so many of the ponds along the route have dried up into greenish algae infested puddles. Make sure your dog doesn’t drink from these (I make sure Whiskey is well hydrated before we pass by) but dipping hot paws into the water/mud may not be a bad idea.
what a view!!
these roots were a challenge for Whiskey
Posing like a model
I just love it here!
There are some passes on this hike (mainly between 2 pump and peak) with steep falls, so watch your step, though we also passed adventurous pre-teens on the peak, and toddlers on 2nd pump. Vancouver is truly a hiking city!
We’re finished! I was so worried about having a female dog in heat, downtown, in the summer, in an apartment. I’ve heard that the first heat isn’t very representative of the future ones, that it can be lighter, shorter, and apparently sometimes people don’t even notice it. I’d be super surprised to not notice my dog in heat, but it honestly wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Neither Whiskey nor any male dogs we met in these weeks went “crazy” and it really was only about 5-7 days in total where her drive to mate was strong enough to overtake her normally great recall.
off to quiet trails
a waterfall is welcome during a dry summer
The first week she bled, I noticed a decrease in energy and lots of small pees, but male dogs were not showing interested in her. I started feeding more buffalo/beef which has lots of iron as I notice that I become anemic and tired when I’m also bleeding. After that her energy popped right back up.
working on our modelling skills
By the second week, her appetite was back to normal (for 2-3 weeks before it was up and down) but the bleeding had shifted from bloody to a more pinkish color. The smell also go much stronger, which my partner hated, but for some reason it didn’t bother me. Whiskey became MUCH more interested in flirting with particular males (not every male) and males because quite interested in her. As, we live downtown, most males are neutered and haven’t encountered a female in heat before. I kept her on leash around other dogs and did many quieter hikes. I’m so lucky that there’s so much real estate for dogs to run that I never had a day I couldn’t let Whiskey run off leash for at least 45mins. Our normal dog park is normally empty at 7am for fetch, and there is such a selection of trail networks that you don’t have to go far for some beautiful walks on weekends.
the smoke from wildfires drifts into Vancouver
The dog diapers worked great for the most part but there were a couple leaks. I ended up going with gigantic “night time” pads and hand washing the diapers every night as something would always leak. Our sheets also got stained as Whiskey loves to roll over for belly rubs (rolling around in diapers is bad).
pointing the way
At the 2.5 week mark point, the bleeding had stopped and males had stopped showing interest. Whiskey is still swollen and peeing lots but I’m really happy not having to worry about diapers. It gets annoying walking to the car with a diaper in your hands and don’t forget it to it off IMMEDIATELY when they get out of the car (2x she peed in her diaper).
my mountain goat in the North Shore
Overall it wasn’t the disaster I had expected in a busy downtown area with lots of dogs. I imagine this would have been much easier with a house and yard but it’s nice to know it’s manageable in an apartment. I’m still tossing up how much longer to wait to get Whiskey spayed, and what kind of spay, but at the moment, I’m just happy to have gone through this with her. She’s grown up now but she’ll always be my little Whiskey girl.
I’ve done this mini trip several times and have always loved it. The Killarney Lake loop is very flat and easy and is great when you have a large group to wrangle. There is a surprising variety of terrain and landscape and lots of my favorite slugs (yes I love banana slugs). In the fall it’s full of berries and the 2 hour hike easily turns to 4 hours while I pick and eat along every step. This time we met up at the ferry launch in Horseshoe Bay, all 11 of us and took a quick ferry ride to the small island.
Our large hiking group on the ferry to Bowen
Nothing like company on the deck
Slugs!!! I love slugs
After a relaxing breakfast at the cafe, we wandered over to the path to start the walk. Whiskey was super bouncy and had a ton of fun. The trail was quite empty, meeting a couple runners and maybe 4 other groups including some horses! Whiskey was really excited about the horses.
Pointing out chickens
Introducing the group to our first viewpoint
Beautiful path to the lake
marshlands are so pertty
ancient forests
and horses! it was hard to hold her back
Great group this time!
At the lake she fetched over 15 times and swam in circles trying to find the stones everyone was skipping. The lily pads are hard for a dog to swim through and get tangled in their feet so we tried to keep her away from the worst of it. We found one leech on Whiskey that was easily removed so watch out for those!
swimming enthusiastically
perfect spot to stop and hang out
this girl has so much energy!
After an ice cream, some drinks, and live music on the grass, we headed back home over the ferry. What a beautiful day even covered in clouds!
