The Sunshine Coast Trail Illustrated Atlas

THUNDER RIDGE:   Malaspina Road to Plummer Creek Road This is a fairly short and relatively easy part of the trail. The southern section dropping off the summit of the ridge descends quickly, but there is really no exposure here unless the trail is wet and a bit slippery. The Malaspina Road trail head is of interest for runners: it's the traditional start point for the "Marathon Shuffle", a springtime ritual for crazies that like to risk life and limb by running on trails made for hiking. Not my thing, but then I would debate running from a bear because it would mean actually running, a life threatening and futile activity regardless of what's chasing me. The first water source along this trail would be Fern Gully, but the last time I walked by that creek it was dry as a bone, so I would never count on water there.  The only truly dependable source of water is on the other side of the ridge at Plummer Creek.  That's about 4 km away from Malaspina, but it will be s...

MANZANITA TO MALASPINA ROAD.   This is an important post in some ways: Malaspina Road is a major paved road and an easy intersection point for evacuation or resupply.  If you are already in trouble at this point I have nothing but despair for you.  From Sarah Point to Powell River is essentially just a warm-up. Just to remind you of where you came from.  From Sarah Point to here there are only two guaranteed watering holes. The next water source is about a kilometer south at the bottom of a steep winding trail. After that there is about 5 kilometers of hiking, some of it in the blazing sun, before you find Fern Crossing. Fern Crossing is NOT dependable.  I've seen it dry at least twice.  Then you are in for a 4 km hump over the ridge until you get to a dependable water source. I still don't understand how Arbutus trees survive without any visible bark. Maybe the ticks feed them. Open concept architecture; pretty much 5 star when it comes to hiking But the l...