En Route to Tofino

We took advantage of a 3-day weekend in British Columbia to get out to Tofino over the last couple of days. I've been excited about getting the chance to explore more of Vancouver Island this month, and Tofino was near the top of my list. Not surprisingly, the drive out to the Pacific Coast was full of stunning sights, too. Our first stop of the day was at Cathedral Grove along Highway 4. While the giant trees were impressive, I was again turning my eyes to the minute:

Turns out just about the only photo I took of the trees themselves was this reflection shot!

Next up we stopped near Port Alberni at a little known side trail we read about called Hole in the Wall. We weren't really sure what to expect, but it turned out to be well worth the stop. Not only for the hole in the wall itself, which was apparently blasted through the volcanic shale, but for all the other scenery:

The hole in the wall

Roger Creek runs by the wall of volcanic shale

Abstract black and white of the running creek

Old car abandoned in the woods --> Gets covered with graffiti --> Moss grows on it

Crazy lichen close-up

While it had been mostly overcast throughout the day, as we hit the stretch of highway between Port Alberni and the Pacific Ocean the clouds began to break, which made for some incredibly stunning lighting as we drove along the Kennedy River with snow-capped peaks towering overhead. We had to stop many times to get out the cameras. Here are just a few of my favorites: