Tofino Surfing Trip

July 17, 2024July 16, 2024 / Maria / 3 Comments

I’ve had the opportunity to do some pretty cool things with my girl guides over the years, and this was definitely one of the more unique experiences!

Last year we did a water series that involved kayaking, whitewater rafting, and canoeing. The only activity on our brainstorm that we didn’t do was surfing, mostly because it was too expensive to make a trip to the island on top of all the other activities. This year, we decided to prioritize the surfing trip and dedicated 4 days over the May Long weekend to travel to Tofino.

I’d never heard of Tofino before moving to BC, but I remember after moving here that Tofino seemed to hold this mythical status for people who grew up in BC. It’s a small town located on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It’s most well known for its premier surfing beaches; but it’s also home to Pacific Rim National Park and fun activities such as hiking, whale watching, kayaking, and hot springs.

I’ve been to Tofino several times, but I’ve never surfed, so this was a new experience for me. To be honest, I’ve always found surfing to be a bit intimidating. I don’t like getting salt water in my eyes and mouth (inevitable when surfing), so I always avoided it. I was happy to do it for the unit, but it’s not something I would have opted to do on my own. Which is one of the reasons why I’m so lucky to get to spend time with 15 adventurous teenagers every year, because I had a fantastic time surfing!

We left New Westminster bright and early on Saturday morning of the May Long weekend to catch our ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo. It’s a 3-hour drive from Nanaimo to Tofino, so we made our first stop at Little Qualicum Falls to eat a packed lunch. It was raining on and off all morning, but Qualicum Falls has a nice picnic shelter and the rain held off long enough for us to do some exploring around the park to see the waterfalls.

After that, we drove across the rest of the island to reach the coast. The weather was incredibly variable and there were several downpours along the way, but as soon as we reached the coast, all the clouds disappeared and it was a gorgeous, blue sky, sunny day. We were extremely lucky to be able to book the group campsite at Green Point campground in Pacific Rim, which was just large enough for our group of 18.

After getting set up, we took a walk down to Long Beach before dinner, which is aptly named for its 16 kilometres of uninterrupted coastline. I’ve visited Long Beach several times, but I’d never been to this part of the beach. It’s a golden sand beach, with big waves, and on this occasion, a lot of wind. So it was definitely on the cold side, but we all loved running across the beach and exploring the area.

On Sunday, we had our first surf lesson. We did 2 lessons with Surf Sister School and I would highly recommend. As a female led organization, we loved having female surf guides to show us the ropes. On our first day, we met at Cox Bay Beach. We spent the first part of the day on land, learning how to safely get on our boards and pick our waves. Once everyone was comfortable with the instruction, we got in the water.

Surfing isn’t easy, but it was more fun than I anticipated. There was a steady stream of beginner waves rolling into the shore and we all practiced getting on our board. Standing up was almost impossible for me, but it was fun riding the waves on my belly and knees. Of course, once you get going, you become pretty determined to stand! I didn’t have any luck standing on Day 1, but several of the trex members were able to surf and it was fun to watch.

We returned to the campground for lunch and then planned for an afternoon exploring in the National Park. We visited the Kwisitis Visitor Centre on Wickaninnish Beach, which I’d highly recommend. They have tons of great info about the region and natural environment. From there, we did a short hike to South Beach, which is a small cobble beach. We had some excitement on the way when we spotted a bear! It was a great sighting because he was far enough away that us and the bear felt comfortable, and we were able to just watch it for a while.

South Beach turned out to be one of the group’s favourite parts of the entire trip. We didn’t do much there besides relax in the sun and do some beachcombing, but everyone really enjoyed taking it easy after a vigorous morning of surfing! We had dinner back at the campsite and then drove to Chesterman Beach for a sunset campfire. Tofino has really cracked down on beach campfires in the past few years, so you’re not allowed to have open beach fires anymore. Fires are only allowed at Mackenzie Beach and Chesterman Beach and must be in a contained fire pit. We brought a fire pit with us so that we followed all the rules.

