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Mt Tzouhalem - From properties to the cross
Location:Duncan
MapNTS 92B/13
2.1 km one way.
Terrain: Moderately smooth
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Mt. Tzouhalem Ecological Reserve Trailhead: Drive north from Victoria on highway #1 to Duncan. Turn right on Trunk Road (1st light after the silver bridge). Follow Get into left lane so you can veer left at the first lights, then straight through 2 more sets of lights the final set being by a gas station. Soon the road will veer to the left at St. Edward’s church you are now on Maple Bay Road. Follow this road for 2.6 km further and you will come to a subdivision called "The
Properties on the right, and a right-turn lane. Turn right onto Kingsview.
Follow Kingsview up the hill, past Belcarra, almost to the dead end, turn right on Chippewa. Follow Chippewa to its conclusion a dead end and mailboxes. Make a sharp left onto Kaspa and follow it to its dead
end where there is a yellow gate this is the trailhead for Mt. Tzouhalem Ecological Reserve.
Critical Cairn on Mt Albert Edward route Trailhead:
This cairn is the key to finding your way off the ridge.
Uses
| Dayhike | 3 boot (moderate). | 2 hours one way. | Suitable all year. |
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| Dayhike | Easy to moderate day hike . | | Suitable all year. |
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Description
From the Ecological Reserve to the summit:
From the trailhead take the right fork and after about 1km you will find a gate. This is the access ot the flower reserve. To visit the flower reserve enter through the gate, be sure to stick to the trails as this area is designed to protect the plants for all to enjoy.
To readh the summit from the gate, take the road to your right and follow this to where it turns into a trail. Continue on the trail to a short but moderately steep descent. After the descent you quickly come to a road. Go left on the road and follow this to a junction. Go right at the junction and continue up to another junction (380m). At this point there is a red "T" painted on a tree, when facing the tree take the right fork. Follow this to another junction with a red "B" painted on a tree, continue up ignoring the left fork. This leads to a "Y marked with a red "D", go left and watch for a ridge on the right. Once you see it continue on to a road on the right, follow this up to the viewpoint near the summit.
From the summit to the cross:
Take the left trail (this is a trail, not a logging road, it was marked with blue and yellow flagging in April 2001). At a juction with a trail heading down keep to the upper trail (there is a large Douglas Fir with a stump beside it, beyond it is a large, rectangular rock at this point). Next you will come to a T junction with a blue "T-Bone" sign. Take the right branch which leads to a logging road. Go left on the logging road to a Y junction. There is a read "D" on a tree at this point, go left. The logging road peters out to a trail and leads to a gulley. Follow this down (exercise caution, there is an angled rock on the descent that can be very slick if it is wet). At the bottom of the gulley you will come to another T junction on a logging road, go left, this quickly reverts to a trail and leads you along to some cliffs on the south side of the mountain follow the trail along these to the cross.
From the cross to "The Properties":
Descending from the cross, go right at the fork and continue for about 1km up a hill then trail to left at base of hill as road turns to right. This goes up hill and winds around into the Nature Reserve and on to Kingsview Road. Be careful on the top as there are a large number of mountain bike trails which loop around. If you have not scouted the route beforehand it is probably best to stick to the road. Using this route you end up at the Kingsview Road trailhead.
From the cross to the Ecological Reserve:
Retrace your route to the T junction with the trail up the gulley. Keep to the logging road to the left (not the gulley trail). This leads you to a Y junction with a red "T" painted on a tree (elevation 380m). Go left and follow the road down, watch for an Environment Canada sign on your right at the junction with another road, you will approach this from the back of the sign so be alert! Take the branch road to the left and follow this to a trail on the right at the bottom of an "S" curve (elevation 315m). There is a small orange fire sign on your left at this point and a small, seasonal stream flows beside the road at this point forcing a hop over to get on the trail. After a very short distance there is a short, moderately steep climb and then the grade lessens and the trail eventually leads you to a gate at the south east corner of the flower reserve. Enter through the gate but keep to the trail in this sensitive area. The flowers are at their height in late April to early May.
Alternate route from the cross to the Ecological Reserve:
Descending from the cross, go right at the fork and continue for about 1km up a hill then trail to left at base of hill as road turns to right. This goes up hill and winds around into the Nature Reserve and on to Kingsview Road. Be careful on the top as there are a large number of mountain bike trails which loop around. If you have not scouted the route beforehand it is probably best to stick to the road. Using this route you end up at the Kingsview Road trailhead.
From the Ecological Reserve to the summit:
Walk through the flower reserve, in the meadow take the trail to your left. Follow this to a gate at the south east corner of the reserve. Once out the gate take the road to your right and follow this to where it turns into a trail. Continue on the trail to a short but moderately steep descent. After the descent you quickly come to a road. Go left on the road and follow this to a junction. Go right at the junction and continue up to another junction (elev. 380m). At this point there is a red "T" painted on a tree, when facing the tree take the right fork. Follow this to another junction with a red "B" painted on a tree, continue up ignoring the left fork. This leads to a "Y marked with a red "D", go left and watch for a ridge on the right. Once you see it continue on to a road on the right, follow this up to the viewpoint near the summit.
Features
This trail features flowers (Blue camas, Blue-eyed grass, Broad-leaved shooting star, Chocoate lily, Death camas, Seablush, Sedum, Spring gold and White fawn lily), forests, meadows, views and Flowers include blue-eyed grass, camas (both blue camas and death camas), chocolate lilies, fawn lilies, sea blush, sedum, shooting stars and spring gold.
Hazards
There are cliffs at the viewpoints, particularly at the cross. Caution must be exercised with small children.
View trail condition reports for this trail.