Hello! Fresh off the plane from Vancouver - Dallas TX - London we immediately got up to some shenanigans and had some pints. Now after a much needed twelve-hour sleep, I wanted to share about Megan and I's trip to the Sunshine Coast right before I left for Europe.
Megan and I took off on the morning of the 2nd of January and we got back on the 5th, two days before my departure for London. We wanted to spend some one-on-one time before I left and get a bit of hiking in. We definitely accomplished both of these goals, but the hike was undertaken in the worst of weather and it got pretty questionable there a few times. If you ever have an inkling to hike Tin Hat, definitely read on since we wish we had some tips ourselves prior to breaking trail.
First of all, we wanted to hit Sechelt BC for some R&R. From what I knew of it, it was a relatively quiet seaside town and that was what we found. We took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale to get to Sechelt, and it is pretty well the only way as far as I know unless you are coming from Vancouver Island or from the North. The ferry was really quick and we got across in about half an hour. From there, the drive was about 40 minutes to our AirBNB which was just outside of the main part of town... i.e. where the grocery store and a Starbucks lives. We stayed at the Tapp Road Treehouse and we were super stoked on it. The weather was not great while we were there, but that's not shocking for the first days of January on the BC coast. A toilet was available via outhouse only but it wasn't a long walk away, and free parking was available right beside the treehouse. The area inside was small with a bunk bed and a small homemade table out of a tree cutting, but it was certainly enough to stand and change and sit by the table or of course laze around in bed. There was a power hookup in the treehouse which was very cute and completed the look with twinkle lights, but no heat. Bringing a small space heater (especially one that's battery-powered) would have been the bees-knees, but we had loads of blankets and layers in preparation for our hike the next day. All-in-all, the stay isn't meant to be five-stars for comfort, but the experience was super cool and I would stay there again.
In Sechelt we hit up the Bricker Cider Company for a flight paddle. We saw a sign for it on the side of the highway between Sechelt proper and Tapp Rd, so we scooted up there to explore. On a very cute orchard, this little cidery was a really fun place to chat with the local woman working there and enjoy the fireplace. They have both original and seasonal ciders, and all of them are really tasty. I had one that was aged in brandy, scotch and tequila barrels and the flavor was insane. Since you aren't likely to be pressed for time in Sechelt, I would give Bricker Cider Co. a try for sure. For food, we hit the Wobbly Canoe. The Canoe was right behind the beautiful pier on the water, and we went there both on the recommendation of the bar maid at the cidery and the fact that it had been packed pretty well all day. The drinks here were artisan and really tasty, but more importantly the food was really delicious and locally sourced. I splurged and enjoyed mussels in a wine cream sauce that came with a baguette and it was all so good... thinking of it now has my mouth watering. I guess I will just have to go back!
The second day was hike day, and this is where you should be staying tuned for news on Tin Hat mountain and Tin Hat cabin. First of all, we had to get to Powell River from Sechelt to start the hike. Another 30 minutes or so from Tapp Rd. and we were at Earls Cove, which has a service to Saltery Bay on route to Powell River. This ferry was slightly longer than our first one the day before, but it was still less than an hour. Important to note here (and something that isn't well represented on the BC Ferries website) is that the second leg of the journey is free. Either of the two terminals in the middle of the route between Vancouver and Powell River (i.e. Langdale and Earls Cove) are free - we only had to pay when leaving Vancouver from Horseshoe Bay and when going back towards home on our last day from Saltery Bay. Ultimately, this just means that if you are doing this same route you only pay twice, not four times at each crossing each time. All in all the ferries round trip cost us about $150, for two people and one vehicle, about $75 each way.