On Monday, we had our second surf lesson, this time at Chesterman Beach. Our second lesson was mostly in the water and focused more on improving our skills. The general consensus from Trex was that they didn’t like Chesterman Beach quite as much as Cox Bay. The waves were bigger and less consistent, so I think it’s more popular for better surfers. But personally, I had a more successful day! I wouldn’t say that I actually managed to surf, but I did manage to stand twice, so it was nice to feel like I made a bit of progress! Considering that I didn’t want to surf, I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I would definitely surf again, and recommend it to those visiting the area. If you have time for 2 lessons, I think it’s more satisfying because you get to surf more on the second day.

One of the girls was celebrating her 13th birthday on the trip, so we had the most delicious birthday pie for lunch and then went into town for the afternoon. The girl guides had the opportunity to explore Tofino town on their own and I spent most of my time at the bookstore, Mermaid Tales, which is one of my favourites!

We finished the trip with a visit to Tacofino for dinner. We showed up only 15 minutes before closing (oops!!), but the staff were so wonderful in taking our 18 person order. We had some pretty good camp food on the trip, but the tacos were probably my favourite! We had a campfire to end the evening and everyone reflected on their favourite parts of the camp.

We still had a big final day ahead. It started to rain overnight and we had to pack up everything wet, which is never fun. But we’re really thankful that it didn’t rain during the rest of the trip, so it was a small price to pay! We had a pee break at the Taylor River rest stop on the way back, which has the most gorgeous green river running through. I’ll have to return in the future for a swim!

Our final stop on the trip was to the Old Country Market (better known as Goats on the Roof) in Coombs. The goats briefly came out on the roof for a photo op and we did some exploring around the market for lunch. We picked up some doughnuts from Billy G’s Doughnut Shop to enjoy on the ferry ride home.

I had such a fantastic time on this trip and I hope the girl guides did too! We received funding from West Coast Area’s Muriel Murray Fund and from Disney’s VoluntEars Program (through a parent employee) to do this trip. We’re so lucky to have access to funds to subsidize trips like these for teenagers. Several of the trex members are aging out this year after completing the entire Girl Guide Program from Sparks to Rangers. It is really transformative for girls to be able to go on trips like this, interact with female role models, and build up their skills. So thanks to everyone who’s ever bought girl guide cookies from me or a girl guide!

Kayaking Widgeon Creek

July 10, 2024July 11, 2024 / Maria / 4 Comments

Widgeon Creek has been on my bucket list for a long time! It’s a paddling route that leaves from Pitt Meadows, starting with a crossing of the Pitt River, and then meanders up Widgeon Creek through Widgeon Marsh and Pinecone Burke Provincial Park.

It’s only a half hour drive from my house, but the reason this sat on my bucket list for so long is because I was afraid of crossing the Pitt River. You have to cross the river at the entrance to Pitt Lake, which can get pretty windy, and the Pitt River is tidally influenced, meaning you can get some pretty fast currents coming in and out of the lake. Even though I know people cross the river all the time, in all manner of vessels (many of which are much less robust than my 16 foot sea kayak), I found the idea of crossing the Pitt River pretty intimidating.

But I finally decided to go for it on a gorgeous day in early April. I didn’t want to go during freshet, when the flows increase from snow melt, and I didn’t want to go during the summer when it’s highly trafficked, so the conditions seemed to align in April. Now that I’ve done it, I’m kind of wondering what I was so afraid of! I know my risk aversion keeps me safe, but it was much less intimidating than I imagined.

We got up early on a Saturday morning to beat the crowds. Fortunately, the creek wasn’t very busy at this time of year and we had no trouble crossing the Pitt River. There was definitely a current when we crossed and a headwind when we returned, but it was very manageable in our kayaks. I’d probably be too nervous to cross the river on a SUP, but there were some people doing it in the afternoon. Although I find it shocking the number of people who go out without a PFD!

