Vancouver Island Off Pavement?

[Scrabblebiker]

Hi all,

I live in Victoria and will be taking a week to explore the less travelled areas of Vancouver Island in early October. I'm looking for options for doing everything (of most of the island) from tip to tip off pavement.

I'm aware of some gravel roads on the northern part near Zeballos to Cape Scott area. Does anyone have information on other routes for the southern and central parts of the island?

I'm looking for active roads (not decommissioned) that are open to the public (I don't particularly care for trespassing).

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.

...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

[naotweed]

Have you considered buying a BC backroad mapbook? I have one for Vancouver island and found it very useful for an backroad adventure I took in May (Tahsis, Nitnat ....)
Not sure if you've already gone, but there are roads from Vic to Pt. Renfrew, then from there up to Nitnat, Port Alberni to Comox etc....
The backroad mapbook i think is only 20$ and very useful.

[Scrabblebiker]

I do have the Backroads Mapbook. I just find it somewhat inaccurate at times. There is also the issue of a road being gated off. This is increasingly the case in the Victoria area. Even one of the roads that was suggested by a community member is now gated off. So I was hoping for current information, in addition to the maps I have, from those who recently took some of those roads.

I simply will not go into any areas which is gated off for two reasons. I do not wish to trespass out of respect for others and to create a good image of bikers. And if an area is gated off it means little to no traffic and potential disaster if something should happen to me by myself.

I am still looking for open routes from the Victoria or Sooke area to Cowichan. I know the road north of Port Renfrew but it would be nice to hit gravel closer to Victoria. The road at the end of Young Lake Road is now gated off.


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

[naotweed]

I totally understand. I hope you find a way to get out of Victoria through the backdoor.

[PanEuropean]

Originally Posted by Scrabblebiker

I am still looking for open routes from the Victoria or Sooke area to Cowichan.

Michelle:

I frequently fly aircraft from Victoria airport out to the Cowichan valley area and back (this for the purpose of flight-testing new production aircraft). There are many unpaved roads all over the place... I am going to guess that these are logging roads. In fact, I am quite surprised at how many roads there are, even in areas that appear to be completely unpopulated.

I don't know the Island area well (I am more familiar with Europe), but if you are generally familiar with the Island, you might want to have a look at Google Earth and compare what you see there with a reasonably detailed topographic map. Chances are you might be able to identify an unpaved route that will meet your needs.

Michael