Once we arrived in Powell River, we got some much needed pre-hike food by way of a restaurant called Thaidal Wave before we were off to find the FSR to the trail-head. For the record - Thaidal Wave also had great thai food, and it was really affordable. Once we wrapped up there, we used an offline map on Google to find the FSR and the way up to the trail-head. The road really wasn't that well marked, however if you kept your eyes open you would catch some directions every once in a while pointing you towards Tin Hat. The road wasn't overly rough as far as FSR's go, however it wasn't free of potholes either, so I would recommend a 4x4 vehicle if you have one. If not, take it slow and you can make it to the beginning of the Sunshine Coast Trail (SCT) like we did in Megan's small Mazda. Eventually, about an hour up the FSR if you've gone the right way, you'll make it to a map on a sign post. This is the beginning of this part of the SCT and it's hard to miss. There is some parking here, and it is a good idea to take a picture of this map for future reference. We had been told that there was more parking higher up the road to the left of this parking area, which was confirmed by the map. We ended up going ahead farther up this road, but the it gets significantly rougher after that point with large rocks, ravines for drainage and switch-backs. Unless you have a 4x4, the road isn't overly passable past the first parking area and it would have been better to stay there in a vehicle like we had. Either way, we made it up after some perseverance by Megan and the trusty Mazda, and we found a small pull-out area where we parked.
On a clear day, it is likely you can see the Tin Hat cabin from the area where we parked. Even in winter the snow at the parking area was very minimal as was the snow on the trail, but if you do decide to do this hike in the winter, BRING SNOWSHOES! We had snowshoes in the vehicle in case they were necessary, but left them behind given the conditions. The hike gains a lot of elevation quickly, which made for completely different conditions by the time we were near the summit even though the hike was supposed to be about an hour. The snow was more than knee-deep by the time we were near the summit, and the terrain is unforgiving up there. We were still using a downloaded map to ensure we were on the right path towards the cabin. The trail was not at all well marked passed the first half and got very steep. Having a downloaded map is highly recommended for this hike given the lack of signage or flags.
Further to the difficulty of the hike, Megan and I got caught in one of the worst storms of the winter. High winds, poor visibility and pouring rain were all encountered as we slogged along in the deep snow; crossing streams and slippery rocks were also common. In fact, most of the entire trail was a stream so having waterproof hiking boots is the only way to go. Once at the cabin, starting the pellet stove is the next endeavor. Contrary to other pellet stoves, the instructions for this one actually recommended dousing the pellets in lighting fluid, so make sure to have some of that and some fire-starters as well. We were eventually joined by another couple who had brought some fire-starting supplies I didn't have, and we couldn't have started the fire without the supplies we had collectively brought. Lighting fluid, fire starters, and paper are all key ingredients in addition to the pellets so pack accordingly. The cabin was small but cozy and easy to warm up once we had the stove going. The outhouse was frozen shut, so we weren't able to break in there but maybe with some more brute force we could've cracked it open.
On the third day, we woke up to see that the storm had broken and we had incredible views from the summit. We didn't stay long to make sure we got out of there before any poor weather arrived again, but all the struggle paid off when we got to see the sunrise over the lakes and mountains. Once we made our way back down, we hit a pub for a well-deserved pint and then headed to our next AirBNB. We stayed in a small suite in Powell River complete with a fireplace to warm our bodies which were pretty well frozen through-and-through. We thawed out with some good books and hit the town for an early dinner afterward, where we hit up Costa Del Sol. Costa Del Sol is a super tiny, adorable Latin restaurant along the main Marine Drive in Powell River, and we had to wait about 20 minutes to get a seat. Worth the wait though, the food was fantastic and the service was good too. It had been recommended to me and I am glad that it was!
Relaxation and more chatter were the only things to come from the rest of our last evening, but it was exactly the mood that Powell River bestows. We were lucky to catch a beautiful sunset before we left the next day... in the pouring rain again, of course. The entire drive to Powell River and back is a gorgeous, winding road which was well enjoyed with some road-trip tunes and good company. I would definitely make the trek back up there for some R&R or hiking... just maybe next time the hike will be in any conditions other than a storm.
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Photo Guide
Photo 1: Sechelt Pier, Sechelt BC
Photo 2: Tapp Rd Treehouse, Sechelt BC
Photo 3: Tapp Rd Treehouse, Sechelt BC
Photo 4: SCT on route to Tin Hat
Photo 5: SCT on route to Tin Hat
Photo 6: Tin Hat Cabin, Tin Hat Mountain BC
Photo 7: Tin Hat Summit BC
Photo 8: Tin Hat Summit BC
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