Saturday in Theo
We love to ride our quads to explore the bush around Powell River. Forest service and logging roads are normally open to the public after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends or holidays. But some areas can be closed due to active logging and some operations work seven days a week. Fortunately, most companies notify the public via notices in the local paper or postings on the roads. In Powell River, Western Forest Products has a 24-hour info line at (604) 485-3132. You can also check with the following maps before heading out.
Western Forest Products
Powell River Community Forest
On a Saturday, we took our quads north to Theodosia. (Please note: The entrance to Theodosia is rated for more advanced riders.) Theo was once difficult to reach for the hardy pioneers who called it home. Our friend John lead us up Southview Road to the trail he built with the assistance of other ATV enthusiasts. Once in the Theodosia Valley, logging roads took us to the Olsen Valley. In the 20's, there were several families with cabins in this area and enough children for a school. But in the 60's, when hippies wanted to get back to the land, the cabins were burned. That is, all but one which was today's destination. The cabin reportedly belonged to an early Powell River "millionaire" who traveled up the lake by boat and then overland by Model-T Ford. It isn't much now, but it gives you a feeling for what it was like way back when families grew produce to supply the nearby logging camps.
From the cabin we continued along the logging road to Olson's Landing on Powell Lake. This is the same route many before have taken to carry logs and shake blocks to the paper mill and market. That purpose and path continues today. After a lunch at the camp area next to Olsen Creek we headed back to Olsen Lake on the way home.
It's a long ride, but the longer days of summer gave us enough sunlight to do it all at a leisurely pace. The weather was mostly sunny, but as we approached Theodosia Inlet we passed through a rain shower. I glanced in my mirror and here is what I saw. A fitting end to a wonderful day. -- Margy
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Sounds like you had a wonderful day.For some reason it made tears come to my eyes I guess it was the rainbow. Why did they burn the cabins? ~Betty~
ReplyDeleteI don't know why the cabins went vacant, maybe because the logging operations moved and they didn't have a market for their produce. Even though most remote settlers were self reliant, the did need to stock up on provisions and the money from selling produce really helped with that. I plan to go to the museum one of these days to find out more. I understand that the locals feared the hippies would cause problems so they didn't want them moving in. Burning the cabins could make it more difficult and maybe they would go somewhere else. - Margy
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