| Ascent to Paradise | | | | your camera. With careful preparation, a day in |
| "In more ways than one, you get an entirely | | | | the alpine could be your peak experience. |
| different view of the world from a mountaintop" | | | | Located off Highway 4 west of Qualicum Beach |
| say scientists Richard and Sydney Cannings in | | | | and east of Port Alberni, the mountain known as |
| British Columbia, A Natural History. Rugged valleys, | | | | Arrowsmith is actually comprised of multiple |
| icy streams, and sloping meadows of wildflowers | | | | peaks, the most prominent being Arrowsmith and |
| undulating in the subalpine wind: these are what | | | | Cokely. A network of logging roads provide good |
| catch the eye when hiking Vancouver Island's | | | | access to a series of trails in the vicinity, some |
| mountains. | | | | ascending gradually to the mountains' slopes, with |
| Like lower elevations, the Island's ranges have | | | | others climbing sharply to their summits. A |
| vistas enough for photographs, but they also | | | | decommissioned ski resort located on the south |
| have geological oddities, unique plant and animal | | | | side of the peaks marks the start of a historic |
| communities, and trees so determined to survive | | | | trail that once saw guests of the Canadian Pacific |
| that they bend themselves into all manner of | | | | Railway carried on horseback from the Cameron |
| contortions. Since this is one of the snowiest | | | | Lake Chalet. |
| places on earth, hiking the Island's mountains | | | | To get to the alpine today, hikers commonly take |
| means being prepared. Temperatures fluctuate | | | | the saddle route that ascends the slope between |
| rapidly, reminding hikers to pack insulating layers | | | | Arrowsmith and Cokely gaining 450 metres in |
| that can be easily donned or shed. Covered by | | | | elevation. Highlights of this hike include alpine and |
| snowpack until late July or even August, the alpine | | | | subalpine wildflowers-aster, harebells and pink |
| landscape emerges for a brief season before | | | | monkey flower are currently |
| diving back into winter. | | | | blooming-huckleberries and lowbush blueberries and |
| Thankfully, there is still time to take in some of | | | | view of an alpine lake. View aficionados will |
| that short-lived brilliance. Late summer is one of | | | | appreciate vistas of the Gulf Islands, the Strait of |
| the best times to visit Vancouver Island's | | | | Georgia, and neighbouring peaks. Commonly |
| mountains, and on mid-Island peaks like Mount | | | | known as the most accessible alpine area on |
| Arrowsmith and Mount Cokely, wildflowers still | | | | Southern Vancouver Island (1,819 m), Mount |
| paint the hillsides along with a bumper crop of | | | | Arrowsmith is currently the focus of a park |
| black huckleberries and blueberries and their | | | | proposal encompassing the massif's peaks and |
| stunning red leavesKeep to the trails to avoid | | | | lakes. |
| trampling sensitive plant and don't forget to bring | | | | |