I was heading to Dickson Lake. But then at the intersection of Ash Main and Ash 286 I encountered a sign and a gate. The gate was open but the sign said it was private land and no access was permitted beyond that point without permission. So I turned around.
Why this sign is in place is unclear. Dickson Lake, and those nearby it, have been open to the public for the last 20 years I have been bringing my children and others here. Perhaps it is now restricted because of the wildfires in the summer, or because of vandalism and dumping? I would appreciate it is any reader knows and can provide info in the comments below.
When I got to Loon Lake, there was a sign there too. This one was created by hand, presumably by a concerned citizen, saying that Island Timberlands is considering closing access to Lost Lake because of vandalism and garbage.
Sigh.
Here is what you look across to when you first arrive at Loon Lake:
It is a beautiful little lake, which, unfortunately, has been heavily used (and abused) for many years because of it's quick access off of highway 4A. In fact, I've come here three times over the years and each time went elsewhere because there were so many people here.
There is a resident beaver (see lodge above), and near the beaver lodge on the day I was there a Piliated Woodpecker.
I paddled around the lake, taking it very slowly and snapping off lots of photos. It is a tiny lake really, but almost every inch of shoreline is picturesque.
The point on the far side of the lake is particularly lovely, especially in the early autumn colours.
The lake is watched over by the impressive rise of Mt Horn.
There are fish in the lake, but the lone angler I saw on the day I was there went home empty handed. I wasn't fishing myself, just repairing my soul in the tranquil setting.
The Loon Lake trail is worth a walk, it circumnavigates the lake in a large loop that includes forest, logged off areas, marshy areas, and a train track.
I wish that logging could be constrained a little more around such places of beauty, but beauty is not a valuable resource to the land owners. I feel sad about it.
Lets hope that this spot is not locked up. Maybe the yahoos who despoil such places should be instead!
I just posted about an experience I had on Trail Pond in 2007. I decided to return to the lake on July 21st 2013 having found last year that the lake was sequestered behind a logging company gate. I bought a new canoe cart to assist in the effort, since the lake is about a kilometer inside the gate -- too far for me to comfortably carry my canoe.
New Canoe Cart
The walk in was uneventful, despite the huge number of bear turds freshly studded with road gravel, and the eerie quiet that accompanies the heat of mid day.
The trail to the water's edge was completely grown over. Small firs had grown larger and one small tree had fallen across the trail. But once I negotiated my way through the bracken fern, raspberry, and salal, and climbed over the fallen tree, I found the shoreline and the old log where I used to put in when I first started visiting this lake in 2007.
These two shots are from slightly different angles, but you can see common markers in the snags and log. The water is higher by more than a foot and the young fir on the left was not even visible in 2007.
It took me a few minutes to collapse my cart and stow it in my canoe, and I confess I paused a moment to take in the pond in all it's summer glory. I don't think I have been on the pond at this time of year before and the verdant lushness was impressive.
After the dusty walk and effort to make my way through the underbrush, I was happy to get out on the pond where a nice breeze cooled me down, especially when I was across the lake and into the shade on the far side. I made the following video after exploring the shoreline for about an hour.
Here are a few of my favorite photos from this trip. For more, see my Trail Pond set on Flickr.
I was delighted to find I could paddle into areas of the wetland that had previously been blocked by sticks. Here is an image from 2007:
In 2013 I was able to paddle past this point right down to where the beavers had been busy.
Looking towards the beaver dam from the place I used to have to turn around.
The dam itself was impressive. I estimated a 4 or 5 foot drop on the downstream side.
A Healthy Beaver Dam
Looking downstream from the dam revealed a lush outflow, demonstrating the value of beavers in maintaining and improving wetlands.
Looking Downstream from the Beaver Dam
With my water bottle empty I decided to pack up and head home, stopping to enjoy one last look back before heading to Tim Hortons for an Ice Cappachino with an espresso shot!
A Note about logging and pretension.
Readers of this blog have sometimes criticized me for being pretentious when I express my sadness over the ugliness logging creates beside treasures like Trail Pond. While I do mourn the loss of beauty often in my writing, I am careful to balance it with an appreciation of logging as a mainstay of the BC economy and I do value being able to use logging company and forestry roads to access these locations.
I have commented lately to family and friends that cuts are much less ugly than in years past. This is due in part to the practice of creating smaller cuts, spread out over the whole island, rather than large clear cuts as was the practice before. For example, only one hillside was logged here at Trail Pond and it is actually not ugly at all. The presence of a gate, which appears to be locked indefinitely, seems also to have kept the yahoos out. I didn't see any beer cans or other litter. No torn up ground, burned logs, discarded sleeping bags, or other evidence of human impact. It was, I have to say, a welcomed surprise. While visiting this place in the last few years I have met bicyclists, hikers, and one man riding an impressive and beautiful horse. It seems to me that all such uses place a very light load on the road and land; and the gate's strategic location has also kept ATVs out, which adds to the quiet and tranquility of the location. Now before all the ATVers start up, I'm not opposed to the responsible use of quads but have seen some ugly scars created by quads on hillsides and in forests. Worse that any skidder now in use!
I know I am uncomfortably sentimental for many when I write and talk about these beautiful places, but I am unapologetic. Beautiful natural settings and tranquility seem to be diminishing in our world. I see houses being built and "no trespassing" signs going up, where previously the wider public enjoyed the views and scenery. I love these places and want to see them respected and preserved so that future generations can have the same experiences we who now visit them have. I hope trail pond continues to be a haven for turtles, beavers, and the odd ducks like me.
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