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