Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/109278
The Roadtrip ancouve nV SLand rI Branch out into Vancouver Island���s wild northern trail norther Old-Growth Glory by Cherie Thiessen Historic northern Vancouver Island coastal communities tucked between fjords and old-growth forest, all linked by well-maintained logging roads ��� this tour is for road-trippers who get high on the tang of cedar and the sound of fish slapping on remote lakes. Leg One Campbell River to Gold River (92 km) Raid Campbell River���s North Central Island visitor centre for its Upana Caves, Tahsis: Heart of Nootka Sound and Discover Gold River brochures or, better yet, download its 40page Discovery Guide (rivercorp.ca), then hit Hwy. 28. After 29 kilometres, you���ll spot an unpaved road on your right, a dusty 10-minute diversion leading to the largest dam on Vancouver Island. The 53-metre-high Strathcona Dam caused the formation of Upper Campbell River Lake upon its completion in 1958, now a recreation destination ideal for picnicking, swimming, fishing and camping. Back on the highway, endless stands of western red cedar, hemlock and fir stretch for 14 laid-back kilometres before Upper Campbell Lake and the Strathcona Park Lodge and Outdoor Education Centre heave into view, just before the park entrance. Virtually halfway between Campbell River and the town of Gold River, this 250,000-hectare Strathcona wilderness preserve is B.C.���s oldest provincial park, created in 1911; it almost cuts the island in half protecting a forest that was already old when Captain James Cook arrived in nearby Nootka Sound. So haul the family out on the well-marked trails, even if it���s just the 800metre circuit to Lupin Falls (where Hwy. 28 (clockwise from top left) Waterfall en route to Port Alberni; the Nootka Light Station at Yuquot (Friendly Cove); Sayward���s Victoria Garden Gate Manor; Gold River; main entrance to the Upana Caves, where an underground river emerges for 27 metres before disappearing down a sinkhole; the MV Uchuck III in Nootka Sound, offloading a kayaker; the main pier in Tahsis. swings right, go straight on Westmin Road at Buttle Lake; the Lupin Falls trailhead is just 5.4 km beyond). And ideally, make a day of it by including the lodge and outdoor centre ��� established in 1959 with a mandate to teach environmental responsibility and aptly fulfilling its mission; Tourism B.C. presented the lodge with its environmentally responsible award in 2004. Good sleeps and eats: Strathcona Park Lodge features lakeside views, sports yearround, cabins with kitchenettes, and wholesome fare April to mid-October (strathcona.bc.ca). studio, where he and partner, Anita, also operate a popular caf�� (clayworkscafe.com). Next, drive south 14 km to the government docks at Muchalat Inlet to see if the MV Uchuck III is in port. An American minesweeper converted in 1955, this 41-metre vessel has serviced the remote coastal communities, fish farms and logging camps in Nootka, Esperanza and Kyuquot Sounds year-round for more than 26 years. If time is flexible, a great option is to book a daytrip to historic Friendly Cove, where Captain James Cook met Chief Maquinna in the first contact between Europeans and First Leg two Gold River to Tahsis Nations (mvuchuck.com). Returning to town and its gigantic Blossoming Boot ��� commemorating the annual Great Walk from Gold River to Tahsis (June 1 in 2013) ��� you���ll find the visitor centre closed until June, but outside is a very useful sign outlining 10 ���mustsees��� on the 66-km Tree-to-Sea route. (Or, download directions in advance from villageoftahsis.com, plus an Adventure Tour brochure and village map.) Then head west on the Head Bay Forest logging road to Tahsis, keeping an eye out for these highlights. Must-stops include the Upana Caves, accessed by a 150-metre trail that winds past five caves and an underground river (check out Malaspina Peak from here, as well; at 1,573-metres, it���s the highest on this (66 km) A planned community of 1,267, Gold River was built in the 1960s by the Tahsis Company, which constructed a pulp mill at the river���s mouth (goldriver.ca). The mill closed in 1998, but Western Forest Products is still a major employer, and local adventure tourism and caving have flourished. Start the day off at Uptown Caf�����s Cappuccino Bar in the Pacific Tide Mall. This may be the smallest caf�� in the universe, but ebullient chef/ owner Remi Charette produces delectable wraps, scones and coffee ��� and loves to fill travellers in on local highlights. Nearby, for example (at 500 Industrial Park Place on Muchalat Drive), Clayworks owner/artisan Neil Lawrence tours visitors around his (map) Greg White; (clockwise from top right) Jeremy Koreski/ACP, Rosina Huber, Boomer Jerritt, Liz Bryan, (MV Uchuck III) Neil Havers (2)w, Liz Bryan p28-30_40-41_Roadtrip.indd 29 W e s tw o r l d >> S pr i ng 2 0 1 3 29 13-01-28 11:07 AM