Tugwell Lake, anyone been to it lately? Can wheelers still get there?

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Out4aRip's picture

Rob
Victoria
Tugwell Lake, anyone been to it lately? Can wheelers still get there?

Man, that Tugwell block looks so tempting to wheel around in from the satellite images. I really want to get in there and explore it.

I know, I know, it's just that Muir and Tugwell are two blocks in the CRD that I have never actually been in to and I am dying to explore. I'm just picking away at my bucket list of places to see on VI before all hope of 4WD access is lost. I'm always wondering if the next time I just drive up Butler Main it will be to go to the Bear Creek Resort, or the first time I drive up Muir Main, it will be when a housing development called Muir Creek Estates is going in, and there won't be a wilderness left that isn't in a protected watershed. I figure at this point in life I ain't getting any younger and I've already started trading in my hiking boots for all terrain tires. The last marathon hike of 40km I did in two days destroyed my knees for months later. When I was younger I would hike miles in to the bush or up a mountain and love it but nowadays my knees and back just won't tolerate the extended pounding or heavy packs that they used to. These days, if I can't get there from behind the wheel, chances are I won't be going if it's more than a hour to hike in, so sue me. ;-P

Anyways, I have been watching some youtube videos of Tugwell Lake trips and am intrigued, but most are several years old and are of ATV's/motorbikes and some dedicated wheeling rigs so it leads me to believe it is no Sunday drive up to the lake like the map might suggest. The lake itself doesn't seem like much of an attraction to me but I'm just fascinated with finding out what's all back there before it's gone, well, and maybe finding some good pine mushroom patches with lodgepole and salal that haven't been poisoned with glyphosate and whatever the fuck "Vantage XRT" is. I haven't seen a healthy pine mushroom come out of Blueberry for so many years I have given up even looking for them now.

So I tried cruising satellite maps for ways in and then having a cruise around to look IRL but it looks like TPTB took some pretty thorough measures to prevent all vehicle access from all the usual places off of normal public roads. The satellite images from 2013 show several accesses that are now blocked and 2015 images show a lot of well worn tracks still but I have checked out all the places you might get in to them and they have them all blocked off now. The most likely successful route I can see now is to befriend a local with back yard access, or maybe cross Bear Creek at the reservoir and go up the hill to connect to Butler and hope to get through whatever barricade is up there to prevent you from doing just that. I didn't go check it out when I was there because I still haven't finished waterproofing my door seals so it may be passable or maybe not. If it's not passable there (and I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case) then I'm pretty sure there was another possible place to go across a bit further back west on the way in. I never bothered checking that either since I assumed if it went through it would probably have more noticeable recent tracks on it and it didn't seem like it so I passed it up. If that fails, there is this one place in Shirley with a new subdivision going in and at the very end is a rough-in cul-de-sac that has an ATV trail cut over to a branch off the logging road behind the French Beach store, which looks like it also connects up to the Muir main. That probably won't be an option for long either since that road is gates at the end too and construction in that new subdivision is likely to block it off again soon...

I did recently see what looked like a trail cut in to the eastern end of Blueberry flats though as I was coming back from Port Renfrew one day but I didn't have time to stop and check it out. Next time I am out that way I will have to stop and take another closer look and do a walk through of it and see if it's actually wide enough to fit more than an ATV through it and if goes all the way through to the main. It would be sweet if I could get in right there since it would be a bit shorter and should also connect to the Tugwell block but there's still no way to cross Muir Creek and get over to the Tugwell block directly, you'd still have to go right up and over and back down again and you'd go past the lake to get down to the Tugwell block. If the road is as bad as people say though it wouldn't be an easy trip to do in a modestly equipped DD without a winch or a companion rig in case things got a bit sideways. I'm really kicking myself right now for never venturing in there when there were still "easy" ways to get in, because this is a bit ridiculous. One thing is for sure, if I ever do manage to make it in there now, I'm going to drive around in every nook and cranny I can find and I bet I'd probably have the place to myself the whole time too. Even if I can't wheel in I may still be able to squeeze an ATV through somewhere and if I throw enough beer at someone I know he may be nice enough to lend me his ATV and trailer for the day so I can finally scratch that area off my bucket list one way or another.

