Yet another new hike today - beautiful fall days and we are making the most of it! Today started close to yesterday's hike - The Escarpment - but went in the other direction - up Maple Mountain. Maple Mountain lies between Crofton, Maple Bay, and Duncan, and has many trails and entrance points.
Our path provided a lovely shaded trek steadily upward, but not so steep as to be exhausting. Bonnie, Bob, Else and I and eight of our dogs took our time (well, the humans took their time - the dogs ran around like someone had fed them too much sugar!). We hiked through dappled sunlight, up an old dirt road with many other trails crossing our path, waiting to be explored.
We came across another cairn, this one quite symmetrical and firmly packed. No geocache in this one!
A further climb and we branched to the right, up a steeper hill to catch our first glimpse of the lake below - Quamichan Lake, just east of Duncan.
Further again ("Let's just go round one more bend....let's just go to the top of that hill.....let's just go to......") and the whole valley opened up beneath us.
On the way down, we noticed mushrooms popping up everywhere dressed in whites and oranges and even polka dots.
More sunlight stretching its fingers through the trees and onto the thick ferns and grasses below.
A great hike, another great day.
PS. Sadie says I don't have enough dog pictures in this entry and I should post this one of her resting on the downward trip.
PPS. I'm off to the mainland in the morning to visit Emma, the piggies, and my mom until Wednesday. Then photography class starts Thursday, so the blog may be quiet for the next several days.
2 comments:
I love getting to know that part of the Island through your eyes and through the dogs eyes. LOVE all the pictures, feel like I'm there, seeing it all with you guys!
You certainly know how to spoil us with your adventures! it's a real treat!
Some lovely photos here, Jean. What a great selection of trails you have all around you. You'll never be bored, that's for sure. I'm excited to hear that you'll be taking a photography course. Perhaps you can pass along some hints. I hope to take one as well, if I can ever afford to retire. Hope you enjoy your time on the mainland.
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