Mount Arrowsmith is hard to miss if you’re driving around on Vancouver Island. I can’t count the number of times I’ve driven north of Nanaimo, looked left up to his stony peaks and wondered when I was going to hike up there. I finally put time and opportunity together and made the trip September 1, 2014. We couldn’t see a thing at the top because of the fog but it was still a great hike. I will be back.
Here are some photos from the day.
Starting the uphill
![IMG_7083.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7083.jpg)
![IMG_7086.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7086.jpg)
All the way back down
![IMG_7095.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1_IMG_7095.jpg)
![IMG_7096.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7096.jpg)
Some view peaking through
![IMG_7098.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1_IMG_7098.jpg)
![Roots eye view](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7099.jpg)
Roots eye view
![IMG_7102.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7102.jpg)
![The last of our views](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7106.jpg)
The last of our views
![IMG_7117.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7117.jpg)
![Some big rock](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7121.jpg)
Some big rock
![Dew on everything from the mist](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7136.jpg)
Dew on everything from the mist
![IMG_7139.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7139.jpg)
![Louis making sure we get up safely](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7145.jpg)
Louis making sure we get up safely
![IMG_7148.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7148.jpg)
![Waiting around](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7158.jpg)
Waiting around
![IMG_7159.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7159.jpg)
![IMG_7162.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7162.jpg)
Starting to see a bit of the summit
![IMG_7165.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7165.jpg)
![IMG_7174.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7174.jpg)
Finally
![IMG_7176.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7176.jpg)
![IMG_7181.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7181.jpg)
Aero not happy with the wind
![IMG_7205.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7205.jpg)
![IMG_7213.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7213.jpg)
Della keeping an eye on the trail
![IMG_7217.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7217.jpg)
![IMG_7220.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7220.jpg)
Tired pup in the woods
![IMG_7222.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7222.jpg)
Making sure our downhill technique is correct
![Happy Louis](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7241.jpg)
Happy Louis
![Aero sensing we’re almost back to the car](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7244.jpg)
Aero sensing we’re almost back to the car
![IMG_7247.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7247.jpg)
![Camo. Can you spot the dog?](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7270.jpg)
Camo. Can you spot the dog?
![IMG_7271.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7271.jpg)
![IMG_7278.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7278.jpg)
![IMG_7279.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7279.jpg)
Judges trailhead at the end of the 4×4 road
![IMG_7295.jpg](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7295.jpg)
The strangest picture of a bird. See it?
![Incoming](https://packandtrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG_7298.jpg)
Incoming