Fall and Winter Rides to Khartoum Lake

Viewpoint looking over Lois Lake towards the high country.

Quad riding in the Powell River area isn't limited to summer. Every season has it's own pleasures.

Fall and winter bring storms, but in between you can find some glorious days for riding. Most of the roads at lower elevations remain open and easy to ride since they are used by the logging companies.

Check on Western Forest Products' hotline at (604) 485-3100 or online to see if there are any closures or hauling activity scheduled. Or, you can check their most recent Operational Map pdf.

The bridge before you reach the Khartoum Forest Campground.

If you drive south of Powell River to Dixon Road, you enter a world of lakes and forests. Here's a link to the Recreation Sites and Trails map from the BC Ministry of Forestry. But be careful, they show you going the wrong way at the one-way slit at the south end of Lois Lake.

During the week, this area is used by loggers. But after hours and on weekends, their extensive road system is available for use by the public with care.

Roadside parking.

On one winter trip, we saw a few trucks, jeeps, and handful of other quads, but most of the time we had the roads and trails all to ourselves.

Dixon Road quickly turns into a well used and often potholed dirt road. So, we quickly selected a turnout large enough for our truck and trailer.

Don't select one at a bend in the road. Logging trucks carry long loads that can swing really wide.

Good signage along the way.

We headed up Goat Lake Main and transitioned to the Stillwater Main heading towards Khartoum Lake.

The view up Lois Lake to the snowy peaks was unbelievable. We hadn't been this way in almost a year. At that time, the devastating winter storms had washed the bridge away.

It was thankfully been replaced and so we can return to this unique spot.

The calm waters of Khartoum Lake.

Khartoum Lake has a Forest Recreation Site with a primitive campground right on the lake's shore. We first came here by kayak via Lois Lake. We returned in 2006 to host a unique book launch party for Wayne's book Up the Main.

It is one of my favorite back country campgrounds in the Powell River area. The road can be tricky for a passenger car, but for a truck it is a fairly easy drive (except for maybe the steep entrance road in snowy or muddy conditions).

We feasted on sandwiches and pop while sitting on warm, sun-baked logs along the beach. A fellow adventurer brought an inflatable boat in his jeep for a quiet row on the lake.

View from a lakeside campsite.

Do you like history? Here's a post from www.vanishinghistory.ca called Khartoum Lake - Abandon Camp. It's a great site with stories and pictures about the history and historical artifacts of the Powell River region.

Want to read more about quad riding in the Powell River region? Try Wayne's Coastal BC Stories that focus ATV adventures:

Up the Main
Farther Up the Main
Beyond the Main
And just released -- Powell Lake by Barge and Quad

All books are available in e-book and print formats at most online book sellers. Books are also available in Powell River at Coles Bookstore in the Towne Centre Mall.

If you ever have a question, don't hesitate to leave a comment or use the email link in our profile. -- Margy

Powell River Quad Trails

We have lots of logging roads in the Powell River backcountry to ride.  But when they are deactivated and age, recreational users refurbish them into quad and hiking trails. Here are a few from rides we've taken over the years.

Culvert on a spur leading to a Olsen Valley homestead foundation.

Corduroy road section on upper Powell Daniels Main.

End of the easily passable section of upper Beartooth Main.

Bridge protecting a fish bearing stream on Fred's Trail to West (Hammil) Lake.

Crossing a section of regrowth along the Lois River north of Khartoum Lake.

Path over a log jumble on a road in an old slash above Chippewa Bay.

Washout on Jim Brown Main at the Head of Powell Lake.

If you try to find these quad trails don't be surprised if they've washed out or grown over. Mother Nature reclaims her territory at a very rapid rate. Trails remain open only through ongoing trail maintenance by groups such as the Wednesday Crew of quad riders and the BOMB (Bloody Old Men's Brigade) Squad group of hikers and ATV owners. Thank you to all of the individuals and groups who maintain our backcountry trails. Through your efforts we all can explore the best that Powell River has to offer.

Want to know more about quad riding in the Powell River Region? Check out these resources.

ATV Category on the Powell River Books Blog
Powell River ATV Club Contacts
Powell River ATV Club Video
Every Trail online 
Up the Main in print or e-book
Farther Up the Main in print or e-book
Beyond the Main in print or e-book

 Do you have any trails to share? Let us know. -- Margy

Maintaining Powell River Quad Trails

We have lots of logging roads in the Powell River backcountry to ride. But when they are deactivated and age, recreational users refurbish them to become quad or hiking trails. Here are a few from rides we've taken over the years.

Culvert on a spur leading to a Olsen Valley homestead foundation.

Corduroy road section on upper Powell Daniels Main.

End of the easily passable section of upper Beartooth Main.

Bridge protecting a fish bearing stream on Fred's Trail to West (Hammil) Lake.

Crossing a section of regrowth along the Lois River north of Khartoum Lake.

Log jumble on a road in an old slash above Chippewa Bay.

Washout on Jim Brown Main at the Head of Powell Lake.

If you try to find these quad trails don't be surprised if they've washed out or grown over. Mother Nature reclaims her territory at a very rapid rate. Trails like these stay open only witth ongoing trail maintenance by groups such as the Wednesday Crew of quad riders and the BOMB (Bloody Old Men's Brigade) Squad group of hikers and ATV owners. Thank you to all of the individuals and groups who maintain our backcountry trails. Through your efforts we all can explore the best that Powell River has to offer.

Want to know more about quad riding in the Powell River Region? Check out these resources.

ATV Category on this Blog
Powell River Quad Rides Blog
Powell River ATV Club Contacts
Powell River ATV Club Video
Every Trail online 
Up the Main in print or e-book
Farther Up the Main in print or e-book
Beyond the Main in print or e-book

Do you have any trails to share? Let us know. -- Margy

The Power of Mother Nature

You can ride in the Powell River backcountry year round. The lower elevations have clear trails, and the high country snow is easily accessible. But remember, logging is also a year round activity, so check the hotline at (604) 485-3100 and watch for vehicles on the main roads.

Khartoum Lake makes a good winter destination. Just in case, bring your chainsaw and tools to clear roads and trails along the way if needed.

We've been to here quite a few times. The first was by kayak up Lois Lake, through the Lois River and into Khartoum Lake. That trip we camped at the Forest Service campsite on the west shore. We used the same campsite for the book launch party for Up the Main, the second book in Coastal BC Stories series. Friends came by car, truck and quad for a lakeside fire and BBQ.

On one winter trip we saw the devastating results of a powerful storm. Our quad ride up Stillwater Main and Third Lake Road to Khartoum Lake was through a path of destruction. High winds snapped and uprooted huge second growth trees. Sections of the roadway looked as if they had been logged, but the ravaged stumps told a different story. Downed logs of this size were no match for a small chainsaw, but fortunately someone with heavy equipment had been there before us.

That same year, the bridge near the Khartoum Lake campsite was washed out. The approaches were gone and the center packed with huge boulders and logs. Imagine the power that caused it. Runoff from heavy rains must have been blocked upstream.

When the water was released, the river's level raised, washing out the bridge and scouring trees in its path. Sometimes, when we are sheltered in our city homes, we forget the true power of nature. A trip just off the beaten path can be an awakening experience.  -

Here's a short video about another ride to Khartoum Lake.

Want to know more about quad riding in the Powell River area? Check out Up the Main and Farther Up the Main by Powell River Books. -- Margy