I had a great half day on Vancouver Island. (Not at the much more famous Mt Washington in New Hampshire.)
Mt Washington is the home of the excellent Mount Washington Alpine Resort. It’s 25km from the Comox Valley, close to good hostels in Courtenay.
In summer the chair lift carries hikers and bikers. The view from the top is awesome.
The real highlight are the cheeky ‘Whiskey Jacks’ (Gray Jays) who happily alight on your hand, hoping for crumbs. (Don’t feed them.)
If you climb the mountain (45min) you can ride down for free. Otherwise, a trip is a reasonable $15.
Highly recommended.
more photos – flickr
Nearby is Paradise Meadows Trailhead, the best jumping off point for hiking the Forbidden Plateau. This is also the most popular trailhead of all in massive Strathcona Provincial Park.
besthike.com 