BC Tree Hunter

The year was 1991, and logging on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast was in full swing. One of many contentious targets was the Caren Range , where incredible stands of yellow cedar, western hemlock, and Pacific silver fir had flourished for millennia. Regrettably, that would change forever, when the chainsaws arrived. In the aftermath, one particularly ancient stump was discovered, and the growth rings revealed that the tree was 1835 years old. It was the oldest recorded tree in Canadian history at the time!

This 1835 year old yellow cedar stump sparked the public outcry that eventually resulted in the creation of Spipiyus Provincial Park … Photo provided by Friends of Caren to Western Canada Wilderness Committee

The public outcry that followed led to the formation of Friends of Caren, an organization dedicated to preserving what remained of the ancient forests of the Caren Range. The Western Canada Wilderness Committee was a key player in bringing publicity to their cause. Two years later, conservationist Randy Stoltmann, the founder of the BC Big Tree Registry, was invited to the Sunshine Coast to be measure a pair of immense yellow cedars near Lyon Lake. Those trees were duly recorded, and nominated to the registry in 1993. Later, 2979 hectares of land in this highly contested region was protected by the Government of British Columbia, and became known as Spipiyus Provincial Park, in 1999.

This was the area originally proposed as parkland in the Caren Range by the Friends of Caren and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee (WCWC) in the early 1990s. Photo credit WCWC publication

The name “Spipiyus”(pronounced “SPIP-ee-yoss”) has its roots in the language of the Shíshálh (Sechelt) First Nation, and refers to the Marbled murrelet. An endangered seabird that relies on the canopies of old growth forests for habitat, the murrelet also holds great cultural significance.

The fabled Marbled Murrelet… Image from Wikipedia

Follow me now, as the calendar moves forward to 2024. Steve McKenzie, a friend of mine living on the Sunshine Coast, had mentioned he wanted to relocate those two cedars the late Randy Stoltmann had visited in 1993. That spring, he and fellow tree enthusiast Theo Dwyer set out to fulfill that quest. Through the miracle of modern technology, Steve even managed to send me live updates while they conducted their search. I waited in suspense, staring across the water from Nanaimo toward Halfmoon Bay, hoping they would succeed. Good news, they did!

The subalpine forest of the Caren Range had stood for thousands of years before the region was logged. Thankfully, some of it still survives! …Photo credit Western Canada Wilderness Committee publication

Later that year, Steve invited me to join him on a return trip to Spipiyus that he and Theo had planned for August. When Christine Chourmouzis, who is the registrar for the BC Big Tree Registry, found out I was headed to the Sunshine Coast, she asked me if I might remeasure the trees and assess their health. I happily accepted the task!

Looking at Sechelt Inlet from the Caren Range

It’s said that the ancient forest of the Caren Range is the oldest documented closed canopy temperate rainforest in Canada. The elevation ranges between 750 and 1200 metres, where fog is frequent and snow often lingers into early summer. Those conditions mean that fires are rare, and understories are rich and diverse. In addition to the elusive marbled murrelet, wildlife sighted in the range can include black bear, cougar, black tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, pine marten, and even the occasional wolverine!

Well, they say that getting there is half the fun, but if that’s the case, “they” must never have driven the logging roads that access Spipiyus Provincial Park. Let’s just say that Steve’s capable Toyota 4 X 4 had about all it could handle on the voyage, and several days later he discovered it had sustained serious suspension damage! If you attempt the drive, a sturdy high clearance vehicle is an absolute must!

Yeah, it’s THAT kind of road

It took time to drive those twenty kilometres of loose, rocky, and rutted roads, but we made it in one piece! Better still, our good friend Doug Pope had been able to join us for the trip, making us a team of four. The heat of the warm summer day hit hard as we geared up for adventure, and minutes later, we took to the woods. It helped that Steve and Theo already had already tackled the route, because they knew how to avoid the tricky cliff bands we would encounter.

The view from the road, as we geared up for the trek

It didn’t take long before we entered what I can only describe as a world of wonder. The forest reminded me of British Columbia’s Cypress Provincial Park, where scientists believe there has not been a forest fire for over 4000 years!

Once we gained the plateau, we entered the cloud forest, where the temperature dropped noticeably

Photography here seemed a simple art to master, since all you needed to do is point your camera and shoot, for inspiring results. I was optimistic that we might find a marbled murrelet nesting tree, but unfortunately that was not to be. No, this day would be about enjoying the subtleties of a place that had changed little over countless centuries.

Tsuga heteropylla, the western hemlock This forest is intensely beautiful, in every way This photo gives you a good example of what the terrain is like

While we made our way toward the two trees of legend, other discoveries were made. Here and there lay the shattered remains of fallen yellow cedars and western hemlocks, reminding us that this primeval place was constantly evolving. Some clearings were laden with moss that felt like walking on a bed of sponge, while in others, outcroppings of steep granite had the forest resembling a massive rock garden.

A cluster of old growth western hemlocks Many of the hemlocks were quite tall Theo and Steve admiring the forest The bark of aging giants always has such character! Typical obstructions on the forest floor seen here. On the whole, the bushwhacking was not extremely difficult The greenery was picturesque!

Near the base of a cliff, we stumbled upon a peculiar western hemlock which had taken on an unusual form, likely after being struck by a falling tree. Hemlocks are known to take on unique shapes after accidents or exposure to disease.

