TCAT
The Island Page 3 - Continued
Back on track at the West Gold/ Nimpkish Main junction, turn right onto Nimpkish main and watch for the fat trucks on these roads during the week. A short ways down Nimpkish main you'll come to Muchalat Lake Rec reation area to the left... This is a good area to camp or just stop for a dip in the lake...
Muchalat Lake
Watch for Elk along these roads as they are plentiful and hard to predict...
The track follows Nimpkish main until you get a bit past the Vernon Camp crossing then it turns left onto Vernon lake road and then right at the Sehbalhall road junction, be care full here as it is easy to slip down the wrong road... Continuing on you'll come up to Vernon Lake rec area which is one of the nicest camping areas around and worth a rest stop...
Next Four Photos: Vernon Lake
The track continues down Vernon lake rd and then turns left onto the Backroad towards Woss part way along look for Frost Lake and a small track to the right that leads to its small campsite at the south end of the lake... Continue on the Backroad to Rona Cutoff and take the right fork to the bridge over the Nimpkish river, cross this bridge and head into Woss for fuel...
Woss is a very small community and the base for the Nimpkish Valley logging Railroad, the last logging railroad in the country... There is a small store, gas station, cafe and motel/ pub which may or may not be open... It is nestled in a scenic valley between the mountains...
Woss
Back on track you head up Rona towards the Woss river Bridge crossing intersection, if you continue up the road a few hundred meters instead of crossing the bridge you'll come up to Woss lake campsite to the right at the outlet of Woss lake... Woss lake is a good sized glacial fed lake that drains off the Islands largest glacier nestled high up at 5000' between the peaks of Rugged mountain...
Next 2 photos: Woss Lake
After crossing the Woss River Bridge the track follows Nimpkish Road North..
Above and below: Nimpkish Road
Just after Kaipit River and Cannon creek Bridges look for the old Nimpkish Iron Mine open pit as an interesting stop... You'll reconize it when you see a bunch of iron drill rods sticking up as a barrier to keep vehicles from driving over the edge...
Take the track up to the Anutz/ Zeballos junction and take the right towards Anutz Lake, Just down River RD is Anutz campsite, a very nice spot with a grassy meadow and a sandy swimming beach...
Anutz lake was once a 500 man camp with streets, power lines and many buildings, today you would hardly know all that existed as it has gone back to the forest...
Anutz
Continuing on track you'll head towards the little Huson Cave park cutoff, this is a very worthwhile side trip with a short trail into some interesting Karst formations...
Next 3 photos: Little Huson
On the track you'll climb up above Huson lake and catch your first glimpses of Pinder Peak and Mook PK, an impressive site to say the least... At the top end of Huson lake is a nice camping area at the mouth of the Wolf River, it is a bit rough to get into this site as it spends part of the year under water during the rainy season ...
Along the track you'll hit Atluck main and then Atluck Lake Campsite, another very nice place to pitch the tent... The track follows the side of the lake and there are more camping spots tucked neatly along the lake..
Atluck Campsite
About a 1.3 KM before the lake along Atluck main near the Wolfe creek there is a side spur that takes you up near the glacier that forms off the Pinder avalanche chute... This road is quite steep and can be choppy so is suitable for experienced riders only.. You can ride up to the valley bridge below the glacier and this should be the turnaround point as after that the track becomes a boulder strewn climb similar to the Erzberg Enduro coarse... On the way back the first track to the left will take you for 1.5 KM to a scenic viewpoint high above Atluck Lake and is a worthwhile stop...
Pinder Glacier Erzberg Road, turnaround bridge pictured top right
Next 2 photos: Pinder Glacier
Next 2 photos: Atluck Lake Lookout
A word of caution, during weekdays logging trucks may be using the road along the lake, this road hugs the side along the lake and is only one lane wide in spots, cliff on one side, lake on other so use caution... If people are camped at the lake you could ask them if trucks have been going by so you know if it is safe to proceed...
Above and below: Atluck Road
