Like a sapphire set in stone, Volcano Lake shimmers deep within Strathcona Park.
Despite its name and crater-like shape, this alpine gem was sculpted not by fire, but by ice.
Carved by ancient glaciers, the cirque forms a dramatic bowl that now cradles the lake. Perched at roughly 1,300 metres and surrounded by rugged peaks like Puzzle Mountain, it remains one of the park’s most remote and awe-inspiring alpine lakes.
Pretty incredible peering into its dark blue eye from above! 🏔️
Aerial
Tzela Lake ~ Strathcona Park
The turquoise waters of Tzela Lake shine like a heart-shaped jewel amid the rugged mountains of Strathcona Park 🩵
Almost candy-like in tone (rocket freezies?), the lake gets its creamy blue colour from “rock flour”, fine glacial silt suspended in meltwater.
Flanked by The Red Pillar and perched at 1,100 metres, the lake sits deep within the park. Be prepared for a long and challenging hike if you plan to visit. Getting a fly-by view was certainly the easier route! 🛩️
Sydney River Valley – Clayoqout Sound
On the western edge of Clayoquot Sound lies the Sydney River Valley, a fully intact rainforest watershed at the head of Sydney Inlet.
The steep, dramatic walls of Sydney Inlet have been protected since 1995 as one of Vancouver Island’s most striking fjord landscapes. But beyond the inlet, tucked deeper inland, lies an even greater rarity: an intact, roadless old-growth valley stretching unbroken from tideline to mountaintop. The Sydney River in Ahousaht territory is one of only five unlogged primary watersheds over 5,000 hectares remaining on western Vancouver Island — the rarest of the rare. Originally, there were 60.
The Sydney River is a true rainforest jewel, home to towering ancient trees and extraordinary biodiversity. The valley provides critical nesting habitat for the threatened Marbled Murrelet, supports rich runs of spawning salmon, and shelters black bears, cougars, & coastal wolves. It also harbours one of the rarest plants in Canada: the dwarf or Hibberson’s trillium (Trillium hibbersonii). Found in just seven sites across the country, three of them within the Sydney Inlet/River, this tiny, delicate flower stands as a powerful emblem of this vast rainforest.
For decades, the valley’s fate hung in the balance. While the steep fjord walls and estuary were protected in the existing provincial park, the expansive valley forests remained unprotected and at risk. In 2024, after years of advocacy, much of the watershed was permanently protected within the Kiišḥniqʷus Conservancy thanks to the leadership of the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and support from the BC government. In total, 10 new conservancies were established in Clayoquot Sounds/, protecting 760 km² of land, marking a monumental victory for old-growth conservation.
Although few will ever set foot in this remote valley, it is reassuring to know that its ancient forests and wild creatures will continue to thrive, as they have for thousands of years — a reminder of hope in a difficult time for biodiversity worldwide.
Before visiting Ahousaht territory in Clayoquot Sound, be sure to see the Maaqutusiis Hahoutlhee Stewardship Society (MHSS) for information and stewardship fees.
Carmanah Valley From Above
An aerial view over the stunning Carmanah Valley in Ditidaht territory. Flying over the south coast, one quickly realizes just how hard it is to find a view of unbroken wilderness like this.
Nearly everywhere you look is a patchwork of clearcuts, second or third growth plantations, tufts of old-growth sprinkled about, and roads - everywhere roads.
It can almost feel strange then to see a sea of unbroken green like this. Like an emerald blanket, the forests wrap around every nook and cranny, peak and valley, for as far as the eye can see.
Knowing that this area is protected fills me gratitude, wonder, and joy. As a big tree seeker, staring down at the tapestry of tall trees has my mind spinning about what future adventures in this valley might uncover.
The old-growth forests of Carmanah wouldn’t still be here today though if it wasn’t for hard-fought efforts in the 1980’s and 90’s to stop clearcut logging by Macmillan Bloedel. It stands as a testament to the fact that your efforts can and do make a difference.
Let’s keep working together to protect the remaining endangered old-growth forests in BC for ours and future generations to cherish and explore.
Aerial View of Old-Growth Logging in the Klanawa Valley
“World’s best forestry practices"?
These recent images from the Klanawa Valley highlight the brutal impacts of clearcut logging on Vancouver Island.
Until recently, this mountain was one of the last largely intact stands of unprotected old-growth in the valley. Now a sprawling 30-hectare cutblock, a web of roads from Western Forest Products scar the hillside here in Tree Farm Licence 44, north of Nitinat Lake in Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht territory. This is what ‘talk & log’ looks like.
Speak up! Send a message to John Horgan and the BC NDP, demanding they take action to protect endangered old-growth forests in BC: https://ancientforestalliance.org/take.../send-a-message/
Caycuse Logging From Above
Aerial images captured near the start of this month highlight the brutal impact of old-growth logging in the Caycuse watershed in Ditidaht territory. The original 33 hectare clearcut from Teal-Jones, where the now-famed ‘before & after’ images were taken, stands out in shocking scale. Fresh old-growth logging can be seen in a number of adjacent cutblocks as well, which were approved earlier this year by the BC NDP despite its own panel’s recommendations to defer logging in endangered areas.
The BC government must step up and support real solutions, such as providing funding for First Nations and forest-dependent communities to expand protected areas, diversify their economies, and rapidly transition to a more sustainable, value-added second-growth forest industry.
Every day that John Horgan delays taking immediate action, centuries-old forests, and the complex web of life found amongst them, are disappearing forever.
SPEAK UP! Send your message to government today: https://www.endangeredecosystemsalliance.org/news/bc-protected-areas
British Columbia Magazine Cover Photo
Stoked to have landed my first cover of British Columbia Magazine for their 60th Anniversary Coast Issue with my favourite shot of the Brooks Peninsula! A top-down view of the same location is featured on a double page spread inside as well. Grab a copy while they're on the shelves!
🌊 Prints also available here.
'From Above' Aerial Photography Show
Here are some pics from the closing night of 'From Above', an aerial photography show featuring photos from across Vancouver Island shot by Jeremy Koreski Photography, Graeme Owsianski, Christian Coxen, pilot Nick Temos, and myself. A huge thanks goes out to Nick from Pacific Northwest Collective for flying us around to all these rad places (without crashing) and for organizing the printing and framing for the show! Big thanks as well to White Sails Brewing for the delicious beers and for hosting the event + all those who came out and supported the show!
