Date: Sat, 7 May 2016 13:12:25 -0700
Reply-To: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vancouver Island
In-Reply-To: <7A15E78F-26C8-42F7-AE0D-C0F9305C6873@shaw.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Dear VI Master - to whom has all knowledge of the Unknown (log roads and
other woodland gunk holes especially ) and to all of us who lovingly learn
from him -
Re Eco warriors and the stuff done -
After being a safety manager for a logging roads builder - for more than 7
years I can tell you from experiance that very little of what is done in
the woods to thwart loggers is reported - most is circulated to safety
departments of various stake holders -
--- lest we forget many of these logging roads are owned and maintained
privately - some on public land have private management and private use
rules -
Most of these logging roads are not under any sort of provincial "care "
outside of the Tree Farm Lic the user is operating on the land with - and
that licence may be 100 years old -
Further to that the public use of the road is often at the pleasure of the
licence owner -
Regards
On Saturday, 7 May 2016, Alistair Bel <albell@shaw.ca> wrote:
> Yes, roger makes some good points
>
> My experiences:
>
> Gates - yes there are gates and there are trenches and bermed inactivated
> roads, and removed bridges. The gates locked usually in areas of active
> logging, or if there is a big fire hazard.
>
> Road roughness - you should have good tires already :-)
>
> Truck traffic - it can be a little disconcerting to come across one of the
> big loaded trucks barrelling towards you, especially when roads are dry and
> dusty. I go slower when I suspect active logging. Never used radio.
>
> Eco warriors - new one on me. Never encountered anything of the kind.
>
>
> And I should mention how I now navigate the roads. I have lots of paper
> maps, and the back roads books. I seldom use them now. The backroad series
> is ok, but I've found a few errors in them and I don't trust them
> completely. They don't have up to date road inactivation data and I have
> found mis labelled spurs.
> Pretty well all of the area I outlined is beyond cell phone range, be
> aware of that.
> What I do now, and you can do this with lap top ( but now I use my iPads)
> is when you are in wifi or cell coverage, survey the region you want in
> google maps or earth, or Apple maps. Both are good, but the satellite data
> differs, I have found more up to date satellite images in Apple maps for my
> areas of interest, but annoyingly those images have thin cloud cover.
>
> But either will work. Survey the area to the detail you want. The data is
> in cache on device. Then when out in the bush it becomes trivial to
> navigate the networks of roads.
>
> My iPad mini is connected to garmin glo Bluetooth gps device. This gets a
> quick and very accurate fix, even in canyons and tree cover.
>
> My iPad Air 2 has built in gps and works almost as well.
>
> Also , you can find pdf maps with geospatial data embedded. With the right
> app you can have your position displayed on a topo map.
>
> (I really should do a blog post detailing all this, it truly is a game
> changer for getting around on e logging roads up here).
>
> I continue to be amazed when I am at one of my favourite camping sites and
> I can see the site on the satellite image, with my blue dot location, and
> then look up from the screen and see that I am pretty well spot on. I mean
> really very close, within a couple of meters.
>
> Alistair
>
>
> On May 7, 2016, at 9:57 AM, Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@gmail.com
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','rogerwhitt1@gmail.com');>> wrote:
>
> Dear VI Camper
>
> With Alister telling you all about the wonderful logging road system there
> are three things you should take into account before venturing on to said
> logging roads
> 1. Tires - the Michelin pkg offered by Go Westy says right on the tires -
> NO ROCKs
> And many (er.... Some) logging roads are blasted rock with all the sharp
> edges and all -
>
> 2. Some logging roads have gates - the gate may or may not be open to
> where you want to end up - also it may be open upon your arrival and closed
> when you try to get out - and no there is usually not a handy list of
> numbers to call attached to the lock -
>
> 3. Many logging roads are active and the trucks moving in either direction
> are calling miles up or down via a vhf radio - you may want to think about
> getting one - does everyone have one - no - do the truck drivers wish
> everyone had one - YES - a logging truck loaded or unloaded actually
> meeting an unannounced vehicle is probly about as common for logging truck
> as it is for urban drivers meeting wayward bicycle - Not Awlays reported -
> happens lots - please be safe -
>
> And oh yes one more thing
>
> 4. Eco warriors leave many nasty things in the woods to hinder the
> progress of legitimate users of the bush - razor blades on lock s was one
> particularly hidious event recently catalogued - it is my hope you do not
> become collateral damage to some of these misguided protests
>
> Regards
>
> On Saturday, 7 May 2016, Alistair Bel <albell@shaw.ca
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','albell@shaw.ca');>> wrote:
>
>> Forgot to add that I have some pics of the areas described below, on my
>> blog.
>> For example, pics taken with David B. On a trip to bamfield and port
>> Alberni a few years ago, and a cold April.
>>
>> https://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/another-logging-road-trip/
>>
>> Alistair
>>
>> > On May 7, 2016, at 8:12 AM, Alistair Bel <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
>> >
>> > Ok, a couple of options for the southern part of the island. I'm
>> leaving out the obvious tourist attractions.
>> >
>> > From Victoria head west to port renfrew. On the way there are a few
>> provincial campsites that are worth a look. China beach, Mystic beach,
>> sombrio beach. There is also a fairly rugged hiking trail ( similar to the
>> famous west coast trial) that runs along that section of the coast.
