Mt. Washington

Overview

Mt. Washington might not be the typical hike that gets posted on here, but it is the first peak that I ever took my two year old son on. It might not be the highest, longest or offer the best views of all the hikes I've done, but it will always be one of my favorites. For any one with young children this is a perfect hike to get them started on, while offering superb views as well.

Getting There

For those not from the area, Mt. Washington is the main Ski hill in the region. Because of this there is a well maintained paved road all the way to the starting point of the hike at the main lodge. When heading North on Highway 19 between Courtney and Campbell River, just watch for the many signs for the ski hill. After turning from the highway follow this road all the way to the main ski lodge, where in the off season there is a surplus of parking. This Starting point is also just a parking lot away from the main access point to Strathcona Park and many of the main peaks in this area such as Albert Edward and Jutland.

Route

There are multiple routes that will take you to the peak, following the various ski runs. I chose to walk right up the face of the yellow chair run. When you reach the top of the yellow chair, you can see the blue chair up above you to the left and the actual peak of Mt. Washington above that. The whole hike is around 2.5 km round trip, but with an excited 35 pound toddler thrashing around on my back it took me close to and hour and a half to reach the top.