The water was very calm when we crossed and the creek was almost completely still. I’ve heard the creek can run dry or very low in some sections during the hot summer, but we crossed near high tide and had no issues in either direction. It was such an enjoyable paddle on the way up the creek that me and Seth kept remarking that we had to spend more time exploring the area in the future (our go-to trip is generally paddling to Jug Island).

We didn’t see any other paddlers on our way up the creek since it was still pretty early in the morning. You paddle through Widgeon Marsh, which is a regional park, and eventually cross into Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. I think this is so cool because I love Pinecone Burke – it’s such a large and underrated park – and I’ve now explored it from 3 different entry points. The most common entry is from Harper Road in Coquitlam, but I’ve also entered the Park along the trail to Seed Peak (east of Squamish), and now via Widgeon Creek.

The final destination by kayak is the Widgeon Creek campsite. There were a few boaters here who had come in the previous day and were camping overnight. We hauled our kayaks up on the shore and then re-packed our bags for a little hike to Widgeon Falls. The paddle to the campsite takes about 75 minutes, and it’s a 6km round trip hike from the campsite, so it makes for a nice day trip with a variety of activities. You can hike to the Falls mostly along an old forestry road, which is faster, but we opted for the detour through the forest, which is much more scenic.

The Falls are really nice and we hung out for an hour enjoying our lunch. We were the only people there, although we passed some other hikers along the way. We took the road back to the campground and then paddled out from there. We encountered more paddlers on the way back and the wind definitely picked up in the early afternoon. The hardest part of the day was crossing the Pitt River because we had a headwind, but it was very manageable in our kayaks. I wouldn’t want to do it on a SUP, and I did wonder if the people crossing on SUP realized they would have a pretty substantial headwind on the way back.

But overall, I absolutely loved everything about this trip! I’m keen to go back and I don’t think I’ll be quite as hesitant in the future. Since it’s a short paddle, it’s easily doable on a Friday night, so maybe we’ll come back some day and stay at the campground. You can also continue the hike up to Widgeon Lake, though I’ve heard it’s a bit of a slog, as the trail is not well maintained and usually has snow on it until July.

Definitely play it safe if you’re planning on doing this trip and plan around the wind and current conditions, but it was a much less intimidating trip overall than I thought it would be. In the summer, you can rent kayaks from the parking lot, so it’s pretty accessible if you want to check it out! I think parking can get challenging though because this is also the parking lot for people recreating at Pitt Lake, so I recommend going early because then you can easily find parking and take advantage of the early morning calm on the water!

Overnight Hikes for Beginners Near Vancouver

July 3, 2024September 17, 2024 / Maria / 3 Comments

Last week, I shared a Beginner’s Guide to Backpacking for those looking to make the transition from hiking to backpacking. A large part of trip planning is selecting a good trail, especially as a beginner, so I’ve put together a list of trails near Vancouver that I think are appropriate for new backpackers.

There are literally hundreds of trails within a 3-hour drive of Vancouver and it can be difficult to know where to start. My biggest recommendation is to keep it simple by choosing easy trails and campsites with access to basic facilities. It can be an adjustment getting used to carrying a large backpack, so pick shorter trails with less elevation gain, and a first-time trip can be made a lot simpler with access to an outhouse, bear cache, and cooking shelter. See my Guide for more information on how to select and book campsites.

Here are some of my preferred hikes for beginners, in order of level of difficulty (easiest trips first):

3 Brothers Mountain (Buckhorn Campsite)

Region: E.C. Manning Provincial Park
Distance: 4km each way
Elevation: 200m
Reservation: yes ($10pp, per night)
Amenities: outhouse, bear cache, tent pads, cooking shelter, picnic tables
Season: July-September
Drive time from Vancouver: 2.5 hours
Trip Report: found here

Buckhorn Campsite is my pick for best experience for beginners. Manning Park is my favourite park near Vancouver and I think this hike is ideal because it’s short, has a lot of amenities, and is absolutely beautiful. You have to drive up all the way up Blackwall Road to get to the trailhead, so most of the elevation gain is done in the car. You get to enjoy brand new tent pads and a gorgeous cooking shelter, surrounded by alpine wildflowers. The reservation system for this site is new in 2024. This campsite is ideal for 1 or 2 nights and is a great base if you want to day hike to 3 Brothers Mountain on your second day.

