Mount Benson & the Nanaimo Lakes

Enjoy a challenging hike up to the summit of Mount Benson, with views over the City of Nanaimo and the Georgia Strait before descending across the ridge to the Nanaimo Lakes. Paddle the lower lake to an enjoyable BBQ lunch and then home.

Our tour takes us from Witchcraft Lake just outside Nanaimo on Friday evening, with a hike to the summit of Mount Benson. From here you will see incredible views and we will bivvy overnight on the mountain summit, as the sun sets and then rises to greet us at our breakfast Saturday morning. After striking camp, we'll head west into the blackjack ridge area, following trails and logging roads as we cross over the valley and ridges to the Nanaimo Lakes. We'll stop overnight on Saturday on the edge of a creek for our second camp. 

Sunday morning we have a short hike along the end of Nanaimo Lakes Road to the lower Nanaimo Lake. We'll be met by our bus and canoes, and will leave our backpacks before departing for a day paddle up Nanaimo First Lake, to a sumptuous BBQ lunch on the beach between first and second lake. After a quick swim and refresh, we'll paddle back to our canoes, ready to depart the lakes by 4pm.

This is a strenuous hike, taking in Mount Benson summit at 1,023 metres, and a total hiking distance of just over 40km.

Difficulty: 
4
Strenuousness: 
4