UR O WINTER ON THE PACIFIC RIM ACKYARD B uadra Island Q Mtn BikeWILDWILD Trails ISLEISLE Canada’sCanada’s WestWest CoastCoast AdventureAdventure MagazineMagazine FREE Ski Trips From Mt Washington Caving On The North Island ISSUE #14 JANUARY-MARCH, 2001 wildislemagazine.bc.ca Start your day with a heaping bowl of snowflakes. One alpine bowl contains 100% of your North Island High recommended daily allowances of rip-roaring fun, fresh air, and exercise. Eat it all up with touring, telemarking, ski mountaineering, snowshoeing, and snowboarding gear and clothing from MEC. Snow Lines We can equip you for Port Hardy daytrips or days-on-end (250) 949-7669 in the winter backcountry. Campbell River Play safe in the snow; visit (250) 287-9274 www.mec.ca/snowsafety.htm for more information. Accommodations & Information 130 West Broadway, Vancouver. 872-7858 1-888-668-6622 MOUNTAIN A lifetime share in MEC is only $5.00 EQUIPMENT Call 1-800-663-2667 for a catalogue www.island.net/~cain CO-OP Visit www.mec.ca The adventure begins 1.5 hours north of Campbell River DISCOVERYDISCOVERY Extraordinary Kayaks for Extraordinary People Heli Adventure 1-866-285-2724 [email protected] www.heliadventure.com Guided hiking, fishing & photo tours Innovative designs for Ask about our all inclusive packages optimum comfort, safety & performance Visit www.SeawardKayaks.com to read about the El Nina Sisters at Sea Expedition, other Extraordinary Paddlers and all of Seaward's quality touring kayaks. QuadraQuadra IslandIsland •• BritishBritish ColumbiaColumbia For a free Catalogue call 1 800 595 9755 Cover: Snowboarder, Mt Washington by Philip Stone Contents: Surfer, Long Beach WILDWILD ISLEISLE by Greg Shea www.wildislemagazine.bc.ca CCONTENTONTENTSS BC Parks View Point p 9 Our Backyard...Quadra Mtn Biking p 11 King’s Peak Ski Trip p 17 Cannonballs, Moonmilk & Soda Straws p 19 Winter Trips from Mt Washington p 21 Ice Club p 23 Reviews p 24 www.wildislemagazine.bc.ca west coast adventure • WILD ISLE ISLE WILD CANADIAN Play Safe AVALANCHE Get Informed ASSOCIATION Keep Informed P.O. Box 2759, Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0 Tel: 250-837-2435 Fax: 250-837-4624 Courses ¥ Avalanche Bulletins ¥ Weather Forecasts Voice Bulletins 1-800-667-1105 General Inquiries: [email protected] www.avalanche.ca 3 WILWILDD ISLEISLE EDITORIAL Issue 14 - Jan. - Mar. 2001 t is a relief to see Quadra area with this issue. This starts Ia little dusting of the fi rst of what we hope will be a snow fi nally settle on series of “In Our Backyard” guides to Publisher/Managing Editor the ground this adventure recreation close to home. Philip Stone morning. It was We want to hear about your backyard Advertising proving diffi cult to be playground too. Be it cragging, biking, Jim Martin serious about surfi ng, hiking or whatever. Jot some Art Director publishing a winter notes, take a photo or two, sketch a map Sheahan Wilson issue when the and send it on to us. If you have a contact weather so far this fall with any potential local advertisers that Associate Editors has looked more like it might try to skip might benefi t from the exposure, pass Tanya Storr, Greg Shea and move right onto spring. that info on too. We’ll make it worth Feature Contributors One of the by products of the mild fall your while too by passing on to you Andy Smith, Scott Kennedy, has been a burst of exploration and mtn some great gear prizes. Rolf Kellerhals, Ryan Stuart, bike trail development around Campbell Play safe this winter. It is a great time Alex Baechler, Chris Perreault River at the new Skid Marks area. On for outdoor enthusiasts with all the thrill neighbouring Quadra Island many trails that winter sports bring. But with that Photography long haunted by the locals were added to thrill comes the need for caution and Ryan Stuart, Greg Shea, as well. care!! Philip Stone, We’re pleased to include a sampling of the riding in the Campbell River- Philip Stone Wild Isle is published 5 times a year by Hyacinthe Bay Publishing and is distributed free of charge across Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, Queen Charlotte Islands and B.C. Mainland Coastal Communities. WILWILDD ISLEISLE Editorial & Advertising Inquiries to: Welcomes submissions. Wild Isle Magazine P.O. Box 482, Heriot Bay, B.C. Canada V0P 1H0 Feature stories, photographs, artwork, press releases are all encouraged. Tel: 250 285-2234 Send it in by eMail to: [email protected] Fax: 250 285-2236 or by Canada Post to Box 482, Heriot Bay, BC V0P 1H0 eMail: [email protected] Web Site: www.wildislemagazine.bc.ca We’re standing by to receive! Opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and in no way refl ect the views of the publishers, editorial staff, distributors or advertisers. The sports featured