Sahtlam Lodge is an eclectic retrea Frans pane 43 But not everything got swallowed by. the trees. Overlooking — the — Trans Canada Trail trom the oppo- site side of the Cowichan River is Sahdlam Lodge, buiir “as a hunting and fishing “retreat 80 years ago by a British businessnian named :, Matson. London newspapers used to print the Cowichan’s - fishing reports, such was the river’s reputation for chinook, coho and chum salmon, steel- head, rainbow, curhroat and brown trout. (Obviously the dynamite and log jams didn’t slow them toc much. } ‘Today, the lodge is home to Val and Dave Hignell. Irs an-celectic retreat that ~ wouldn't look our of place in a David Lynch movie. A col- lection of cheese graters nailed to a gate greets visitors. “We call it the Grate Gate,” laughs Val. The Hignells rent out hol- iday cabins in the grounds and run 3 restaurant from the lodge. Both are relieved that the Marie Canyon Trestie has been restored since they used to worry that some of their rp Zeb RO guests might not return from hiking the popular Skurz Falls Loop, which includes the trestle. “There were two or three boards missing in parts of the deck and it’s a long way down,” said Dave. “We had a guy stay whe was on crutches who crossed it. I don’t know how he did it but he did,” said Val. > ET SAE PRICES END SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 200 4 half-width 'spillproof" ‘shel Sears regs 149. 99. $887 Mite quantities | last Sunday, Gctobsr 15, 2000 - North Shore News - 43° Old growth fir, cedar and From Sahtiam, guests can reach both the Trans Canada Trail and the Cowichan River foorpath by private rivercart. The fatter of the nwo trails follows 29 kilometres of the river, a roughly seven-hour hike one way through salal and ocean spray, Oregon grape and bracken fern. At this time of year, hikers can expect to see hundreds of species of wild mushrooms and in spring, an explosion of wildflowers “compete for attention. hemlock, bigleaf maple “and arbutus line the way and on the water, kayakers run. fre- quent rapids. Occasionally, so does a tourist in an inner tube. For more information on the B.C. section of the Trans Canada Trait, visit chttp://www.luco.gov.be.ca /trancan/home2.htm>. For details on. hikes’ and accommodation, visit or call 1 (877) 748-7738. S yoo Metro Town Centre (604) 433-3211 Gallo Town Core (604) 584-4149 ce 604) 2095511 Based cn independent national sinveys current at time of advertising preparation “