Late fall and winter is the best time to hike a mountain trail, especially when the sun breaks through as you approach the summit. This view is about a minute from the top of Mount Erskine on Salt Spring Island.

The Salt Spring Photo of the Day has been to Erskine before. By entering “erskine” in the search box you find six other posts.

Cameron, the wonder Westie and I usually take the slow easy way up and the more direct, but steeper way down.

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starting today this website is on autopilot for a couple of weeks while our family takes a vacation

We’re approaching the time of year when the very best sunrise vistas are seen out Ganges Harbour. Soon the sun will rise directly out the harbour, and this combined with a drop in temperatures creates some fabulous views.

Sometimes when the temperature drops an extra degree or two, just before sunrise, a shallow layer of mist develops at sea level. The early light turns both the sky and the mist a glorious gold.

But that’s not usually until mid to late December. For now we have to be satisfied with this.

This is a view I hadn’t seen before today. I’m guessing that’s true for a lot of people.

While riding shotgun with Phil from SaltSpring Air I couldn’t place this mountain lake. I mean it’s a big lake only a few seconds away (at 100 mph) from Mount Erskine. And it’s obviously on fairly flat terrain but seemingly perched near a huge drop-off to the ocean. Then it dawned on me that the farm in the foreground must be Foxglove Farm…on the mostly steep and lumpy road to…Mount Maxwell.

Mount Maxwell Lake is home to the best piped water on Salt Spring Island. Although it’s a protected watershed located on private property, I hear it’s frequented by swimmers, sometimes sans swimsuits. Don’t know. Never been there.