in Wild Isle are inherently WILD WILDWILD dangerous with real risk of serious injury or death. In no way whatsoever should this magazine be taken to advocate participation in any activity portrayed. Wild Isle is provided for reading enjoyment only. If you choose to engage in any activity featured in ISLEISLE Wild Isle you do so at your own risk. Printed on Quadra Island, B.C. Canada is brought to you by Castle Printing ISSN 1480-4026 by participating All rights reserved. Copyright 2000 advertisers. Next Deadline Next time you make a March 1st, 2000 purchase or visit be sure for to let them know you Issue 15 Apr-May 2001 saw their ad in Wild Isle. 4 Get Psyched! Black & White Productions invites you to check-out their latest fi lm, BEYOND GRAVITY, • • featuring Peter Croft, Lynn Hill, Greg Child, S E Barry Blanchard, Nancy Feagin, Joe Josephson, ALS Steve House, Sean Isaac and others! ND SA SUPPLI This is the fi rst fi lm to explore the • • diversity of the climbing lifestyle from AR E G rock, ice, mixed, aid and alpine climbing L BAGS • to big-wall expeditions, bouldering and VE Vancouver freesoloing. Shot on location in British TS TRA • EN Columbia, Alberta, California, Australia and Island's T T • Extracted From Greenland, BEYOND GRAVITY is must see! EN "Mountain Download the trailer and other cool clips at: Sports" TS OO www.beyondgravity.net QUIPM B E ACCESS NEWS G • Specialists N S #22 September 2000 K C LIMBI Great Gear, Prices & Service! PA Mt Cain News C • Horne Lake Factory Outlet for • There are no new developments to report here. The company which owns and is logging in the Horne Lake area also owns PLUS quite a lot of land on Saltspring Island, All Your Favourite Brands! which is also being logged. To avoid problems we suggest that climbers at Horne Downtown Victoria • 360-2181 Lake: NEW! Nanaimo North • 741-1855 • Avoid any interference with logging operations. Park on the main road and stay Nanaimo Clearance Outlet away when falling, sorting or loading is 499 Wallace• 741-1855 underway. Give a particularly wide berth Downtown Courtenay • 334-3963 to any helicopter logging activity. www.valhalla-pure.com • Be aware of hazards e.g. ‘hangar’ trees, unstable debris and such. www.wildislemagazine.bc.ca Observe posted restrictions. • Do not light fi res or use open fl ames of any kind - fi re hazard in this area is often high or extreme. Hello Skiers & Snowboarders, Crest Creek Happy Saint Nicholas Day, i.e., Santa’s About a dozen new routes were created special day before he starts working in 2000, including some excellent overtime. moderates in the 5.8 to 5.11 range, We’re still waiting for a bit more snow. bringing the total number of routes at Opening day could be either Saturday, the area to 183. These include 15 fine December 16 or Sunday, December 17. aid routes on overhanging cliffs which west coast adventure • Whether we open that weekend depends on provide fun in the rain. Some keen how much snow Mt. Cain gets in the next boulderers have been working as well, several days. Before heading up, call our with the result being some fine problems. snow phone at (250) 949-7669 (Port Hardy) Crest Creek’s test piece Lee Harvey Oz or (250) 287-9274 (Campbell River) .... In Wall, saw its first repeat by Rick Higgins. the meantime, pray to Saint Nick or any other He climbed the short , technical and winter saint or spirit for MORE SNOW! WILD ISLE ISLE WILD pumpy line in August and commented For those of you new to our list, Mt. Cain is that 13a may be a bit soft. in the northern interior of Vancouver Island One of the most significant projects about 70 kms past Sayward. Chains must be underway at Crest Creek is a carried on our access road, which is located collaboration between the Heathens, BC just off Highway 19, the Island Highway. Hydro and BC Parks. The plan is to Mt. Cain has doubled its pool of on-hill build a bridge across Hydro’s diversion accommodations this year. Check out pipeline, improving access to the crags on accommodations on our web site the south side of Highway 28. Adopt-a- www.island.net/~cain/connection.htm Crag projects and the bolt fund continue Avoid the crowds this year and enjoy to prosper thanks to Chris Perrault and the great snow conditions and friendly Strathcona Outfitters in Campbell River atmosphere of the “Mile High Mountain” of and Nanaimo. Northern Vancouver Island. 5 BC-WA BEAR CONTROVERSY! utdoor enthusiasts living south of the encounters were responded to by Canadian less devastation on the environment than Canadian border often dream of tapping authorities, who summarily have taken up a do logging, mining or hunting, yet raises Ointo the wealth of adventure available in policy to shoot and kill these wandering bruins – signifi cantly higher, sustainable revenue.