In the meantime though I'd love to hear from anyone here who has any experiences or stories wheeling in that area, even from the years ago when you didn't need to be a ninja to get in there. Any suggestions on interesting things to see or trails to try may encourage me to keep at it. ;-)

On a lighter note, I have been lifting my spirits from all the gate-blocking by looking in to what off road destinations I could check out while in the Okanagan in June, since most of those places are always open and have a lot of neat trails to explore and I am already familiar with a few of them from when I lived there. I really want to do the Whipsaw Trail near Princeton but that one is a tough hombre and you need a couple of buddies to go with you, and some overnight gear, and some extra gas cans, and just the right amount of stupid to even attempt it. I'll be staying in Penticton though so I may just try to revisit some of my old favorite places where we took the sidekicks back in the day...

Diftwoodcoaster's picture

..
Victoria, BC

I feel your pain about blocked access and gates. Unfortunately, there is a very fine line posting locations on this and other sites. Every time you post information on a bypass, a route location or a picture or a video, it gathers alot of attention because there are many people like you and me wanting to explore. The reality is though, even though I despise it, these bypasses and gates are trespassing and when there is public attention such as this thread and many others it, it always ultimately gets shut down.

If I were working for Timerwest or another logging company, and I were trying to reduce trespassing and access due to idiots vandalizing and stealing, this would be the first place I would look.

I do feel your pain though, try reaching out privately instead of burning the very few accesses we have left.

Cheers and happy exploring.

Out4aRip's picture

Rob
Victoria

You know, someone always complains when a route or access point is publicized, thinking that's going to get it shut down faster, but it really doesn't matter anymore because whether a trailhead is publicized or not, they all get destroyed by TPTB. Logging is in high gear right now so there's lots of activity in there and any new trail or access is going to get noticed whether it's used a lot or not. Trying to prevent people from learning about them and taking advantage of them in the short window that is available doesn't do anyone any good and the trails still get blocked or destroyed anyway. One set of tracks will get a backhoe digging it out just as fast as ten or twenty will. The best way to police the backwoods IMO is by public oversight. They do it for free for Christ's sake! The more people are there the better behaved most will be as they tend to keep an eye on each other. If you zip everything up so tight that the average 4x4's can't get in then whoever manages to get in is scott free to do as they please with nobody else there to witness and hold them accountable for any damage they may do. It's as stupid as taking away guns from law abiding citizens thinking that will somehow prevent criminals from committing crimes with guns. If you disarm the "good guys" it only makes it easier for the "bad guys". This is not effective land stewardship policy and will ultimately have the opposite effect as intended. Anyone with half a brain who has been out there knows what's really going on. They just don't want you (the public) to see it because it's so appalling to see first hand how much unsustainable logging is destroying that land.

There's already a double backhoe trench across the trail connector to the Muir Main but all the ATV and dirt bike traffic has already packed it down enough to fourby it so having more traffic go through there is actually making it harder to keep it closed, it's just how the pieces move on the board in this ridiculous game of cat and mouse on the island. Land stewardship is not meant to be in the hands of private enterprise whose only concern is maximizing profit. They will simply block all access to the public and rape the ground for all it's worth and we're seeing exactly that happening. The public was never even consulted, let alone asked permission to gift 85% of OUR island timber lands to logging companies who took that gift right to the bank and said fuck you to the public because a few idiots couldn't help but shoot up and burn the equipment left back there or dump their junk in the bush. They had to know that if they took away access to almost all the backwoods that there would still be problems like this and it could even make the problems worse since nobody else is around to see it happen and report it.

You literally can not access the San Juan Ridge Land Reserve without "trespassing", so that tells me there is something very wrong with the way things are managed here, not with the the way the public uses the land. Offroading on the island these days is like doing a flash mob. Trail opens up, people pour in, trail gets closed, people make a new one somewhere else. You can either accept the reality for what it is and live your life they way you want to or just stay home and bitch about it online. Personally, I have a lot of respect for the wilderness but I'll be damned if I'm ever going to ask someone else permission to go there. You get one shot at living and you never know how long you have and you will never get "permission" to experience these places again before they are developed. Life is risk, calculate and make a move and actually live a little. Get in and enjoy it while you can, just respect the land, it's that simple. Don't damage property, don't leave your junk there, and try to leave it better than you found it for the next person. Good people still outnumber douchebags and together we can do a lot more to protect these places than any timber company is ever going to fork out for since it doesn't make them a buck, it only costs them money to secure an area.

Diftwoodcoaster's picture

..
Victoria, BC

I agree with pretty much everything you say here. I'm not saying don't go out and don't cross those lines. I do. I encourage people exploring and take the bypasses to see the backcountry. Have fun and explore, I can telly you are passionate about that.

