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Dwarf Dogwood
Since the Dogwood is the provincial flower in British Columbia, "bunch berry," is a protected species. Following pollination and fruiting, dwarf dogwood produces a bunch of bright red berries, hence the name. Bunch berry berries are edible either raw or cooked though they are not particulary tasty. They have further been used both internally and externally to counteract natural toxins from mushrooms, poison ivy and even bee stings. Dwarf dogwood is a perennial and a perennial favourite with hikers as this low ground cover will be found along most forested footpaths on the coast. The white petal-like mane surrounding the central flower are actually specialized leaves called bracts.
Illustration by Manami Kimura
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Introduction
A project initiated by the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, the Baden-Powell Centennial Trail was constructed in 1971 to commemorate British Columbia's first 100 years as a province. This 41.7-km trail stretches from Horseshoe Bay in the west, across the south-facing slopes of the North Shore Mountains to Deep Cove in the east.
Most of the trails on Canada's rugged west coast have a lot of vertical mixed in with their horizontal. This trail is no exception. Over the course of the Baden-Powell Centennial Trail you can expect to encounter nearly 5 km of elevation change. You'll climb 2438 metres and lose slightly more, 2530 metres, on the downside. Nearly half of your elevation gain will be in the first section alone.
The trail is readily accessible at many points along its length using public transportation and is best undertaken over a number of days. The Baden-Powell Trail is especially popular in the springtime for pre-season conditioning while most hiking routes in the province of are still under snow. The route cuts across a large number of administrative areas. For that reason you will find great variety in the quality of maintenance and signage along the way. Though closed to mountain bikes expect to encounter cyclists at any point on the trail. Keep in mind that if you choose to complete any sections of the trail in the opposite direction from those described below your time could vary considerably depending on the slope.
