Fairview Bay Shelter

During the summer and early fall we cleared the site at Fairview Bay, carving a clearing out of the forest at the edge of the bay, tossing logs into the firewood pile, levelling the building site by hand.

In October we were given the go ahead to start the building.

Foundations first of course.

Then the posts and beams...

and trusses



gables



roofing


slogging in the eye of the hurricane



putting the finishing touches to pony walls



Another picnic table for inside, a bench, and we'll be good for a few good laughs. Watch out for the trolls under the bridge.

Many thanks to the volunteers. And thanks to the businesses and organizations who are giving us a break, in particular , Island Coastal Economic Trust, PR Regional District, City of Powell River, and UBCM, plus the former artificial reef society and Island Girl water taxi.



Enjoy this first of a handful of shelters on the Sunshine Coast Trail in good spirits and good health.

Freda and Knuckleheads Winterwonderland

Winter is arriving in the high country. Snow was on the trail about 2 km from the start of the trail. It was 1 1/2 feet deep in the higher open country. We used snow shoes as snow was soft. On top there was blizzard conditions today. Crampons not useful.

It took us 5 1/2 hrs up and 4 hrs down as it was slippery and slow in the deep snow. We took the direct route that goes from the creek north east.

Anyone know conditions at Triple Peaks for next weekend?

Peter Behr

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We drove up Stillwater Main and then up A-Branch to the KM 6 marker where the side spur heads up to the Knuckleheads Cabin. The snow was still navigable by 4X4, but another fresh dump and vehicles without chains won't be able to drive that high.

Over 90 people signed into the Knuckleheads Cabin log book during October. That's excellent useage, and of course this count does not include the people who didn't sign in. Eagle

Tees Kwat-

Today a friend and I hiked the Tees Kwat Trail to Gibson Beach. There were some spectactular views and quite a few trees blown down across the trail. This is a picture of one of them.

It was a wonderful sunny and warm day. When we got to Gibson's Beach, the ocean was very busy. We saw sea lions, seals, cormorants, ducks and lots of birds. I believe they were feeding at the tide line. We also saw the Sliammon Long Boat with a few people paddling it.

ALERT: Smokey's Blue Ridge Trail Closure

Western Forest Products is going to be commencing road construction in ST-245 on Tuesday October 12. It looks like the only portion of the SCT that will be affected is the portion above Goat Main at Mile 4 and this will be for tree falling. For safety, the SCT will need to be closed for some time next week in order to fall the trees along the exisiting road.

A 500 m reroute will have to be built. If you are interested in participating for a few hours contact Eagle at prpawsbc@shaw.ca or call 604-483-9565. Thanks!

ALERT: Blue Ridge Trail section closure

This Friday, September 18, Western Forest Products is hand-falling a few trees in the management zone of the Blue Ridge Trail section (SCT) in the vicinity of Mile 4 on Goat Main. For safety reasons they have to close the trail for a few hours. Signage will be put in place for the duration of the falling.

August Update

The weather has been fabulous this summer for hiking, swimming, boating - and in general, being active outside.

Up Bute Inlet: Homathco River and Mount Waddington

We are seeing people from all around the province and the globe with many locals of course, out on the Sunshine Coast Trail, section-hiking and through-hiking. The length of the 180 km long trail is in good shape as per the latest reports.

We still have an issue with an unknown individual going back from time to time and covering up the entrance to Tony's Trail (SCT) with woody debris. This access trail lies west just off the Telus Road on Gallagher Hill. (See detailed description on how to access it from Mowat Bay in the June 21 post.) The individual has taken to covering up our orange spaypainted markings with black paint. So if you can't see the orange markings, look for black paint on trees opposite the pull out. That's where the trail begins. Step over the debris, or better still help us out and move it off the trail, and carry on in a westerly direction. Thank you.





Ron and Bruce ready for a swim at Tony Point after clearing the trail down from the Gallagher Hill Telus road.





There is one upcoming blockage of the trail with Western Forest Products planning to harvest "Cutblock ST-324". Its boundary lies adjacent to about a 100m stretch of the Blue Ridge Trail section of the SCT, just about a km north of the Goat Main crossing at Mile 4, right where the trail crosses the new Deer Main logging road. Last week we were told by Western that it would only be closed one or two days. We have requested that they log after tourism and mushrooming seasons are over so wildcrafters may get one more harvest out of that area. Here is the link to the map: http://www.westernforest.com/files/planning/Stillwater%20Operational%20Information%20Map.pdf
You can copy and paste it into the top of Google and then click on to it. Red-lined ST-324 is in quadrant C-7 just west of Lois Lake (near centre bottom of the map). Stay tuned as to when exactly the closure will occur.

The beginning of March Lake Trail is still impacted by logging but can be passed by using the posted Alaska Pine reroute.

We did have a report that the Spires access trail below Manzanita Bluffs needed some brushing. The salmonberry and salal came back strongly there. This secondary trail is accessed by people coming off the old forest service road just 500 m beyond the "Dome" at about the 2.2 km mark on Sarah Point Road from the Lund gas station. Going in there avoids going up and down 3 K hill. It's all brushed out now all the way up to the SCT junction as of today, but could use some fancy stick work flicking the wee branches off the trail. Enjoy.

Happy trails.