The first phase of our 2024 Howe Sound projects is complete with the construction of five tent platforms at two sites. Yellow cedar lumber for this project had been purchased by the club in May of 2023 and stored at the Ministry of Forests works yard in Squamish. Meanwhile, we applied for and received two grants: a 30 percent matching grant from Trans Canada Trail; and one for the remaining 70 percent from Destination BC. These grants allowed us to hire a backcountry contractor to build the platforms.
Tuesday, March 12 was the start of a stretch of beautiful weather. Our intrepid club Treasurer, Nick Heath, headed over to Thornbrough Channel and Zorro Bay with contractor Todd Nichols in Todd’s little inflatable outboard to go over platform locations. Todd is the same contractor who built three tent platforms at Zorro Bay and five of our six composting toilets.
On March 13, Todd and his crew headed over to Zorro Bay from Britannia Beach, towing the platform lumber as a raft behind his inflatable. Conditions were calm enough for him to land the lumber on the rocks directly below the construction site, a new area opened up on a little bench on the point at the north side of Zorro Bay. Over the next two days they built two platforms and added a hand/guardrail to the access trail wood stair built by an RSTBC trail crew in 2023.
Next, Todd and crew headed to Thornbrough Channel. The distance was too far to tow a raft, so this time materials were delivered in two loads by Horseshoe Bay’s Mercury Transport. Again, conditions were calm enough to offload materials on the rocks right below the site, a new area opened up at the base of the high rock bluff. By the end of Monday, March 18, Todd had built three platforms and a beautiful solid table with some of the most awesome views ever.
If you have the skills to paddle Howe Sound, pick your weather, paddle across, and check out our newest tent platforms!
