Can you spot them all?

Mount Arrowsmith is a prominent feature of the Alberni Valley. With three distinct peaks, and the tallest standing at 1,817m tall, it is the tallest mountain south of Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. As of September 2009 it is a designated part of the 1,300 hectares of Mt. Arrowsmith Massif Regional Park. 

Originally named by the Hupacasath First Nations as Kuth-Kah-Chulth meaning “that which has sharp pointed faces”, the Hupacasath First Nations has strong cultural connections with Mt. Arrowsmith and Mt. Cokely, as they sit within their traditional territory. During the mid- 1800’s it was given the English name of Mt. Arrowsmith after cartographers Aaron Arrowsmith and his nephew John Arrowsmith. On the eastern side of the Island it was often referred to as The Sleeping Maiden, given the silhouette against the setting sun. 

Mt. Arrowsmith has drawn people to it for centuries, with evidence of Indengenous peoples hunting for marmonts and collecting berries. In 1910 the C.P.R built a tourist chalet at the east end of Cameron Lake, which is now the oldest trail on Vancouver Island, and is still highly trafficked by avid hikers and explorers. Since then, upwards of 10 other trails have been built and maintained, offering options for easy family hiking to intermediate and advanced hikers looking to reach the summit. 

During the 1940’s and 1950’s cabins were built on the massif and Arrowsmith became a ski destination in the winter months. In 1956 the Rosseau Chalet opened in memory of Port Alberni mountaineer Ralph Rosseau, who passed away a couple years earlier when a snow bridge on Mt. Septimus fell on him during a hiking expedition. His wife, Lillah, felt that Ralph would have wanted the chalet to be completed for the use of young people searching for fresh mountain air. The project took nearly two years and a great deal of hard work to complete. Any materials not indegenous to the immediate area was carried up on men’s backs. At the opening ceremonies, over 80 people attended and Mrs. Rosseau cut a ribbon of yellow cedar bark to officially open the space. Unfortunately, in the 70’s this chalet was destroyed by vandals. 

During the 1960’s, during the upsurge of the logging industry, the mountain and surrounding areas saw more and more logging roads push up the mountain. The introduction of these logging roads made Mt. Arrowsmith more accessible to the general public, and it became a popular destination among the Vancouver Island hiking community. 

In 1972, 607 hectares on the north slope of Mt. Cokely were sold to the ACRD for operation as a regional park and a downhill ski operation was built. Unfortunately, in 1999, the ski resort was closed due to financial struggles; maintaining the roads during winter months proved to be too expensive.  Although there is no specific ski lodge or running lifts, many people still utilize the mountain for backcountry downhill and cross country skiing. With backcountry skiing, you are responsible for carrying your gear with you up the mountain, which means it is strenuous and technically difficult. With any backcountry adventures, go at your own risk and stay safe. 

Mt. Arrowsmith is home to three distinct bioclimatic zones. A biogeoclimatic zone is defined as "a geographic area having similar patterns of energy flow, vegetation and soils as a result of a broadly homogenous macroclimate”; the term is used as a classification system by the BC Ministry of Forests and Environment Canada, and was originally used to manage forestry resources. British Columbia has fourteen different ecosystems. Mt. Arrowsmith contains a Coastal Western Hemlock zone, Mountain Hemlock zone, and an Alpine Tundra zone. Each zone classifies the different trees that are present; Mt. Arrowsmith is home to common coastal western and mountain hemlocks, bigleaf maples, dogwood, amabilis fir, thin leaf huckleberries, sitka spruce. Once into the alpine tundra, ice, snow, rocks, mountain lakes, and glaciers, with some shrubs in the dwarf evergreen family present; this is also home to the endangered Vancouver Island Marmot. 

Just as most places in the Alberni Valley, Mount Arrowsmith offers a taste of history and the strength of nature. It stands tall, inviting a unique sense of wonder, and if you ever have the chance to summit this mountain, you will not be disappointed. Breathtaking views of the Alberni Valley, Sproat Lake, and the surrounding mountains in one direction, and the eastern side of the Island, complete with the pacific ocean in another direction, will leave you feeling inspired and empowered. There is something magical about hiking to the top of a mountain, it has a way of putting the world in perspective, reminding you to be present and grateful. 

Mt. Arrowsmith isn’t the only peak worth mentioning in the Alberni Valley, given that we’re blessed with 360 mountain views from almost any part of town. Imagine yourself standing in the middle of the Valley looking directly at Mt. Arrowsmith, now rotate to your right. Just south of Arrowsmith lies the McLaughlin Range, which stands at 1327m tall. Continuing south Mount McQuillian stands 13km from Mt. Arrowsmith at 1575m tall. 

Rotating about 3km south west of Mount McQuillian we see Limestone Mountain at 1492m tall. Now let’s head back up the Inlet towards Patlicant Mountain, standing at 1239m tall. Next we see Mount Hankin at a modest 668m elevation. Across the Inlet lies the Arbutus Summit with a 535m elevation.  Continuing rotating north west towards Sproat Lake, Mount Anderson stands tall at 1259m. Klitsa Mountain overlooks Sproat Lake at 1630m elevation. Between Sproat Lake and Great Central Lake lies Mount Porter at 1330m tall. 

Finally, rotating north east we see the Beaufort Range which is home to Mount Joan at 1556m tall, Mount Hall at 1487m tall, and Mount Irwin at 1313m tall.  All of the mountains encapsulate what we call home. They offer spectacular hiking opportunities, beautiful views, and the awesome reminder of how small we are compared to the nature that surrounds us. Living in a Valley that offers such rich and luscious natural beauty is truly a blessing. So, next time you find yourself staring off into the mountains, you’ll have an idea of which ones you’re looking at!