1 of 8
Barb Rees & Tourism Powell River photos
Powell River Out-Back
Enjoying the view.
2 of 8
Barb Rees & Tourism Powell River photos
Dodd Lake
3 of 8
Barb Rees & Tourism Powell River photos
Rock climbing
4 of 8
Barb Rees & Tourism Powell River photos
Eldred River Falls
5 of 8
Barb Rees & Tourism Powell River photos
6 of 8
Barb Rees & Tourism Powell River photos
7 of 8
Barb Rees
8 of 8
Barb Rees & Tourism Powell River photos
By Barb Rees
An Outdoor Recreationists Paradise
Under clear skies on a February Saturday that felt more like April, we drove 20 km south of Powell River before turning on Dixon Rd in our 24 ft C-Class rig. Our goal was to spend a day in the Powell River ‘Out-Back’ taking pictures of the lakes and the Coastal Mountains. We also wanted to see how the rig handled rough logging roads.
About four kilometres up we turned onto Goat Lake Main. In preparation for this trip, we’d called Western Forest Products to see if logging trucks were running and what shape the roads were in. Always call before you travel logging roads. When there is active logging, the public shouldn’t travel those roads during the week without a two-way radio, so it’s best not to go at all until the weekend.
Soon we were high above Lois Lake for the first photo opp as the fog draped the islands while towering mountains rose in the distance. Lois Lake has a wilderness campsite on the opposite side. At what the locals call “Confusion Corner”, named for all the directional signs, we stayed to the right taking us past Nanton Lake, a free forestry campsite.
There are 25 sites, outhouses, a creek with sandy beach, and a small boat launch. Several sites are suitable for a mid-size RV or trailer. Boating fishermen catch Kokanee Cutthroat Trout and Kokanee Salmon or they take the waterway into adjoining Horseshoe Lake.
Mountains reflected in the clear still waters of Dodd Lake necessitated another photo opp. Windsor Lake after M20 has good fishing, a waterfall and some camping. One of the five portages on the Powell River Forest Canoe Route crosses before M23. The 57 km Canoe Route includes eight lakes. http://www.hellobc.com/powell-river/things-to-do/water-activities/kayaking-canoeing.aspx
A viewpoint at M27 provided a spectacular panorama up Goat Lake to the lofty mountain peaks. Emma Lake hiking trail veers off before the campsite at M34. It is a level five hike to an alpine hut with a view of Alfred Glacier. The return hike would take about 5-7 hours. The end of Goat Lake is at M29. Eldred River at M34 with waterfalls and a campground was our destination. A short peaceful walk through a lush forest of monochromatic greens leads to the campground. It is built at the confluence of the walls, between B-Branch Creek and the Eldred River.
A group of climbers began building the campsite in 1997. It became an official “forest service rec site” in May 2012. Over the years the volunteers built a picnic table, woodshed, communal fire pit, and outhouse. A 12 x 15 m tarp is put up in the spring and left over the summer for tenter’s comfort. Colin and Christie Dionne’s vision was a campsite looking as open and free as Yosemite was in the early days. They wanted it to be a place where climbers would meet and mingle in a close-knit community. A zip line was put across the Eldred River to access the trail to the climbing walls.
Colin Arthur Dionne Campground is named after the man who put so much of his heart into the climbing culture before he died in 2011. His widow, Christie teaches how to top-rope and guides through Fjord Coast Expeditions: fjordcoast@shaw.ca
Avid climbers come from around the world to challenge over 40 routes on four climbing walls with freaky names like Racknophobia, Delusional Reality and the most commonly climbed route, Schizophrenia. Psychopath built in the late 80’s is the oldest route.
Some of the most amazing granite climbing walls, rivalling Yosemite, are in this valley according to www.coastalbc.com/climb/eldred-westmainwall.htm. Colin Dionne and Rob Richards completed the 18 pitch mixed aid/free project in 1993 on West Main Wall: Mainline. For more information and video: www.prclimbing.blogspot.ca and www.bcclimbing.com
Christie says there are three types of fun. Type 1: It’s fun while you’re doing it and fun to tell about it later. Type 2: It’s not really fun while you’re doing it but really fun to tell the stories. Type 3: It’s no fun. You’re scared the whole time and afterward you’re still scared. She calls it short-term memory loss. I think RVers have it too, as we soon forget how bad a situation was.
Farther down the trail from the campsite are the Eldred River Chutes. Clear green water roars over sculpted rock producing a landscape of bowls when the water is low. River kayakers tackle the rapids below the slot following it to Goat Lake. Fly fishermen tease the trout.
If you want to camp your options are limited other than the pull off alongside the road at the campsite or about 1.5 km past the campsite is a large pull out big enough for RVs. It gets the morning sun. Otherwise you could drive back to Nanton Lake campsite.
Powell River out-back is a recreationist’s paradise offering hiking, fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, climbing and photos of breath-taking panoramas, clear lakes, waterfalls, and rivers.
Be Prepared
When venturing into the backcountry always tell someone where you are going and your expected return. Cell phones often don’t work. Call:
- Western Forest Products for active logging: 604-485-3132
- Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations for road conditions: 604-485-070
- Tourism Powell River for back road and hiking maps: 604-485-4701 or www.powellriver.info
Prepare RV:
- Full tank of fuel plus a jerry can.
- Water and propane filled.
- Food.
- Good tires.
- Emergency supplies and first aid kit.
- SPOT, emergency locator and location based messaging anywhere in the world. For information: www.findmespot.ca
- The terrain is not really suited for rigs over 26 ft.
Barb Rees is a Métis free-lance writer, author of 5 RV Canada books, and speaker. She will be presenting at RV Lifestyle Seminars in Kelowna June 20-22 starting her and Dave’s sixth working Canadian holiday. www.write2dream.com