One of the things that attracted us to Powell River was its friendly people. When we were tourists, everyone we met went out of their way to make us feel welcome. After we purchased our cabin, we wanted to become more involved in our new community. We did that by joining groups with similar interests. One of those is the Powell River ATV Club.
The first time I remember meeting Dave was at a presentation he organized about the Roosevelt Elk relocation program. After another club meeting, Dave and his wife Marg invited us over for a Christmas party. Since then, we've become really good friends. We try to get together when we're both in town for chats, dinners and the occasional Powell River Kings hockey game. 
Dave has a background in forestry and working at the mill. He was born in Powell River, moved away, and then back. Marg is a nurse and still does a bit of casual work. They are really family oriented, doing lots of things with their grown kids and especially their grand-kids. Dave has been president of the ATV Club for several years now, and with Marg's help, has organized lots of fun rides, events and trail building activities. You can read more about the Club here:
ATV/BC "Powell River ATV Club"
Powell River ATV Club Website
Powell River ATV Club on Facebook
Powell River Peak "ATV Riders on Track for Access"
Dave and Marg are always having us over to their house, even for Christmas dinner. When we have them over, it's at the cabin. We are usually part of their summer boat shakedown cruise on Powell Lake. Look at the wonderful welcome Wayne gave them this year! And there they were, bearing lots of gifts, including dinner all ready to prepare.
They also brought a bird feeder and a squirrel feeder that Dave had made but they no longer needed. He is very talented, especially at wood carving. Dave is one of those "jacks of all trades" that are so prevalent in northern communities. And Marg is right there beside him. They are my idols in many respects.
So, this Wednesday Friends Day I would like to introduce you to Dave and Marg, our good Powell River friends. Thanks for all your help, advice, stories, and of course, friendship. -- Margy
Impossible, you say? Well, not really. But this is one adventure I didn't get to participate in except for launch and recovery. Wayne and John used our cedar log raft to tow their quads up to the head of Powell Lake for three nights of camping and two days of riding. But first, the raft needed a bit of modification to make it go faster.
The weather needed to be timed for no rain (makes tent camping easier) and calm water (makes towing easier). To be ready for such a window, Wayne and John decided to tow the quads up and preposition them at our cabin. For the next few days, looky-loos in Hole in the Wall had something new to catch their attention.
On Sunday morning, John arrived with his dog Bro ready to go. They weren't sure how long it would take, but estimated five hours. But first, John set up our Campion to push the raft. He thought it would be easier to handle and faster that way. So with lots of extra gas (for the quads and boat), tents, sleeping bags, tons of food, our trusty BBQ, and our tin boat, off they went.
At the head, they were able to tie up to the old logging dock and offload the bikes right there. Pretty slick. Just tie up once and you're done. Otherwise, they could have used the barge ramp. They set up camp right there since they wouldn't be in anyone's way. All logging has shut down for now and Plutonic Power has completed their transmission line installation.
There are extensive logging roads that start at the head of Powell Lake, but they can't be reached from anywhere else. John and Wayne rode for hours each day to dynamic viewpoints, the mill's old snow survey cabin, and cool mountain streams perfect for a cooling swim.
Wednesday was return trip time. This would be a longer trip, all the way back to the Shinglemill Marina in one day. The first leg down to our cabin took about five and a half hours. From the cabin, John, Mom and I went down the lake in his boat while Wayne slowly plugged along.
John and I hurried down so we could serve as Wayne's landing crew. We met up at Kinsman Beach (right where the adventure began) and John used his ramps to offload the bikes from the raft to the shore. Pretty slick! Swimmers out on a warm summer day thought so too.
In addition to John and I, Helen and Ed came down to serve as a welcoming committee and quad shuttle crew. Then off Wayne went, to take the raft up to John's cabin, another hour away. It was quite an adventure, the coming, the going and the riding. Maybe next time I'll be able to tag along. -- Margy
Our friend Jeanne came back to visit us in Powell River. On her last trip, she had her first quad ride on a forest service road. Today we decided to introduce her to an easy trail close to town. We parked near Edgehill School at the head of Abbotsford Street. From there, we took the Edgehill Trail system through large stands of trees with an understory as beautiful as any in the area.
This handy launching point can be used to reach any area east and south of town. Even though it's an easy trail, there are a few challenging spots for the novice rider. The first is a hill with some turns and rocky patches, but Jeanne put her quad into 4X4 and crawled up like a champ. Our speed wasn't fast, but that gave us time to thoroughly enjoy our surroundings. We rode the rest of the trail and a short logging road to the entrance of the Washout Trail.
It's been raining lately, so the Washout Trail was dotted with big puddles. In places, the Wednesday Trail Building Group has created bypasses on drier soil to prevent damage to the area. Their hard work was just highlighted in this month's Rider's West Magazine. Thanks everyone for making our backcountry more accessible.
