Could anyone give me some general directions to get to Nitnat along the Northern route from the Port Alberni area..?? Also road conditions compared to the Southern route thru Youbou..?? Distance compared to the Southern route...?? Is there the same logging traffic both routes Monday to Friday..??

hey bobson
it's approx same distance of logging road(except alberni route has 1 bonus paved section), soooo unless you're in alberni, or coming from longbeach or something, i'd take the Youbo route.
....from alberni take the Bamfield logging road, then turn left on Franklin River main i think ... as far as logging traffic goes, i have no idea.

Thanks western-wind-dude , same distance with some pavement sounds better. Thee in-laws are moving to Port Alberni so I'm thinking I will be acessing Nitnat from that end some weekends. I like the sound of even just a little bit of smothness to the road since we just bought a new 2005 Ford Escape.

don't forget about 'china_creek' ... very similar to nitnat, and WAY closer to alberni. some days when marine layer is massive, china will break open sooner than nitnat. it's really a nice little spot! also there's supposedly a place right in alberni on 'res' land that apparently pretty dope! but i haven't been.

Bobson wrote: Could anyone give me some general directions to get to Nitnat along the Northern route from the Port Alberni area..?? Also road conditions compared to the Southern route thru Youbou..?? Distance compared to the Southern route...?? Is there the same logging traffic both routes Monday to Friday..??

Bobson, check out

http://www.kitesurfer.ca/nitinat.html

for directions.

Cheers

Hey Bobson,
The directions on kitesurfer.ca are great. Don't know what its like this year for traffick, most times last year there seemed to be more logging trucks on the Alberni side -some people counted 25-30 on their way in, unusual to meet more than 10 on the youbou route. I think all the trucks I saw last year were highway trucks. Off-highways are getting rare. The Youbou route is almost all wide enough to pass highway trucks with no problem almost anywhere (I pull over and either slow right down, or stop depending on road width/curves). Off road logging trucks can take up the whole road even on the mainlines, met one once at a tight turn just after a bridge, it was interesting. I usually slow down and roll the window down to listen as I come up to that curve now...
I'll echo the watch for oncoming on the one-way - two summers ago I missed a head on by <10cm and did $2K damage to my brand new Dakota hitting the bank - luckily, got the guy's licence number as he took off, didn't cost me. That is on the first right turn after the one-way starts, anywhere else on the one-way and you'd see them coming with ample time. The signage is way better now, I think the guy complained. An accident could be iffy for insurance because it is private road.
Logging truck traffic volume can really vary during the week depending on what blocks are being harvested, what the lumber prices are doing, etc. Sometimes I carry a radio on the truck frequency, usually if I'm planning to go up to Carmanah or I'm working in the area, but it really isn't necessary on the mainline into Nitinat. You'll soon get used to the drive - I'll probably be going in sometime soon with this weather, we could drive together so you don't have to keep looking at your odometer and directions.

Fantastic directions Kite-king!! MF4, fantastic it would be great to go up with someone else. I've gone the southern route 3 times now so I'm pretty good with that way. Never the northern route yet. Let me know when you're planning a trip, I'd like to get up there soon, maybe next weekend or two..?? Anybody go this weekend..?? What was it like..??

Anybody else up for a Nitnat trip next weekend with good weather..??

Anybody else up for a Nitnat trip next weekend with good weather..??

Bobson:

Hey I thought you'd be up there today. I bet it was windy. I'd be up for a trip next weekend if the weather is good. I'm also hoping for a good NW Long Beach forecast too.

Good 4.5 at Gordons today - you would of been nicely powered on the 9.0,
dave

Hey, I'm in for a Nitnat trip next looooong weekend. The long range forcast is for sunshine next weekend. Jimmy, let us know what you think! I'll bring some easter chocolate eggs to hide under all the logs. HA! anybody else..??

[smilie=pimp.gif] Yes Bobson I think you should go to Nitinat!!!