Cheakamus Lake

Region: Garibaldi Provincial Park
Distance: 4-7km each way
Elevation: 250m
Reservation: yes ($10pp, per night)
Amenities: outhouse, bear cache
Season: June-October
Drive time from Vancouver: 2 hours
Trip Report: found here

There are two options for Cheakamus Lake, the first campground is called Cheakamus Lake and is located 4km from the parking lot along mostly flat terrain. The second campground is called Singing Creek and is located 7km from the parking lot, and is still mostly flat terrain. Either campground is a great option for a 1 night hike. If you’d like to do 2 nights, camp at Cheakamus Lake and do a day hike to Singing Creek and back on your second day. Be diligent with bear safety on this hike as there is a history of bears in this area.

Viewpoint Beach

Region: Golden Ears Provincial Park
Distance: 4.5km each way
Elevation: 200m
Reservation: no (permit is $5pp, per night)
Amenities: outhouse, bear cache
Season: May-October
Drive time from Vancouver: 1 hour
Trip Report: found here

Viewpoint Beach was the first place I ever took my girl guides and it’s a great option for beginners. It’s a short and easy walk from the parking lot to the campground and there is an outhouse and a bear cache available. However, because there are no reservations, I recommend to leave earlier in the day to secure a campsite. You can camp on either side of the river, but don’t attempt to cross the river. The bear cache and outhouse are located at Viewpoint Beach. The other side of the river is called Hikers Beach and can be accessed by crossing the large wooden bridge 500m before Viewpoint Beach. You can extend this trip to 2 nights if you’d like to do a day hike up to Alder Flats.

Tetrahedron Park

Region: Tetrahedron Provincial Park
Distance: 3-6km each way
Elevation: 250m
Reservation: yes ($15pp, per night, paid to the Tet Outdoor Club)
Amenities: sleeping hut, outhouse
Season: June-October
Drive time from Vancouver: 1 hour + ferry
Trip Report: found here

Tetrahedron Park is a really unique experience and is a great option if you don’t have a tent yet. Tenting is not allowed in this park and all users must stay in one of the huts. There are 4 huts, but I recommend either Bachelor Cabin or Edwards Cabin for beginners (though Bachelor Cabin is often used by families, so please be respectful of children). These sites are managed by the Tetrahedron Outdoor Club. First, join the Tetrahedron Outdoor group on facebook and do a search for your dates to see how many other people are already going then (the cabin sleeps ~12), then post your booking on facebook and pay on the website. This location is great for multi-day trips, as you can do a day hike up to Mount Steele from Edwards Cabin, but the mountain may have snow until July.

Lindeman Lake

Region: Chilliwack Provincial Park
Distance: 1.5km each way
Elevation: 225m
Reservation: no (permit is $5pp, per night)
Amenities: outhouse, bear cache, tent pads
Season: May-October
Drive time from Vancouver: 2 hours
Trip Report: found here

Lindeman Lake is a very popular trail, so if you opt to camp here, I recommend going very early or visiting on a week day. There are a small amount of tent pads and room for tents, but it can get very crowded. It’s an attractive hike because it is very short, but there is significant elevation gain over a short distance, so be prepared for a steep hike. Sites are not reservable, but you do need a backcountry permit, which can be obtained 2 weeks before your trip. This is a great option for a two night trip if you want to do a day hike up to Greendrop Lake, but you may encounter snow past Lindeman Lake until July.

In my opinion, the first 5 hikes on this list are the most ideal for true beginners planning their first ever overnight hike. They are shorter and have less elevation gain. The rest of the hikes on the list are starting to get more advanced in that they are longer and have more elevation gain, but are still good options for newer backpackers and second trips. I recommend these trips to people who are are already experienced hikers; those new to both hiking and backpacking should stick with the hikes listed above.

