Having had an idyllic first trip to Strathcona at the end of last summer when we hiked Mount Albert Edward (To read about that trip: https://www.taylorstreks.com/post/mt-albert-edward-via-circlet-lake), Moira and I were eager to explore more of Strathcona this summer. Moira was keen to do a hiking trip early this year as training for her upcoming backpacking trip of the West Highland Way (WHW) in Scotland (To read about my hike of the WHW: https://www.taylorstreks.com/west-highland-way), so we planned a weekend trip to Landslide Lake based on recommendations from my outdoorsy coworkers. In the days leading up to the trip, we almost cancelled, for the weather forecast was threatening periods of rain and even thunderstorms; however, our options to reschedule for a later weekend were limited due to other engagements, so we decided to take the risk. We opted to do a short first day and leave the main attraction, Landslide Lake, for the next day because the Elk River Trailhead is more than a 4 hour drive from Victoria, so we would have had to leave at an unholy hour in order to fit in a late afternoon dip.
Day 1: Elk River Trailhead to Upper Gravel Bar Campsite
Distance: ~10km
Time: ~3 hours
Elevation gain: ~650m
We had read comments on AllTrails that the bugs were a bother for the first 3km of the trail and then fizzled out, so I preemptively sprayed myself with insect repellant. The trail started with a series of gradual switchbacks through the forest. We then dropped down over a ridge and met up with the Elk River that we would be following the rest of the way. The trail to Butterwort Flats Campsite is not too arduous, as the elevation is well spread out over a series of small rises and falls, and it is dotted with points of interest, including a number of small waterfalls; however, I still found myself growing weary, likely because my heavy backpack was a shock to my body on this first trip of the season. Once we reached the landmark of the Butterwort Flats Campsite, I had a renewed vigour, for I knew our resting place for the night should now be a mere hour away. The Butterwort Flats Campsite was surprisingly full considering we had only seen maybe half a dozen other people on the trail, with one trail runner we encountered having exclaimed, "I haven't seen anyone else in ages!"
We arrived at Upper Gravel Bar Campsite around 4pm and we had our pick of spots. We hurried to get our tent set up and dinner cooked because the rain had been forecasted to start late afternoon. We then sat down by the river chatting and snacking until just shy of 10pm, taking advantage of the long days as we neared the summer solstice. Once we were tucked into our sleeping bags, a sprinkling of rain began.
Day 2: Landslide and Berg/Foster Lake from Upper Gravel Bar Campsite
Distance: ~4.5km
Time: ~2h
Elevation gain: ~600m
We woke up at around 7:30am and packed our day bags for the short hike to Landslide Lake. After being weighed down by all our camping gear yesterday, the hiking today felt almost effortless! When we arrived, Landslide Lake was glistening in the sun, enticing me to take a dip; however, we decided a dip on the return would make more sense, so we pushed on to Berg Lake.
The trail to Berg Lake was bushwhacking, so the hiking was slow going and the ~1.5km took us ~45 minutes. By the time we reached Berg Lake, we were dripping from the rain left on the bushes from the night before. Berg Lake was still almost completely frozen over. We did not stay long, as the wind coming off the lake was chilly and we had lost the sun behind a dark cloud.
When we arrived back at Landslide Lake, a drizzle had begun. I knew the trip would feel incomplete without a swim, so I hyped myself up to bare my bottom and enter the water. I had the briefest of dips because the water was so frigid that it takes your breath away. Moira was satisfied with having just dipped her toes.
Right as we left Landslide Lake, the rain began in earnest. We felt lucky that it had held off until the home stretch. Once we got back to camp, the rain had let up. We packed up our gear, slung our heavy bags over our shoulders, and hustled home. On the way back, I found myself caught in an annoying loop of donning and doffing my rain gear in response to the fickle weather. Eventually, I got tired of stopping and decided I'd embrace getting wet if the rain started again.
Closing Thoughts
Total Time: 8.5 hours
Total Distance: 29.5km
Total Elevation Gain: 1320m
Moira and I agree that we are happy with the way we split up the hike to Landslide Lake. While Landslide Lake is certainly doable as a day hike and I have a number of coworkers who have, I would strongly recommend doing an overnighter if you have the time, especially if you're coming from Victoria because 8.5 hours of driving on top of 8.5 hours of hiking is a monster of a day and would surely leave you exhausted. I feel the hike to Landslide Lake is quite approachable for a novice hiker, as the trail is long but not particularly challenging.