The weather was extremely changeable for the hike today. It was pouring when we got up and looked at the weather. Then it turned into a nice sunny morning; then it clouded in as we went on the hike but stayed mainly clear and somewhat sunny. We went to Christmas hill first, and then took the path the circumambulates the summit.
There were spring flowers poking through..
and this moss looked a bit like the surface my tongue, although my tongue is much more browny.
It was windy and it did rain just as we got to the summit, but the rain eased off as we continued the hike.
The walk around Swan Lake was excellent, and again the weather cooperated.
We passed a group of hikers just after this point. Just burned them off...
Just as we got home it started to rain very heavily with hail and snow. Then it eased off. It's raining again now in the evening....etc. etc...etc...
This is a great hike. It's a bit muddy in some spots, but I suppose most places are after the rain we've had over the last few weeks, but the mud was no challenge to our new hiking boots! We still haven't tried all the different trails around Christmas Hill, especially the LAke View trail. We'll be trying those some other time.
INSTRUCTIONS
Car poolers meet at the Senior's Centre at 9:15. The drive to the Swan Lake parking lot is about 16 minutes, so anyone wanting to meet at the parking lot should be there by 9:35.
First we will take the trail up to Christmas Hill and do the loop around the top to enjoy the views of Victoria and Saanich. Then we will trek back to Swan Lake and do the lake loop clockwise, crossing the bridge, ending up at the Nature House and parking lot. There is an uphill climb to the top of Christmas Hill, but the loop around Swan lake is almost level. Christmas Hill will take about 1:00 and the lake loop will take about 0:45, for a total of about 1:45 to 2:00. The stone steps on Christmas Hill and the bridge across Swan Lake can be expected to be slippery when wet.
How to get there:
Getting back on to McKenzie westbound when returning:
| Name: | Track 001 |
| Date: | Jan 3, 2012 9:33 am |
Map:
(valid until Jul 1, 2012) | View on Map |
| Distance: | 5.53 kilometers |
| Elapsed Time: | 1:06:55 |
| Avg Speed: | 5.0 km/h |
| Max Speed: | 21.1 km/h |
| Avg Pace: | 12' 06" per km |
| Min Altitude: | 0 m |
| Max Altitude: | 102 m |
| Start Time: | 2012-01-03T17:33:30Z |
| Start Location: | |
| Latitude: | 48.466009º N |
| Longitude: | 123.374080º W |
| End Location: | |
| Latitude: | 48.465827º N |
| Longitude: | 123.374247º W |
MotionX-GPS Commonly Asked Questions
- What is MotionX-GPS?
MotionX-GPS is the essential GPS application for outdoor enthusiasts. It puts an easy-to-use, state-of-the-art handheld GPS on your iPhone.
- Can I use MotionX-GPS?
Sure! MotionX-GPS can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store.
- How can I display tracks in Google Earth?
Follow the directions on the Google Earth web site to download and install the Google Earth program. Save the attached "Track 001.kmz" file to your computer. Launch Google Earth, select File, Open, and open the saved "Track 001.kmz" file.
- This email was forwarded to me. Where are the attachments?
Some e-mail programs do not include the original attachments by default when forwarding an e-mail. In this case, the sender must reattach the original files for them to be included.
All the best,