Joffre Lakes

Region: Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
Distance: 5.5km each way
Elevation: 400m
Reservation: yes ($10pp, per night)
Amenities: outhouse, bear cache
Season: July-September
Drive time from Vancouver: 3 hours
Trip Report: found here

Joffre Lakes is another insanely popular hike and you will have to be diligent in booking exactly 4 months ahead of your planned dates to secure a permit. However, it’s popular for a reason and is actually a relatively straightforward trip for the incredible views. Be prepared for a climb, but it’s not too steep, so it just requires a little bit more effort for a great reward.

Fairview Loop Trail

Region: Upper Sunshine Coast
Distance: 6-12km (customizable)
Elevation: 250-400m
Reservation: no (recommend a donation to qPAWS)
Amenities: sleeping hut, outhouse, bear cache, picnic tables
Season: May-October
Drive time from Vancouver: 2 hours + 2 ferries
Trip Report: found here

We’re definitely starting to get a little more technical with this trail. The Fairview/Rainy Day loop is located in Saltery Bay, directly after you get off the ferry. To save money, park at Earl’s Cove and walk on the ferry as you don’t need your car on the other side. This loop trail is part of the Sunshine Coast Trail and has two huts on it, Fairview Hut and Rainy Day Lake Hut. It’s 6km (250m gain) to Fairview hut (counterclockwise) and 4km (350m gain) to Rainy Day Lake hut along the road (road is recommended as it’s significantly longer and steeper to take the trail). You can do the trail as a loop to visit both huts (12km total), but this is a more challenging option as there’s 700m of climbing to do both huts. The huts can get very busy, so you should bring a tent in case they get full.

Elfin Lakes

Region: Garibaldi Provincial Park
Distance: 11km each way
Elevation: 600m
Reservation: yes ($10pp, per night)
Amenities: sleeping hut, tent pads, outhouse, cooking shelter, bear cache, picnic tables
Season: July-September
Drive time from Vancouver: 1.5 hours
Trip Report: found here

Elfin Lakes is the longest trail on the list, so you should be prepared for ~4 hours of hiking with your backpack. However, I include it because the elevation gain is spread out over the distance, so it’s never too steep and it’s a very wide and easy trail. This is another hike that books up fast, but you can stay either on a tent pad or in the hut, but they have separate bookings, so make sure you book the correct one. The views from the campsite are some of the best of any hike. Watch out for bears on this hike, especially in the Fall.

Garibaldi Lake

Region: Garibaldi Provincial Park
Distance: 9km each way
Elevation: 800m
Reservation: yes ($10pp, per night)
Amenities: outhouse, bear cache, cooking shelters, picnic tables
Season: July-September
Drive time from Vancouver: 2 hours
Trip Report: found here

This is the final hike on the list. It has the most elevation gain and you should be prepared for 3 hours of hiking up switchbacks in the first 7km. The trail is not technical, but it is very boring until you reach the lake. However, if you like amenities, it’s a great option. You can camp at either Garibaldi Lake or Taylor Meadows, which have composting toilets, cooking shelters, and picnic tables. I recommend this trip only for those who are already experienced hikers.

There are 3 more trails I want to note because they are easy trails, but I didn’t include them in my main list because they don’t have outhouses or bear caches. There are enough other challenges to contend with on your first hike, so I don’t recommend these. But once you get comfortable with digging a cathole and making your own bear caches, these are good options. However, please note, these are all on crown land, so while there’s no permit required, the sites also don’t receive any maintenance, so please respect the natural environment, leave no trace and pack out everything, including your toilet paper!

Falls Lake – a 1.5km hike on the Coquihalla Summit Rec Area. It’s totally flat and is a great option for a beginner snow camp as well.

Levette/Hut Lake – you can drive up to Levette Lake (which can get very busy), and it’s only another 4km to Hut Lake, which doesn’t get many visitors.

Semaphore Lakes – a 2.5km hike, but this one is a bit steeper (300m gain). There are limited trees for a bear cache here, so a bear canister is recommended.

If you’re looking for more advanced trips, check out my posts on Thru Hikes and Loop Hikes.