Dodd Lake (July 15-19)

Dodd Lake looking north

16 km east of Highway 101 lies the campsite entrance for Dodd Lake.  I had never been this far up the logging road before and there are a few turn-offs and forks in the road that you need to be aware of, some of marked but some just assume that you know things like "follow the signs for Nanton Lake".  Luckily I didn't have to venture out on my own, my friend Theresa and her husband Rod would lead the way along the logging road along with their daughter Sarah.  The plan seemed flawless:  meet at Lang Bay and then I'd follow them up to the campsite.  Perfect plan for paved roads but add a very dry, dusty, dirt road and we've got a problem.  After about 1/2 km I decided I'd have to hang back because I couldn't see anything inside the big white dust cloud.  Also not a bad solution, there was a bit of a breeze and so, on most parts of the drive, I was able to keep them in my sights in the distance.

Ireland Lake with evidence of logging in background

Notably this is a logging road, a logging road means that loggers have or do work there which means a couple of things 1:  We can't drive on the road during the working hours of the loggers, 2:  there is logging going on or has gone on so there are large swatches of land barren of trees surrounded by the towering siblings left behind.   On one hand it's a sad state to look at.  Due to the missing trees it's easy to feel a sense a loss reflected in the gaping hole of landscape, on the other hand, look around... imagine your life, your existence without wood.  It has to come from somewhere.  On the other hand, trees are a renewable resource although in our short human lifetimes it may not seem quickly renewable but in comparison to coal or fossil fuels, our forests do get replanted and will regrow for another generation of wood consumers.

Pile-ons from old dock (Dodd Lake)

Returning to our dusty trail, the first lake we pass is Lois Lake (one of the 8 lakes making up the Powell River Canoe Route).  This is a man-made lake due to dam built pre-1950 with a length of about 14km and between 1-3km wide and the entire lake floor is a forest of trees.  From the ever-climbing logging road and the deep blue water colour it's almost impossible to imagine there are 1414 hectares of trees under there.   The road continues up past Nanton Lake (although we don't get a view) and finally when we reach km-marker 16 it's time to make the turn-off.  Did I mention the dust?  Well everything is covered in dust up there, the road, the bushes, the trees and of course the signs too !!  Thankfully Rod and Theresa knew where to go and I was extremely grateful, it made for a smooth drive.

Ice cold stream with Dodd Lake in the distance

Dodd Lake has about a dozen campsites.  Services are limited to outhouses - no running water, electricity or cell reception.  There are picnic tables at almost every campsite and fire pits have been provided by the BC Forestry Service.  Due to the extensive logging there is limited access to the roads so even the quads are pretty quiet up until the late afternoon when they can freely explore.  There is a beautiful trail as part of the Portage route between Ireland Lake and Dodd, it's upgraded trail and reminders of old growth cedars make the walk enjoyable as well as awe-inspiring.  There is a stream that flows out of Dodd into Ireland Lake and it accompanies the Portage route the entire way.  There are a few opportunities to head down to the stream and enjoy the temperate rushing water over your toes.  The Portage Route is a short hike, it would probably feel much longer with a canoe on your shoulders or a big pack with all your gear.   There are rustic benches along the way as well as canoe caddies where you can easily rest your canoe and then rest your body too.

Sarah and I on our first adventure

Sarah and I doing "starfish pose" on Chipmunk Peninsula

The one and only fish caught at Ireland Lake, drizzled
in olive oil and ready for campfire cooking

Ireland Lake is small, a couple of beavers make their way across the lake in the distance and the sun beats down on the long dock that welcomes paddlers to make their way to shore.  There's a large campsite, cut wood, an outhouse, picnic tables and a large pulley to secure your food out of easy access of the local bears just as you head into the forest from the dock.  On my second hike into Ireland Lake I took my fishing rod, 3 casts with my rooster tail lure and I had a bite.  He'd be our only fish caught that weekend.  Fishing in Dodd was beyond the abilities of my rod/reel.  The weather was warm, the lake is deep (500 feet) and my reel had about 150 feet on it.  I fished for hours and hours every day, I did get a bite the first day trolling but he was too small to keep.  In a way fishing was an excuse for me to get out on the lake.  Dodd is a fairly large lake when you're in an inflatable kayak.  From our campsite it was about 1.5km to the other side of the lake and the lake is about 6km long.  I did paddle around half the lake, making my way across to the other side (which was shaded in the mornings) and then followed the shoreline to the first cabin, headed back across and followed the shoreline home.  Every trip out was different but all were enjoyable.  The waves do kick up a bit in the afternoon and one day while I was out with Sarah there were whitecaps on the water.  It was a strenuous paddle home to say the least fighting the wind and being pummeled by the waves but the sun was shining, it was adventure and although Sarah wasn't keen on getting splashed as much as we did I told her the lake was giving her wet kisses and it was just showing it's love, she bought that for a bit but overall she was happy to get out of the boat that day.   Sarah and I did head off on adventures every day.  The first day we headed across the entire lake, found our own private beach, explored an overgrown stream in the kayak, went ashore at the Chipmunk Peninsula recreation site, shared stories, went swimming and had a picnic.   Each day we planned a new adventure of where we'd go, some were long, some short but all were fun.

Late night fishing with Sarah on Dodd Lake

Rainbow - it filled the sky in a perfect semi-circle.

Sarah's got a keen interest in fishing as well so we headed off to the main dock the first night and took in a glorious rainbow followed by an amazing blazing sky sunset.

Battery being charged by my new solar panel
Only picture with Miss Perception this trip :- |

I had purchased a solar panel that I was eager to test out, without going into too many details, I bought a 40 watt 2.3 amp panel and I think I may need a 2nd one, although there were a few factors not in my favour so I may give it one more try.  My battery wasn't fully charged when I left and I had to move the panel around all day since we were in shaded spot.  I do like the solar panel option better than a generator due to several factors: solar panels are quieter, only need light as fuel, low-maintenance and weigh less than 10 lbs each.  Price would probably come out about even with a low-end generator but in the long run the fuel price would need to be considered as well.   I'm happy with my choice and will continue to refine my knowledge and application of the solar panel(s).

View of Dodd Lake and surrounding mountains
from our campsite

Our trip had started Monday afternoon (July 15) and lasted until late Friday night for me.  I could have easily just forgotten about civilization and stayed up at Dodd Lake for the next week or the next month.  There are several people who spend their entire summers up there - what a lovely idea... if I didn't have to work.  We did fill our time with relaxing, chatting, visiting, paddling, fishing, exploring and meeting new friends as well as having a big visit from friends on Wednesday night.   There are so many more lakes to explore around Powell River and I can't wait to keep expanding my experience and camping horizons in this lovely place.

Drift wood between old pile-ons

Early morning paddle to the other side of Dodd Lake

Clear calm waters about half way to the head of the lake
Our campsite would be in the bottom right hand side

Exploring the shallow waters along the shoreline
Enormous old cedar decaying into the water while being a nurse log

Little cabin tucked away behind the point, this was as far as I went

Looking towards the head of the lake - the cabin was just behind the point on the right.

Selfi while sitting in the middle of the lake, can you see the reflection of the clouds in my sunglasses?

Ribbit, Ribbit.  Kissed him twice and still no prince - teehee.  Toads and tadpoles were prolific.