>> > Any one of those parks is worth an overnight stay.
>> > Jordan river is popular surfing spot with a small campsite.
>> > At port can head out westwards and have a look at botanical beach. Very
>> much worth it if you are into intertidal life.
>> >
>> > Port renfrew itself has a native run campsite in the beach. It can be a
>> a zoo on summer weekends.
>> >
>> > Fairy lake provincial campsite is close by, but again, it can be a zoo.
>> >
>> > The road goes north thru port renfrew, over a second bridge, and you
>> have the choice of turning left or right.
>> > Turning right, and this is all paved, the road winds along Harris creek
>> and then on to cowichan lake. This is now part of a popular circle route
>> back to Victoria, very popular with motorbike riders. Some very nice views
>> of the creek (popular in winter high water with those crazy extreme type
>> river kayakers). No real campsites along the way, but old logging roads
>> here and there if you want to explore.
>> >
>> > Back at the choice of turn, if you take the left the road winds north
>> then west to follow the Gordon river watershed and on again to cowichan
>> lake. The road turns to gravel after the bridge over the Gordon. Just a
>> little further is the famous avatar grove, big trees, really big.
>> >
>> > We head on this road to do our camping and exploring , but turn off and
>> head west. No campsites where we go, and road can be rough. If you are in
>> the mood for that let me know and I can give you hints to navigate the
>> confusing system of logging spurs.
>> >
>> > Back in the Gordon river road to cowichan. Lots of side roads, again
>> rough, to explore.
>> >
>> > What ever road, Harris or Gordon, you take you end up at cowichan lake.
>> You can then head east (paved) to cowichan village and then on east to the
>> main island Hwy and back south to Victoria. If you do that stop at the
>> logging museum in Duncan.
>> >
>> > But if you head west (gravel) you have a couple of prov park choices on
>> the south side of the lake. And then if you continue west towards nitinat
>> lake, there is a somewhat hidden site on nitinat river , nitinat falls. No
>> organized sites, the road down is tight, can be tricky at bottom if you
>> want to get onto the river gravel. But it's an option.
>> >
>> > On to a T in the road, left to nitinat village where there are many
>> kite boarders in the summer. The lake gets very windy in the summer
>> afternoons. Mini industry serving (originally windsurfers) kite boarders.
>> >
>> > At the T if you go right, and over bridge that spans the nitinat river
>> ( gravel bar camping below bridge, but do you want to camp there?) you will
>> be on the fairly well marked road to bamfield.
>> >
>> > You can turn off that road and get lost along the way :-). One example
>> is the alternate route to bamfield that passes flora lake. Nice little
>> forestry campsite, buggy though, but if weather hot and dry it's worth a
>> stop for swim and overnight.
>> >
>> > One of my favourite watersheds, the klanawa, is reached via this way.
>> Lots of rugged calling to be had, again if you're game let me know.
>> >
>> > Bamfield has marine research station and is the north end of the famous
>> west coast trail. Pachena bay is very much worth a visit, somewhat like a
>> mini long beach, but a bit more sheltered.
>> > There is a native run campsite near the national park there, right near
>> the bay.
>> > From bamfield you can head north east on gravel, along the side of the
>> Alberni inlet and end up at port Alberni.
>> > You can stock up on crack and OxyContin here :-)
>> > But has a super cool working steam sawmill, very much worth visit.
>> > Then you can head west to Tofino and long beach etc, or east back to
>> the east side of the island and the main island hwy.
>> >
>> > Alistair
>> >
>> >
>> >> On Apr 30, 2016, at 8:14 AM, Bruce Todd <beeceetee@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Hi all -
>> >>
>> >> Just beginning to put the first plans together around a trip to
>> Vancouver
>> >> Island in late July early August and so I am asking the group for great
>> >> suggestions of where to camp and explore.
>> >>
>> >> I received some really great suggestions last year from the group that
>> made
>> >> our trip to Washington & Oregon memorable.
>> >>
>> >> Thanks in advance,
>> >>
>> >> Bruce Todd
>> >> 86 Westy Syncro
>>
>
>
> --
> roger whittaker 604.414.6266
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> PR MARINE SURVEYORS &
> http://www.tvthatworks.com
> http://www.tvpowellriver.com
> LinkedIn -
>
> - ca.linkedin.com/pub/roger-whittaker/14/78a/b71/Explore printed work
> at: http://www.prliving.ca/
> View the growing list of video work at:
> http://www.youtube.com/user/LastonLastof#g/u
> http://vimeo.com/42309497
>
> http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2010/11/29/multimedia/video/doc4c62e5f80d228504902172.txt
>
>
>
--
roger whittaker 604.414.6266
----------------------------------------------------------
PR MARINE SURVEYORS &
http://www.tvthatworks.com
http://www.tvpowellriver.com
LinkedIn -
- ca.linkedin.com/pub/roger-whittaker/14/78a/b71/Explore printed work at:
http://www.prliving.ca/
View the growing list of video work at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/LastonLastof#g/u
http://vimeo.com/42309497
http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2010/11/29/multimedia/video/doc4c62e5f80d228504902172.txt
|