After a week’s delay due to the January 12 snow storm, the Lake Cowichan Retreads hiking group made a trip to check out progress the Kinsol Trestle rehabilitation, and to hike up the river.
After a challenging drive up to the top end of Riverside Road, and clambering down the pathway to the view-point, members stood in awe as they looked up at the work on the trestle.
It has been divided in sections, and new trusses have been erected at about five points along the trestle. These are being tied along the top with steel girders, and work is underway placing a new deck and fence starting from the north end.
Standing down near the river and looking up gives a sense of the enormous size of the trestle. Interested parties can view the work by following the link from www.kinsol.ca to the camcorder pictures.
After viewing the trestle for some minutes, hikers then set off about 2 kilometres up-stream, along the side of the Koksalih River on the trail that leads to burnt bridge.
From the trail we turned up a forest road and back to the parking area where we stood under the sign and had our pictures taken.
Next week’s hike is to Stoney Mountain Access, which is located down the Genoa Bay Road. The group meets at Saywell Park at 9:30 am and car pools to the hike site.