This summer I decided to check out some of the less frequently hiked trails between Port Alberni and the west coast. In mid-August, the Brigade Lake Trail was my hike of choice. The idea of a moderate hike in the forest with a lake destination at the end was appealing, especially during the heat of the summer. The destination – …
Old Growth Forest
Awe Inspring Avatar Grove
The main attraction at Avatar Grove, an ancient gnarly western redcedar. Avatar Grove is an awe inspiring grove of old growth western redcedar and huge Douglas-fir trees. It’s hard to describe the feeling in this quiet forest near Port Renfrew. The trees are immense, towering over a forest floor covered with a chaotic jumble of fallen moss-covered wood, deer fern, …
Rainforest Trail Ramble
I try to walk the Rainforest Trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve before 9:00 am. At that time of day I usually have the place to myself and can soak in the huge red cedars and western hemlocks, some of which are 1,000 years old. Last week I was trying some forest photography when I heard the sound of …