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77 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2012 : 8:23 PM
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The Clayoquot Witness trail was constructed in 1993 in a joint effort between the Wilderness Committee and the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation with hopes of bringing attention to the ancient old growth rainforest being decimated on the coast. The 7.5km logging road access was deactivated and the trail saw very little use. The first 2-kms the trail builders put down cedar shake board walk, presumably with the idea of protecting the root systems of trees (?), however with such enormous rainfall, no upkeep, etc etc, the boardwalk quickly became a huge slippery/tilting hazard. A couple years ago the Wilderness Committee put in a great effort, discarded the boardwalk and slashed the trail back into Norgar Lake.
We spent about four days exploring the area.
We decided to bring mountain bikes with the idea that we could cut down that 7.5kms on deactivated roads. The road had 58 washouts and significant cross ditches making the bikes of questionable advantage on the way in.
 
We camped the first night at Spires Lake. Half the mountain collapsed choking the Kennedy River and creating the 'Dead Lake'. It was kind of eerie but spectacular.
  
It rained hard all through our first night and all through the next day. In a west coast rainforest that meant a couple dozen creek crossings.
We hiked to about a half hour before Norgar Lake and set up camp at the bottom of the pass in a red cedar old growth patch.
The next day we hiked into and out of Norgar Lake. The lake itself was a bit anti-climatic. There was some limestone karst scattered about so I hiked up and down some of the hills looking for caves.
On our fourth night we set up camp at Solstice Lakes. These lakes were the gem of the trip. Alpine lakes that drop off right from the shore to unknown depths cascading into each other.
On the way out with lighter packs and a downhill grade the bikes worked out well.
It took approx. 2 1/2 hrs into Spires Lake from the parking off Hwy 4 exactly 1km past Sutton Pass, (100m down a logging road). Sutton Pass is approx. 40-min from Port Alberni.
From Spires to Solstice Lake is about 2 1/2 hrs with heavy packs. Solstice to Norgar Lake about another three hours. You also pass Murrelet Lakes along the way.
Beautiful trip, the trees are not nearly as big as the lower Clayoquot (via Kennedy Lake) but still a nice trail in decent shape considering its low usage. |
Edited by - Kingpin63 on 06/30/2012 9:40 PM
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111 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2012 : 10:29 PM
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| Cool TR. I've never ventured in there before. I really like the looks of Spires Lake. Sounds like you had a good time. |
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 Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13442 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2012 : 08:10 AM
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Looks like a cool and mystic place.
Neat shots of the sticks jutting out of the lake.
K |
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Campbell River, BC
Canada
754 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2012 : 6:38 PM
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| Thanks for the report. Looks like an interesting place. |
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Victoria, BC
Canada
92 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2012 : 10:39 PM
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| Thanks for the trip report. I've been interested in doing this trail since 1993. I'm curious - did you take the bikes on the whole trail? Or did you leave them at Spires? |
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77 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2012 : 6:10 PM
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| No, we left the bikes on the highway side of the last washout, about 200-metres from the trailhead - there is a dilapitated old shelter at the trailhead with a fire pit. It was about another 30-minutes into Spires Lake hiking. This trail could not be mountain biked. |
Edited by - Kingpin63 on 07/12/2012 6:19 PM |
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Clayoquot Witness Trail - Norgar Lake