At the well marked junction we turned up the Blue Trail. This trail has also been the location of work by the dedicated ATV group. Jeanne is standing by one of the two new bridges they built last fall with a combination of volunteer workers, donated supplies and a $3000 grant from ATV/BC. But it's not just a quad trail. The Blue Trail is a multi-use for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders as well. It's also an interpretive trail used to teach the youth of Powell River about their forest environment. Once back on the Duck Lake Forest Road, we backtracked to our parking spot and ended a wonderful day in the bush.
Do you want to explore the great outdoors in Powell River? Would you like a book full of maps like this one? There's a great map book written by Dave, the president of the Powell River ATV Club. It’s called the ATV Trail Guide and costs $25. If want a copy, you can contact Dave through the ATV/BC website. The guides are also available in Powell River at Quality Parts, Guy's Cycle Works and the Edgehill Store. All profits support trail maintenance and building activities. -- Margy
Travel up the main logging roads for an unparalleled backcountry experience. Whether you go by ATV, motorcycle, mountain bike, car or on foot, you can find clear mountain streams, hidden lakes and uncrowded campsites. Read Up the Main by Wayne Lutz and ride along with us.
Kindle version $5.99 USD at Amazon.com
iPad and Ebook $1.99 USD at Smashwords.com
Print version $16.95 USD at Amazon.com
Yesterday Wayne and I took advantage of a warm sunny day to go quad riding. Our destination was the Knuckleheads Recreation Area so we could play in the snow before it's all gone. We started at our usual offloading spot on Dixon Road south of town. There's a nice wide turnout that holds our long double ATV trailer just right.
The first part of the ride was on Goat Lake Main. It's been a while since we've come this way and I was surprised at all of the recent logging. Things must be picking up in the forestry industry. It was interesting to see the different slash areas, some freshly cut, some with very small trees recently planted, and others with growing trees varying in age from 5 to 100 years. Forest management is very important to ensure it is a renewable resource.
At Tin Hat Junction we turned right on Stillwater Main and then left to the Knuckleheads. There's pretty good signage so we followed along until we reached A Branch. This is the smaller road leading up to the free public mountain recreation cabin, but well before that destination we found the snow we were looking for. It wasn't deep, but enough to keep us from making any more forward progress. We stopped by a small waterfall to enjoy our lunch.
On the way down we decided to take a side road to Tony Lake. I've always wanted to go there and this was a perfect time. Along the way we discovered seven Roosevelt Elk grazing in a recent slash. There's lots of open space for grass to grow and fewer trees to hide hunting cougars. They are magnificent animals. So stately and seemingly unafraid. Elk are very social. The group was split when we passed by. The group of four on the hill were waiting for their herd mates to return. Here's a short video.
At Tony Lake there was a small campsite that we had all to ourselves. Wayne tried a few casts, but the water is shallow with lots of underwater snags. I hiked around to take pictures in this lovely spot. We took t a different way out to return to Goat Lake Main. Even on such a beautiful day we saw very few people in the back country. What a wonderful way to relax and enjoy nature. I invite you to come share in one of British Columbia's best kept secrets. -- Margy
"... for the very first time," goes the Madonna song. Our good friend Jeanne had lots of firsts this week here in Powell River. She had her first tin boat ride on Wednesday, she went to her first hockey game on Thursday, and on Friday she topped it off with her first quad ride.
A first ride is very important so we went to two experts for advice. We asked John about possible destinations with no logging and easy roads. When we met Dave (president of the Powell River ATV Club) and Marg for the hockey game, we continued our discussion. Dave and Marg are currently giving classes for youth in our community about ATV safety. What's good for kids is even better for adults, if we will only listen.
After all the input we decided on Southview Road. Usually it's our access road for Theodosia, but today it would be our destination. We parked in our usual turnout and offloaded the two quads. Wayne gave Jeanne her initial instructions and monitored her first solo. Being a flight instructor, he's used to this role. After Jeanne demonstrated a working knowledge of starting, forward and reverse, he released her for a short ride up and down the road. After three laps he turned her over to me.
I was the lead for the ride while Wayne remained with the truck. I took Jeanne at a slow pace up Theodosia Branch 2. Usually we are going so fast we don't appreciate the thick stand of second growth trees along the way. We turned off on Theodosia Branch 6, a smaller less traveled route. When it narrowed even more and started climbing over rocky terrain, we opted to return to the larger dirt road.
We continued up Branch 2 to the bridge just short of the seven kilometre mark. It was a good place to stretch our legs and enjoy a pop in the warm sunshine. From a viewpoint you could see down to Okeover Inlet and its many oyster farms. After our short break we headed back down the way we came. In about two klicks we saw a good looking guy hitchhiking. What a surprise, it was Wayne.
On the way back we found a flat, mossy quad trail heading into the bush. Wayne had already hiked it to make sure it was safe for Jeanne to try. In just a few metres, Jeanne experienced what it's like on a quad ride through the rainforest undergrowth so typical in our area. She was amazed at the experience.
