Late Fall Colour

Still a chance for fall colour in Paradise Meadows , but winter is about to start. Snow has fallen at 1100 m. although it is not lingering yet on sunny days.

Buckbean Pond

Tufted club rush & dwarf blueberry

Long shadows

Paradise Creek

Frosty Morning

Paradise Meadows has been getting frosty in the mornings lately - this photo from Sunday, with beautiful blue skies. With the radiating lines of the amphitheatre benches leading to the Wilderness Centre this extreme wide angle view gives the scene a dynamic and rather surreal energy.

Thanks to Tim Penney for the photo! More of Tim's work here.

57 Hikes

A Campbell River hiker has compiled an amazing report of 57 hikes completed in Strathcona Park this summer. Check it out on the Club Tread website here.

Volunteers & Visitors

Strathcona Wilderness Institute hosted a volunteer appreciation gathering yesterday - thanks again to all the Wilderness Centre staff, nature walk & talk and hike guides. SWI will be in touch with those who weren't able to attend.

A few highlights from the 2011 season:

6867 visitors assisted:
Centre staffed 82 days = overall average 84 visitors to the Centre per day.

In July, the Centre assisted 1589 visitors (25 days staffed=average 64 visitors/day); in August, 2814 visitors ( 28 days=average 103 visitors/day); and in September/Oct, 2464 visitors (29 days=85 visitors/day).

As in 2010, these numbers include those who attended walks, talks & hikes, as well as groups such as students who visited the Park. For 2011 these numbers also included those who attended the special Centennial events.

About 200 visitors were recorded at the Centre on the busiest days . The daily visitor averages in July were lower than in 2010, no doubt due to the late snow year, but the average numbers for August & September were similar to 2010. Overall numbers of visitors assisted was greatly increased from 2010 due to the Centre being staffed almost every day for the three summer months.

Visitors came from:
Comox Valley: 36%
North Vancouver Island : 9%
South Vancouver Island : 21.5%
Rest of BC : 8%
Rest of Canada : 8.5%
USA : 4.5%
UK/Europe/EU/Western Asia : 10%
Other Countries : 2.5%

The proportions are similar to 2010 with slightly higher CV & NVI visitors; slightly lower SVI visitors; slightly higher International visitors.

Countries represented:
Canada: 10 provinces/territories
BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, NWT.
USA: 30 states
Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York.
Europe/Western Asia: 23 countries
England, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Poland, Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Israel.
Other countries: 16 countries
Australia, New Zealand
Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong
South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania
Mexico, Panama, Brazil, Guatemala .


Visitors were recorded from a much greater diversity of countries &  States than 2010.

Compare with last year's visitors here.

Snow Hiking

A recent report on the Club Tread website of a hike up Mt. Albert Edward found snow at the 1300 m. elevation. Check out the report here.

Above the Clouds

An outing today up  Mt. Washington, adjacent to Paradise Meadows & Strathcona Park, to find blue sky above the clouds that covered the Comox Valley. Fresh snow is at about 1400 m.

From the top of the ski hill, you can see all your favourite peaks. Mt. Albert Edward & Mt Regan, with an interesting snow-covered ridge between - not visible from lower viewpoints.

Comox Glacier with Battleship Lake in the foreground

The Golden Hinde, highest mountain on Vancouver Island at 2200 m.

Sooty Grouse prints in the sub-alpine

Martin also preferred the trails, leaving prints

Striking view down into Paradise Ponds, circled by the Centennial boardwalk.

End of Season

Last day of opening for the Strathcona Park Wilderness Centre today - some great visitors & some good weather!

Very few items were turned in this season to the lost & found - here is a list of what we have:
pale blue cushion
green Kelty kid's daypack
child's blue/green/white sunhat
childs pink mitten
child's blue mitten
6" lightstick
orange tent poles
black umbrella w/music motif
red/black cell phone holder
black plastic frame sunglasses
silver plastic frame sunglasses
silver dangle earring w/glass facet
Jeep key
Oceans Resort key

After Oct. 13 , most items will go to a 2nd-hand store.
Visitors reported several lost cameras & cell phones but none were turned in to the Centre. If you want to help connect some items contact coordinator(at)strathconapark.org

Changing Seasons

Fresh snow has fallen on the higher mountains, and fall colours are just starting to change in the meadows.

Bunchberry blossoms have given way to berries.

Late-blooming king gentian is abundant in the meadows.

Finally saw the elusive Great Blue Heron in the meadows that has been reported over the last couple of weeks. Sandhill Cranes have been flying over, migrating south.