Squamish, BC

I have been to Squamish several times before but this is the first time I'm there in good weather.  The trails and views at the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola are spectacular, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and lush green valleys.  The Spirit trail is very short and the main sight is the very beautiful Sky Pilot Massif (an unusual name - apparently named after the United Church's mission boat Sky Pilot).  A suspension bridge leads to the start of the trail and you get a closer look at the Sky Pilot when on the trail.

Sky Pilot Mountain

The Panorama trail is a bit longer but still easy and at the end of it is the panorama with a viewing platform sticking out into the valley.

Mt. Garibaldi as seen from the panorama point.

A Pileated woodpecker appeared on this bare trunk but before I got my camera focused, approaching people talking loudly sent it away.  Opportunity missed!  Just imagine how awesome that red crown with the white and black body would look on that trunk...

But I did spot a towhee high up on another tree and a comma butterfly on the ground. It's always a treat to see wildlife on these trails.  In fact, along the trail is a Bird Display where photos of different birds are displayed - I'm sure given the right time of day some of these will appear!

Eastern towhee

Comma butterfly

After the easy Panorama trail, the Al's Habrich trail made me feel like I had skipped several grades in school!  It turns out to be a Back Country trail, which of course is way above my ability.  But at least I get to try it and see for myself how hard it is on my knees.  The river crossing seems an appropriate place to turn back, graciously admitting defeat and without getting wet.  

Enchanting scenes like this is great incentive to venture on these back country trails - a bit late for me but nevertheless a nice try.

A nicely capsuled view of Mt. Garibaldi, one of my favourites, is also seen on the trail.

Love these giant boulders, remind me of Yosemite.

Natural boat-shaped trunk

On the way back to the gondola, got a closeup of the Sky Pilot and another great valley view of the Sky Pilot massif.

 

On the way back to the ground...

View of the Stawamus Chief and Atwell peak Mt. Garibaldi from the gondola.   

Right beside the Chief from the gondola

Feet back on the ground, I can't bypass Shannon Falls without looking up for a photo...

Shannon Falls at 1099 ft. above Hwy 99 - a great end to the Squamish adventure

Gabriola Island, BC

The main reason I visited Gabriola was to see a dear friend, not realizing the island is chock full of natural sights, rock formations, lush forests, in no less than three Provincial Parks and a couple of Regional Parks, not to mention old Petroglyphs!  All on this 14km long and 4 km wide island. This is a selection of the places I visited in the three days on the island in between social visits, tea and dinner with welcoming neighbours and friends in the small vibrant community. 

The island is just a 20 minute ferry ride from Nanaimo or a 20 minute sea plane ride from Downtown Vancouver, but it's a world away. 

Our first stop was the Malaspina Galleries with its extraordinary rock formations, truly like a natural art gallery.  

Further along the north shore to Silva Bay, more rock formations and the Entrance Island Lighthouse offshore.

Entrance Island Lighthouse

On the south east tip of the island is Drumbeg Provincial Park, with beautiful views of the Strait of Georgia, gorgeous trees, including the protected Garry Oak and the Arbutus tree with its reddish brown bark.  

You walk through this beautiful forest to get to the waterfront

A Garry Oak protected at Drumbeg PP

To get to the Petroglyphs, we walked through a lush forest that took my breath away at every turn. 

This reminded me of an Ikebana arrangement, only it's natural.

An Arbutus tree with its signature reddish bark and crooked branch

An even more stunning arbutus that reminded me of a giant bonsai

A few of  the 70 petroglyphs on Gabriola and the surrounding Gulf Islands

Visiting a nursery has never been such an enjoyable experience.  This nursery on the south side is like a park and some of the giant shrubs reminded me how it must have felt like to be a Lilliputian in Gulliver's Travels.

This one is 6 ft. tall at least!

And I'm dumbfounded by this stunning specimen!  What a treat to be here!