" It’s chock full of tips and maps to help you find your way sans polluting vehicle to outdoor locations in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast, Stein Valley and Manning Park. "
Vancouver Courier kudos & kvetches
Sidebar
Fireweed
Gashes in the forest caused by fire, blowdown or human intrusion are quickly filled in by pioneer species such as fireweed or salal. Quick growing red alder and maple soon take over, being themselves supplanted in turn by Douglas fir once soil has stabilized. Eventually shade tolerant climax species such as western red cedar and western hemlock will come to dominate. The whole process can take centuries if not millennia.
Immature fireweed plants can be cooked whole like broccoli while the young leaves can be used as salad greens. Fireweed is high in both beta-carotene and vitamin C. During pre-contact times fireweed seed fluffs found utility as pillow stuffing.
Illustration by Manami Kimura
Stumble Me Silly
If you like the FREE content here at BC Car-Free give it a Thumbs Up at StumbleUpon
08
Feb
2007
Galiano Island Hiking Trails - Bluffs Park
(5 - user rating)
Written by Brian Grover
Level: Easy
Distance: 8 km
Time: 2 h
Elevation Change: 180 m
Season: Year Round
Map: 92 B/14
Access: At the head of Whaler Bay about two km from the Sturdies Bay ferry terminal you'll find the trailhead on the left side of the road.
An old overgrown logging road here leads to 130 hectare Bluffs Park. Within a few minutes the trail branches to the left. Though unmarked, this is the route to Bluffs Park. The newer-looking main trail parallels Sturdies Bay Road as far as the 2 grocery stores on Georgeson Bay Road. Follow the forested trail 2 km to reach Bluff Road. A few minutes up the road you'll find the parking area from which a trail leads to the summit. The view overlooks Active Pass and Navy Channel with North Pender Island in the distance on the right. Mayne Island is across the channel on the left. Bluffs Park was created in 1948, made possible by a generous land donation by the Belgian farming family who settled the land. To loop back to the ferry terminal return via Bluff Road to Burrill Road (2 km) then on to Sturdies Bay Road (2 km). The ferry terminal is just a kilometre down the hill.
