Trip Summary

I’d been dreaming about going to Strathcona since I found out I’d be working in Victoria for 4 months and I could not wait to go! The snow had not melted yet and the trail crews hadn’t been out in ages but I still had an epic solo adventure.

Trip Breakdown

Friday:
Leave Victoria after work
Sleep at the Forbidden Plateau trailhead
Saturday:
Hit the trail 7am
Kwai Lake by 10:20am (10.1 km)
Eat lunch (2nd breakfast?) on a tent platform 10:30am
Arrive at Circlet Lake by 12:30pm (14.8km)
Set up tent (on the only snow-free tent pad) 1pm
Nap on a log on the lake 1:15pm-2:45pm
Read in tent 3pm
Dinner time! 5pm
Watch the sun “set” behind the mountains 8pm
Sunday:
Beautiful sunrise at 5am
Breakfast by 6am
Packed up and on the trail by 7:15am
Lunch (2nd breakfast??) at Croteau Lake tent platform 9:30am
Back at trailhead 11:20am

Trip Details

After finishing work on Friday, I started the 4.5-hour drive to the trailhead in Strathcona Provincial Park. I arrived at the parking lot just in time for sunset. There was no one else there when I arrived, but a camper van showed up later in the night. I set-up my window covers and rolled out my sleeping bag for a cozy night in the van. 

Early bird gets the worm

…Early hiker gets the spider webs. One of the advantages of sleeping at the trailhead is that you can get a really early start the next day. I was on the trail by 7 am, with my fleece and winter hat on due to the cold. However, I quickly warmed up and shed some layers. I assumed people would be hiking (it was June!) but alas the snow that covered 90% of the trail was void of footprints and the trail markers were buried in snow. This meant I was doing a LOT of wayfinding, constantly checking my GPS map and correcting my course. 

At one point, I missed a hairpin turn and accidentally ended up retracing my steps for a bit. I remember being shocked at seeing footprints! “Wow, someone else is out here on the trail!” I said out loud, before realizing that someone was me and I was looking at the footprints I made minutes ago. Anyway, that’s how tricky it was to find the trail and it gave me a good laugh. 

Beware bears

I also didn’t have my bear bell yet, so I was constantly making noise, either by singing, clapping, or talking to myself. This took a lot of energy and I wish I had taken a bell (even though the bears were probably still hibernating). 

At camp – Circlet Lake

I ate lunch on a cleared tent pad at Kwai Lake, but it wasn’t too much longer before I got to Circlet Lake. I found the only tent pad without snow and set up my tent. It was a really sunny day, and I crawled out to a log floating on the lake and took a nap. It was cold enough that I didn’t think about sunscreen, and unfortunately, I got a nice sunglasses-shaped sunburn on my face. 

After reading on my Kobo, making dinner, and watching the sun disappear behind the mountains, I got ready for bed.  Lucky me- I had to dig the snow away from the pit toilet door to get in. I’m not sure what the overnight temperature was, but I was glad I had my insulated quilt on top of my sleeping bag. I was the only camper at the lake that night.

Sunrise and better conditions

The sunrise the next morning was spectacular but chilly, and I had to motivate myself to leave my tent. I was packed up, fed, and ready to go before 7:30 am. It was much easier hiking on the way back since I had my own footprints to follow and the snow was cold, so I wasn’t sinking in as much. 

Trailhead lessons

This time, I stopped to eat my sandwich at Croteau Lake, which had a yurt! No one was staying in it though, and the door was locked. It wasn’t until the last kilometre of the trail that I finally saw some other humans, enjoying the Sunday weather with a short hike. I made it back to my van and started the long drive home. 

My solo backpacking trip to Circlet Lake was a huge success and I really loved the adventure. I did make a few mistakes, like not having a bear bell, not anticipating the lack of other people, and forgetting a first aid kit, but that’s what it’s all about: living and learning. 

Key Points

• Maybe don’t pick such an unfrequented trail for your first solo hike (just in case).
• Wayfinding is an important skill to have! It would’ve taken me even longer to get to camp if I didn’t have my GPS map.
• You’re not going to get everything right the first time, and that’s okay.