May 1 - Stats: 18.4 km / 980m gain / 397m high point / 5 hours MT
I did not expect 23 people to sign on for this hike.! And I didn't want to turn anyone away. So we split the group up, 6 doing the shorter version of the loop. My favorite forest features 3 hills, 9 junctions, moss covered maples, hemlocks & douglas firs and teapots.
In keeping with Covid protocol, we did not carpool.
Forget-me-nots.
At this 1st junction we turned right onto Watt Creek Trail.
Descending the first hill.
3.5 km on Watt Creek trail we got to this 2nd junction. Six hikers turned right here, to go to the Seven Sisters. This loop was about 1/3 the length of ours. Our group of 17 returned to this junction later.
At the 3rd junction we stayed on the Watt Creek trail.
Maiden-hair fern.
After crossing Watt Creek we came to the 4rth junction where we turned left, staying on the Watt Creek trail.
Now we were going over the 2nd hill.
At the 5th junction we turned left onto the Horse trail which heads toward Camp Stillwood.
We did not cross over the dry creek here (junctions 7 & 8), but turned right onto the Watt Creek trail. After a few minutes we came to the second sign which was on the right side of the path. We went right there. There are no signs or GPS tracks to indicate that this is a trail leading to Teapot Hill summit.
Steep but short - the old original trail leading to the summit of Teapot Hill.
A bit east of the summit we had lunch at this viewpoint.
Main beach by Cultus Lake.
Val & Dave.
Allana, Anne & Michelle.
Clover & Charlie.
Denise, Bridgette, Liz & Marlene.
Len & Miriam + Gary.
This was Sue's first time out with our club.
Anita, Don + Darlene who was also out with our club for the first time.
Heading down the popular Teapot Hill trail.
Here at the 8th junction we turned right which soon led us back to the 5th junction.
Climbing up the second hill again.
At the 2nd junction that led to the Seven Sisters we turned left. Why take this longer way back? Because I didn't want to miss this pretty piece of forest:
At the 9th junction stay right. A sign post will guide the way.
At the Seven Sisters where only 3 500-year-old Douglas Firs remain.
Only 200 years ago these giants dominated the landscape from here to the Pacific Coast. Plenty of precipitation and our mild climate have contributed to their size.
From here we cut through the Entrance Bay campsite, coming out onto the road at the duck sign.
The gang excluding Dave & Val & me -- from left to right: Len & Miriam, Michelle, Darlene, Denise, Anne, Bridgette, Marlene, Don, Allana, Gary, Liz, Sue & Anita.
We had to walk a short stretch along Columbia Valley Rd.
After the hike we turned left onto Columbia Valley Rd and drove past the west end of the lake to our property. Here we had a farewell get-together for our dear friend Anne who will be moving to Victoria next week.
Almost all of our Baja group was here except for Robbin. It brought back many fond memories of our snow-bird trip in 2019 (don't worry, we're all spaced and vaccinated).
Ernie & Bert on the barbecue.
I was going to get "Farewell for now" written on the chocolate but I didn't think there'd be enough room. I'm sure we'll still share many more adventures hiking trips in the future...
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