The Cowichan Valley is blessed with hundreds of kilometers of beautiful hiking trails. Join us on one of five hikes selected to show off what this valley has to offer.
Meet at the park and ride on the Cowichan Valley Highway at 10am. The event coordinates above are for the park and ride. Here we will split into five groups, organize car pooling, hand out driving directions, ect. before departing for the various different hikes. Each group will have two volunteers who know the way and there will be geocaches to find on each of the hikes. Please be on time, we will aim to leave the park and ride by 10:30am.
The terrain ratings below reflect the most challenging sections of each hike. Hikes one to four are considered moderate, hike five is easy.
Hike 1. Mountain Climb - Mt. Tzouhalem
Terrain: 3 Stars
Distance: 5.5km
Parking Entrance: N48 47.521 W123 38.010 (Coordinates are for planning purposes only. Meet at the event coordinates)
Description: Mount Tzouhalem (zoo-hay-lum) is a fascinating place, with a rich history and stunning views. The mountain is named after one of the fiercest of the Cowichan war chiefs. He was banished due to his frequent murders, and took up residence in a cave on the side of this mountain. This hike will lead you to a large Christian Cross near the summit, originally a wooden cross, placed by local Catholic churches in the 1970's. The trail leads through the forest with several stunning views of the Cowichan Valley.
Volunteer Leaders: AnnieMaroo, K5.cacher & KnottyGirlz
Hike 2. Water Front - Grave Point
Terrain: 2.5 Stars
Distance: 6.5km
Parking Coordinates: N48 51.355 W123 37.445 (Coordinates are for planning purposes only. Meet at the event coordinates)
Description: Hike this undulating coastal trail built in typical West Coast style. Winding along the shoulder of Maple Mountain, an old logging road gives way to a footpath, following the land, bridging creeks with fallen logs and zigzagging between the trees. The forest slowly gives way to the bluffs of Sansum Narrows. Cowichan legend has it that a ferocious sea monster called “Shuh-shu-cum" used to lie in wait in the narrows and suck down canoes until a legendary warrior named “Sum-al-quatz” hurled a stone that hit the monster's snout. He could no longer suck down canoes, but he still lives in the deep waters and whenever you see swirls in the narrows you know that he is nearby.
Volunteer Leaders: JTee & LetsEatChocolate
Hike 3. History - Kinsol Trestle to Burnt Bridge/Koksilah River
Terrain: 3 Stars
Distance: 12km
Parking Coordinates: ***changed*** N 48° 40.321 W 123° 41.765 (Coordinates are for planning purposes only. Meet at the event coordinates)
Description: This hike begins at the historic Kinsol Trestle, named after the nearby King Solomon Copper Mine. This former railway trestle was abandoned in 1979, having carried lumber out of the Cowichan Valley since 1920. Towering 615 feet (187.5 metres) tall, the Kinsol Trestle is the highest standing wooden railway trestle in Canada. You will be following a well-worn footpath through the forest, the trail used to bypass the trestle during its restoration. Walk along the banks of the Koksilah (coke-sy-la) River, named after one of seven key villages of the Cowichan Tribes. At the halfway point, you will come to another historic river crossing. The first bridge at this location, built in 1865, was erected to access a silver mine owned by W. A. Robertson. The first bridge was destroyed in a large forest fire. This river crossing has since been known simply as Burnt Bridge. This shady forest trail offers many views of the river as well as the opportunity to reflect on the diverse history of the area.
Volunteer Leaders: Wrooster & DiraDuck
Hike 4. Natural Treasure - Ancient Forest Grove/Koksilah River
Terrain: 2.5 Stars
Distance: 4km
Parking Coordinates: N48 37.867 W123 48.233 (Coordinates are for planning purposes only. Meet at the event coordinates)
Description: A decommissioned logging road leads to a footpath that winds its way through a young alder forest. The hike itself is average; however, what is significant is the place it leads you to. The Koksilah Ancient Forest Reserve is an astounding stand of old-growth Douglas-Fir. In 1989 two loggers, Louie Van Beers and Don Hughes, put down their chainsaws and refused to cut down the trees. Fletcher Challenge, the owner of the property at the time, put the grove into a voluntary reserve and put aside plans to log it indefinitely. To this day this is still a voluntary reserve though the local community still strives to have it permanently protected. Enjoy the wonder of this magical grove then, perhaps, continue to the edge of the Koksilah River.
Volunteer Leaders: The Moss Troopers
Hike 5. Stroller Friendly - Cowichan Valley Trail/Holt Creek Trestle
Terrain: 1.5 Stars
Distance: 2km (more if the group is interested)
Parking Coordinates: N48 45.434 w123 47.597 (Coordinates are for planning purposes only. Meet at the event coordinates)
Description: Part of the Trans-Canada Trail, the Cowichan Valley Trail connects South Shawnigan Lake to the Town of Lake Cowichan. The trail follows the gentle grade of the former turn of the century railway line that served pioneer logging and settlement communities. In 1911, the Canadian National Pacific Railway dedicated a line on Vancouver Island to connect Victoria to Nootka Sound. By 1918, only 6 km of track had been laid. The Federal government took over the line as part of the CNR and work continued. The steel was finally laid in April 1920. The line was abandoned in the late 1980s. Enjoy this easy walk to the Holt Creek Trestle and, if the group is interested, carry on to views of the Cowichan River.
Volunteer Leaders: The Incredibles & CameraCowGirl
What to Bring
Water (At least 1L/per person)
Sturdy footwear
Clothing layers (the temperature between shady forest, open mossy outcrops, summit, and ocean can vary dramatically)
A picnic lunch and snacks
Your camera
Your GPSr
A backpack to put it all in
For planning purposes, please indicate the number of people in your group and which hike most interests you in your ‘will attend’ log.
This is a satellite event to the Geocaching MEGA event of the year on Vancouver Island.
Island Spirit 2012 (WestCan2)
Check out the cache page GC349MK for info and to sign the "Will Attend" log.... click on the Island Spirit 2012 link to see the event web page.
Tell all your friends about the MEGA event on Vancouver Island