Ptarmigan Challenge

Strathcona Provincial Park is an internationally recognized Important Bird Area in part due to the Vancouver Island White-tailed Ptarmigan, a subspecies which can mainly be found in the alpine areas of the Park. This summer, I was aware of several ptarmigan sightings that were reported to researchers at the UBC Read more…

Exploring Marble Meadows

Marble Meadows is a less frequently visited part of Strathcona Park, but a fascinating place for geology & botany. Several posts recently on the Nature Student blog highlight this area. Geological information & maps are available online here. After crossing Buttle Lake, hiking time with full backpacks to the 1480m Read more…

Strathcona Park Bird Search

The annual Strathcona Park Bird Search has concluded for another year, with several teams counting at several locations – Buttle Lake on Friday & Saturday, Paradise Meadows on Saturday, and Wood Mountain area today. At Paradise Meadows, the team circled the Centennial & Paradise Meadows Loops, as well as the Read more…

Autumn Colours at Divers & Rossiter

Another great fall colours hike with the Comox District Mountaineering Club today – to Rossiter & Divers Lakes. These lakes, added to Strathcona Park in 2003, are accessed via logging roads, adding some time onto the hike if starting on foot from the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre. The old logging Read more…