The only thing I disagree on is in your first statement.

"You know, someone always complains when a route or access point is publicized, thinking that's going to get it shut down faster, but it really doesn't matter anymore because whether a trailhead is publicized or not, they all get destroyed by TPTB. "

They do always get shut down eventually. What I disagree on, is when they are publicized, with enough detail to pinpoint access, in my years of experience does result in a faster shutdown. It's idiots burning cars and dumping drywall and making a mess that passes me off.

I've been in your shoes before and it's frustrating. I found alot of cool places over the years through my own exploring, sometimes I came up empty handed.

It's a shitty system no matter how you look at it. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from going out and exploring, quite the opposite, but a certain level of discretion is in order, IMO.

Drop me a PM, I'd discuss some alternates you are looking for in private.

Get out and have fun. Cheers

Out4aRip's picture

Rob
Victoria

Yeah it's all good bud, sometimes I just need to publicly vent a bit of frustration.
I have no plans to post detailed bypass info on public forums because deep down, I know you're right. As soon as some idiot with a 4x4 finds out about a trail it won't be long before stupid shit happens but when you look at what is actually "publicly available" there just ain't much there so it doesn't leave a lot of options open for the vast majority of people who will be responsible and respectful in their recreational activities.

Over the last few days I've had a couple great runs and just being out in that back country really stirs something deep in me emotionally. I was brought up in a pretty outdoor oriented family where going out to the lake and fishing or camping was not just recreational but a staple of living itself and I continue to have a close personal relationship with and appreciation of nature. I really think more people need to experience that for themselves and keep that personal connection with the ecosystem that enables them to live or we risk losing the public passion for protecting it and we all will suffer as a result of that disconnection.

Wild natural areas are for everyone to enjoy, not just a few elites with special access privileges. It makes me want to punch a CEO in the face when I see a no trespassing sign and a big red gate on what amounts to 200 square kilometers of wilderness that a company decides to leave a few pieces of heavy machinery in.
I want to see some PUBLIC trails posted but I bet you can count all the public off roading areas below the 49'th on one hand so why even bother having this forum section then, if you can just post the few that exist on the front page and call it a day. It's not like this anywhere else I've lived in BC and I think more people need to be saying this out load and in public for everyone else to see and hear. "That's just the way it is here" doesn't cut it for me when my kids and grand kids will miss out on the places I enjoyed, and you have to feel like a criminal just for going in to the woods for some basic recreation because there's no legitimate right of way on these "private" timber lands that I didn't get compensated one red cent for handing over our rights to. OK, OK, I said my piece, I'm just gonna shut up before I ruin my great mood today.. [/rant] ;-)

Eric Anderson's picture

Eric Anderson
Sooke

I know a way to get onto East Tugwell Main, my rig is getting built at Westshore Spring and 4X4 so it won't be ready for a couple weeks, but if you want info about getting in that area, shoot me a text at 778-977-2752 or send me a PM.

Out4aRip's picture

Rob
Victoria

Thanks, I managed to find my way in there after realizing I drove right past the keyhole on a previous scouting trip and totally missed it. ;-)

Jay's picture
Jay

Jay
Langford

These are from a trail in the Tugwell area

Out4aRip's picture

Rob
Victoria

Looked like a crazy crawl through that gnarly boulder strewn creek bed.
Was that part of the trail in/out or a side adventure? O.o
I saw one like that on Sicker when I was poking around in spring, took one look and went NOPE! ;-P
Looks like you have a bit more clearance than I do though...

Jay's picture
Jay

Jay
Langford

that is just one section of the trail. no bypasses. both my jeep and buddys toyota are on 35's, locked front and rear. and dont care about body damage. its a fun trail though.

dal.pear@gmail.com's picture

Dallas
Sooke bc

Just went there today up tugwell main 6k. We made it pretty eaisy still have accces to it... The lake is pretty neat got a couple pics. All it took was are tracker 6inch lift, rear locked and 33inch boggers and we didnt use 4 wheel drive for the most part but dont take some stock rig with no clearence you wont make it very far without something breaking!

dal.pear@gmail.com's picture

Dallas
Sooke bc

Pic files are to big to upload so here are a couple

RoninSwanson's picture

Camilbro
Victoria

u got a build thread somewhere for that thing? what a beast.

Jay's picture
Jay

Jay
Langford

Lots of stock rigs get up to tugwell, its pretty easy to get up there.

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