Having access to the backcountry is so important for Powell River residents and visitors alike. We are fortunate in Powell River that the Regional District and ATV Club are so supportive. -- Margy
Today we opted for a warm truck rather than our quads for a ride into the bush. Our destination was the Squirrel Creek Bridge up the Eldred River valley. Well, that's not technically true. We went to where the Squirrel Creek Bridge used to be before it was removed by helicopter by Plutonic Power to transport to their run-of-river project in Toba Inlet. Now access to this portion of our back country is cut off.
We followed Goat Main all the way from the junction with Dixon Road south of Powell River. It's a major logging road and is easy to drive, except for the last few kilometres that are water barred to help prevent erosion by streams crossing the roadbed.
Along the way there are beautiful sights. Lakes with brilliant reflections. Forests in many shades of green. Snow capped peaks sparkling in the sunlight. Sheer granite cliffs glistening after yesterday's rain. And lots and lots of roaring creeks and streams. We are so lucky here in Powell River to have so much beauty within a day's reach. It is sad that several more of our main routes into the back country might be lost.
The following are a few shots from today's trip.
If you love the outdoors, come join us to explore Powell River's wonderful back country. Want to learn more about it? Take a look at Up the Main and ride along with Wayne and I on the many roads and trails our region has to offer. -- Margy
Wayne and I treated ourselves to a short Christmas quad ride. That's easy here in Powell River with trails right at our back door. We parked near Edgehill School at the head of Abbotsford Street. From there, the Edgehill Trail system winds through large stands of trees with an understory as beautiful as any in the area. This handy launching point can be used to reach any area east and south of town. We rode it to the Washout Trail, our starting point for today's ride.
The forecast was for a sunny day, but the actual weather was foggy. That made the views along the trail a bit eerie. If you've seen the movie New Moon, you get the idea. The Washout Trail was dotted with big puddles along the way. In places, the trail building group had created bypasses on drier soil to prevent damage to the area.
At the well marked junction we turned up the Blue Trail. This trail has been the location of extensive work by the local ATV trail building group. With a combination of volunteer workers, donated supplies and a $3000 grant from ATV/BC, two replacement bridges were built this month. The Blue Trail is a multi-use trail for hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders and, of course, ATV riders. It's also an interpretive trail used to teach the youth of Powell River about their forest environment.
Follow this link to an article in the Powell River Peak for more information about the project. Through the efforts of Dave, our Club president, and all the trail builders, everyone has better access to our back country with its unparalleled exploring.Do you want to explore the great outdoors in Powell River? Would you like a book full of maps like this one? There's a great map book written by Dave, the president of the Powell River ATV Club. It’s called the ATV Trail Guide and costs $25. If want a copy, you can contact Dave through the ATV/BC website. All profits support trail maintenance and building activities just like the Blue Trail.
Logging companies have built roads throughout the Powell River back country. The larger roads are called mains. We drove south of town to take a ride on the Lois Lake Main. This well maintained dirt road is posted for logging activity 24/7, but typically work is limited on weekends. Even though our ride was on a Saturday, we took extra care to keep an eye out for possible traffic.
Not only did we not see a logging truck in four hours, we didn't see another person or vehicle. A beautiful summer day and we had everything all to ourselves. Lois Lake Main Branch 1 is well marked with yellow mileage signs. We parked our truck and quad trailer close to kilometre 1. Heading up the main, we got peak-a-boo views of Lois Lake through the trees. Just like Powell Lake, it's low after a long, hot summer.
Just after we passed the head of Lois Lake, we headed southbound up the river valley. This is the same path that the new Plutonic Power hydro lines are following. At one point, an extremely long uninterrupted span rises to a mountain pass and disappears beyond. Laying that line (most likely by helicopter) must have been an experience. Along the way, we stopped at Scanlon Creek for a rest in the shade by the rushing water. What a refreshing find on a warm day. It starts at Brooks Lake, our destination for today. They are named for Dwight Brooks and Michael J. Scanlon. Their logging company came to Powell River in the early 1900's and was instrumental in the early days of the paper mill.
At the head of the river valley we popped over the ridge and were greeted with a broad view of the chuck (ocean). It always amazes me how close things are in the back country. The normal way to get to this point is by driving to Saltery Bay and taking the ferry to Earl's Cove. And here we are, only about an hour from our ride's starting point. Looking south you can see the opening to Jervis Inlet, one of the massive glacial carved fjords along our coast.
We left the main to go up an old logging road to Brooks Lake. The first part of the road was a rutted two lane trail through second growth forest. After we passed the new hydro lines, it narrowed even more. At a particularly steep hill I stopped and let Wayne go ahead to the lake. He wasn't able to get there either due to a large tree blown across the trail. We decided to retrace our steps to the truck to make it back to town early. You see, there was a USC vs. Ohio State University football game on TV. Goes to show, you can take the city out of the man, but he will still "fight on!"
I leave you with the soothing sounds of Scanlon Creek. Enjoy! -- Margy