Map
Nanaimo Lakes 92 F/1Terrain: Intermediate
| Elevations (in meters) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Start: | 297 | End: | 1023 |
| Minimum: | 297 | Maximum: | 1023 |
| Net Gain: | 726 | Cumulative Gain: | 726 |
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Mt Benson
MapNanaimo Lakes 92 F/1Terrain: Intermediate
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Witchcraft Lake Trailhead: Take the new bypass highway when approaching Nanaimo. Turn left off bypass highway at Jingle Pot Road. Go past the Westwood Lake turnoff on Jingle Pot Road and continue past power substation. Turn left on Kilpatrick Road. Near end of road turn right onto Benson View Road. There is a parking lot parallelling Benson View road across from the lake.
| Dayhike | 3 boot (moderate to strenuous). | 4 hours round trip. | Suitable all year. |
The Witchcraft trail for Benson summit begins at the west end of the parking lot. A short trail leads down to the lake and a new floating bridge that crosses the center of the lake. On the uphill side of the lake runs an old gravel road. Turning right, there are 3 trail heads that lead off to the left uphill from the lake. 140 meters after turning right onto this old road, is the middle trail head. This is the most gentle and recommended trail of the three. Another 100 meters is the third trail head indicated by a graphic "Benson" sign nailed to a tree. This is a steeper trail and joins the middle trail at higher slopes after passing though a labyrinth of abandoned mountain bike trails, and although it can be used to reach the summit it is not recommended.
Entering trailhead #2 and following along one passes at the base of a vertical rock wall and later on the remains of a couple of mountain bike jump-off structures between two large boulders. At higher levels, the trail also passes over a rocky outcrop that is a lookout and in a clear day offers beautiful views of Nanaimo City and the coast. With a couple of variations along the route, one of which leads to the ruins of a log cabin, the trail emerges at an old logging road. Here there are two options:
Option #1
After reaching the old logging road one ascends the trail directly ahead, rather than going left along the logging road, which would be the second option. After a few minutes in the forest, the trail emerges in a clear-cut area and joins another logging road. Crossing this road one again ascends the continuation of the trail directly ahead. Later on the trail reaches a rocky outcrop with a good view of Mount Benson’s top ridge. The trail passes over this rocky area, descends down to a gully, and then emerges at a wide, fairly level old road. One should turn left on the road, as this is the direction to the summit. After some distance the road switches back to the right and at the end of it a clear, steep trail ascends directly up towards the summit from north/northwest.
Option #2
After reaching the first old logging road one can turn left and walk on the road for some 15 minutes along clear-cuts and ignoring the new logging roads to the left and one to the right. The road curves to the right, crosses a creek and continues up. Then it curves to the left and at some point it becomes a trail that ultimately comes out at the service road in the middle of the twin summits of Mount Benson.
The slightly higher summit hosts a major communications establishment, including buildings and a diesel engine that operates some of the time. The other summit is peaceful and provides a 360-degree view of the surrounding country. On a clear day you can see Mt Arrowsmith, Mt Moriarty, Mt Landalt, El Capitan, Mt Brenton, Mt Washington and many other peaks on Vancouver Island. You can also see the peaks on the mainland as well as the Gulf Islands.
With thanks to Graham Calder for information regarding the new trailhead and adjustments to the trail description.
View trail condition reports for this trail.