Back on the Island

Welcome to the site Dave, and welcome back to the Island as well. See you on the trails!

Unlike the rest of BC most of Vancouver Island is privately held so not many forest service roads on public lands out there.

There a lots of Limestone Cave systems on the Island. Van Isle has over 1200 known caves.
I only have locations of about 20 or so of them on the south Island...been a while since exploring them may this year is a good year to revisit them

Don't even get me started about the gates and "the big 3" or I'll go off on a rant again....
A cordless Dremel with a flex cable and a pack of cut-off wheels is becoming essential trail hardware for island wheelers. Not that I would cut a lock to get access but one minute a gate could be open while someone with a firewood license is back there cutting so you cruise in thinking it's all good and an hour or two later it can be locked again and you're effed. It happened to a family out in Nanaimo Lakes and probably countless others who'd rather not admit they were "where they weren't supposed to be". If you've been in the Koots for ten years you have missed the gatepocalypse that's been happening here. I graduated highschool in the Okanagan and the only gates you usually run in to there are cattle gates. Here, it's a real gamble planning a trip somewhere you thought was open only to be greeted by a big locked gate and no reasonable way around it. The only places I can think of that are always open to some degree are Mt Sicker/Prevost, most of Forebay and Timberline in Jordan River. Muir Main has opened up a few times but never to the public, only for private magnesium mining and logging operations. There is a bypass trail at the start of blueberry flats but it's still an active area so I steer clear of it. Butler Main is now Shuttler Main. That gate never seems to be open. You can roll right over the gate if you have an ATV in a cube van with a 4' deck and ramps and just back up to it though (and I have the pics and vid of that) ;-) No more access to Bear Creek Rsvr from either since last year unless you have a quad or a well equipped small ORV. They even put a gate up at Loss Creek for no other apparent reason than F-you. I loved going for an impromptu camping trip up there at the mining claim site when it was hot in the summer because it was always cool and damp back there. A lot of the places you used to be able to go west of Shawnigan Lake are now gated off and/or dug out so you can't sneak in to some of these places from the back roads. Really makes me wonder just what it is "they" are doing back there that they have gone to such measures to keep the public from seeing, except the obvious over-logging and sadly inadequate reforestation and conservation efforts. When creeks are running brown with the flood runoff in April and entire hillsides have collapsed after being cut, you may have overlogged a bit IMO but hey what do I know.. I haven't buggered around much on the island yet this year but it's hard to get motivated to explore when a lot of places are permanently closed to the public and are even being patrolled by air during the week. I swear to you I had a frickin helicopter following me around overhead for well over an hour while I was trying my luck on an old overgrown trail for something to do on a weekday afternoon because I noticed a gate was open and decided to go for it. I don't know much about the areas up around Nanaimo, Coombs, Errington, Port Alberni and such and how much the access restrictions are actually enforced if you do manage to find a way in. The last time I had an offradable ride and went out that way was probably 8 or more years ago now. I remember camping up by Rowbotham Lake overnight and getting in pretty much right off Errington Road. the next day I went to Rhodo Lake and as far up to Mt Moriarty as you can go with a vehicle. I imagine they tank trapped that way in so you'd need a mog to get through now but next time I'm up there I'll do some poking around and see if I can find another sneak way in. The offroad enthusiast on the island is faced with many more challenges now than ever before with regard to access to wilderness lands, it's not about how well built your rig is anymore, it's about how you fudge your way around all the lockouts and dodge responsibility for "trespassing" in undeveloped wilderness. Aww crap, I just went off on a rant again didn't I... OK well at least now you know what you missed here while you were on the mainland and how frustrated some enthusiasts have been.

there's always a way in.....but your truck looks pretty clean,so maybe less,for full size.............try JR.or renfrew/nitnat/cowichan,and it's up to YOU,to know about gates.you can always phone and inquire...i like gates,keeps stock asshats and dumping out................go explore,enjoy

[ cutting locks and jumping gates on a public forum,not a good idea ]