Climbing Mount Benson

Report by Isabelle A.

A great experience that I would like to share here with you was my ascent of Mount Benson.
The mountain is located west of Nanaimo and is 1023m high. Westwood Lake is located in front of the mountain, where you can swim in the summer – the water is very clear, the trees come right down to the water’s edge and when I was there for the first time I had the feeling of being truly arrived in Canada.

Tipps for the climb

However, when we did the ascent of Mount Benson in December, it was very cold and I recommend three things that you should really consider:
1. Take an extra layer of warm clothes with you, even if it’s very warm at the lake – it is icy cold up on the mountain
2. Wear good walking/hiking shoes
3. And start very early in the morning

To get to the foot of the mountain, it is the best to ride with a taxi to Witchcraft Lake. I recommend this to you, since we had totally lost our way on our first attempt to climb Mount Benson and ended up somewhere else. From there, it is very easy to find the, in the beginning, strenuous and steep climb of the mountain. But the steeper part extends only for about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on your walking speed.
After that, the trail is easy to walk and does not require a lot of fitness.

Peak of the Mountain

If you have reached the peak of the mountain you will be rewarded with an incredible panorama. On the one hand, you have a great view over Nanaimo, but even more beautiful is the breathtaking view of the mainland, where you can see the snow capped mountains of Canada.
The climb takes less than 2 to 2.5 hours and is also a good workout for your basic stamina!

Go in a group

Since the ascent of Mount Benson is a very popular activity of many VIU students almost every weekend another group hikes up the mountain and you certainly can join a group. One benefit to join a group is that it is simply safer, since bears are often sighted in the forest and a lot of people got lost on their way down. Therefore, it is necessary that you hike up Mount Benson quite early, but also to walk down early, because otherwise it will be dark in the forest.
I can give you just one simple piece of advice, which is to stay on the trail you walked up the mountain. Although other paths might appear easier and faster to you – stay on your trail, because once arrived at Westwood Lake, it is almost impossible to get around the lake or to find a trail that isn’t just ending in the forest.

Note:
1. go in a group and
2. the earlier you go, the better it is
Then it will be a great activity in Nanaimo that is definitely worth it and will reward you with a spectacular view.