The western hemlock adapts to stress in a wide variety of ways! I am certainly grateful that this forest will remain protected! Theo and Steve looking at mushrooms It is such a wonderfully quiet refuge

Just metres away, a massive western hemlock was located, which we later nominated to the BC Big Tree Registry. The tree, measuring 1.95 metres in diameter, now ranks as the 24th largest of its species in British Columbia!

It was surprising to see so many healthy western hemlocks that had reached old age. When they grow in subalpine forests like this one, it seems they are less susceptible to disease. A very healthy canopy Tale of the tape Theo (and Steve) nominated this beauty to the BC Big Tree Registry

We descended now, needing to circumvent difficult ground, and that led eventually to a quiet glade, protected from prevailing winds. Climbing over, around, and on top of all the fallen trees added to the adventure!

Doug uses a fallen giant here as a walkway. I sometimes call these superhighways, when they help speed travel through the forest, that is! Bushwhacking Doug and Steve making their way through these fine pillars Doug admiring some cedars Theo passes by the shell of a long dead yellow cedar And now, Theo searches for a way around this obstacle! Enchanting light A moss covered forest floor that had the texture of sponge Hollowed Rock gardens Still standing!

Suddenly, a hulking mass materialized, seemingly out of nowhere. “Can you see it?” Steve hinted, looking in the direction of a veteran yellow cedar. Rays of sunlight pierced the forest canopy as we approached its gnarled and twisted base. I was speechless. This was a tree the likes of which I had never seen before!

And there it was! This yellow cedar is the most spectacular one I have ever seen! Doug, Steve, and Theo enter the clearing Doug is going for the stoic, traditional pose here! Like many ancient yellow cedars, this one showed evidence of a bear den at its base As you can see, the crown of this tree is quite vigorous

We spent a considerable amount of time with this colossus, studying it carefully. It measured 3.34 metres diameter, which was slightly larger than Randy Stoltmann’s original number. The crown spread and height, on the other hand, were almost exactly what Randy had recorded back in 1993. This cedar remains in vigorous health, currently ranking second in the BC Big Tree Registry for overall size, and first in diameter. Mother Nature has clearly outdone herself here!

Truly a wall of wood! Several measurements were taken, as we wanted accurate data

Right beside this giant, another beautiful cedar grows, perhaps a direct descendant. While we did not attempt to discern the age of either tree, I believe that even a conservative estimate would easily place the larger specimen in the vicinity of 2000 years old!

I will never forget this place! Both trees enjoying the afternoon light

We decided to break for lunch before visiting the other yellow cedar that Randy Stoltmann had nominated to the registry in 1993. Reaching that tree would once again require losing a little elevation, as it rested near rocky bluffs which had to be carefully avoided. Nevertheless, we arrived at our destination in just another half hour. Soon we were looking at a yellow cedar which still retains eleventh place in the BC Big Tree Registry. We determined that the measurements Randy had taken in 1993 had remained unchanged. The tree breaks the tape at 2.65 metres in diameter, and no doubt approaches 1500 years in age!

Arriving at the second yellow cedar Another beautiful cedar grows not far away from the second cedar we sought The crown of the second cedar was also in excellent condition Steve obtains a measurement Silvery bark

The arduous task of returning to the logging road still loomed ahead, but Steve and Theo had another suggestion. They convinced Doug and me that the forest closer to Lyon Lake had a few more surprises! Getting there meant climbing back up to the plateau, then dropping down into a broad basin as we approached the lake.

It wasn’t long before we ran into this western hemlock on the way to Lyon Lake Well, nobody said it was going to be easy! The forest near Lyon Lake Meadow

Unfortunately, the first of those surprises was a ground nest of wasps I staggered into. The vengeful horde I disturbed stung me numerous times, and had me thinking that this kind of encounter had been all too frequent for me in recent years. In close proximity to that hazard was yet another yellow cedar we were compelled to investigate. It boasted a heavily burled base that resembled an enormous club foot. The twisted, silvery bark of this ancient warrior had survived many centuries, and the tree had also lost much of its height, probably due to storms.

Old soldier of the forest Gnarled and full of character! Club foot

Climbing out of the lake basin was tiring, as the heat of day finally caught up to us. In time, we made it back to the road, where ample refreshments awaited. Naturally, more interesting finds were made along the way!

Cluster of giants In the shadows Did I mention nobody said it was going to be easy? Nearly ready to descend toward the road Doug’s in there somewhere!

To round out the day, we drove to the end of the logging road, where there were breathtaking views of Sechelt Inlet and the surrounding mountains to appreciate. Gazing at the hills in the late afternoon light, I could not help but wonder what secrets still lay hidden in the Caren Range!

The area beyond the cut block in the foreground remains relatively unexplored!

*******AUTHOR’S NOTE*******

I would like to extend my thanks to Friends of Caren and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee for their hard work in urging the Province of British Columbia to set aside the lands of Spipiyus Provincial Park.

As well, I appreciate the efforts taken by Randy Stoltmann and Friends of Caren in documenting these trees for the BC Big Tree Registry. Had they not done so, perhaps none of us would have ended up visiting this enchanted forest.

Last, but far from least, thanks to Steve McKenzie and Theo Dwyer, for their diligence in relocating the trees, and for guiding Doug and me to see them. I forward to the next visit!