Directions: The location for this hike is just outside the city of Port Alberni, across from Sprout Lake Landing. Instead of turning left to the Landing, head right up Kimola Road. Immediately to our right there will be a logging road. Turn there, you will come to a T-Section, go right towards the AV Forest. Keep following this road along the pipeline until it comes to a Y with a pullout. Park here, posted on the tree on what looks to be a piece of soffit with a map of the area.
Trail: Take the left fork at the Y past a notable rotten and exposed stump. The trail starts as a thin old logging road, the grade steadily gets steeper. It’s a strenuous trek for the first 15–20 minutes of hiking. The road is old and eroded. I could describe it as rough, with jagged rocks the size of tennis balls being average. Pass the first deviation to your left. Keep heading forward. After leveling out the road will widen out with a sizable pile of soil and debris marking the spot, onto the left side you will find a trail.
Turn left into the forest, towards the river, the trail gradually getting skinnier and more grown-in. Soon after finding yourself disappearing into the forest, heading straight, you to reach a cliff side. Here is an almost vertical scramble down to the falls. Natural holds have formed by tangled roots and eroded rock face. A network of ropes set up by some helpful hikers assists your descent, but heres my advice: be careful where you grab. The rock face is slippery and not all holds are stable. This decent is more recommended only for able-bodied adventurers, for a less skillful decent read on.
Continue following the trail upstream on your first left will be a view from the top of the falls. Keep going further to find a bridge which crosses the river. Cross the bridge and go left yet again heading down stream. Keep heading down this trail. You will come across two signs, right for Teodora (another great mountain hike with a view), or left down to the bottom of the falls. Going down this trail, stay left, you will come to a set of switchbacks. They are steep but much more manageable than the aforementioned method of decent. Pro tip, on a windy day, this side of the falls is easier to get a shot of without misting your lens.
Nils Hilmar Weiner: Weiner Creek was named after a Swedish immigrant by the name of Nils Weiner, who died strangely. Over his life, Weiner developed the skill of being a fine artisan and became well known for his instruments, woodwork and other creations. In 1912 Nils built a new life in Port Alberni, earning his living creating with his hands as a successful woodworker and versatile tradesperson. Alberni Valley Museum has a collection of violins which were pieces of Nils. You can find pictures of these, along with others of Nils in their archives.
He cleared the land and built his home in what residents knew as Brannen’s Bay, right off the shore. In recent times, this part of Sprout is now known as Weiner’s Bay. According to accounts made by said past residents, Nils was a distraught man, warranted by his unfortunate circumstances he had fair reason to be. His beloved first wife died soon after they completed building their dream lake-side ranch. Obviously Nils did not take this well, apparently delving deeply into his work. Being an ambiguous Swede, during the effects of WW1, he faced the stress and fears of deportation or potential lynching caused by growing xenophobia against anyone who could pass as German or Austro-Hungarian. After his second marriage failed, with his wife walking out on him, things seemed to go even more down the hill for Nils, and he now craved solidarity focusing on his creations.
On a fateful night in 1944, residents reported a strange series of explosions near Brannen’s Bay. The following morning lonely Weiner was pronounced dead or well, missing, with all the buildings on his property being burnt to the ground, and his house blown into pieces. His where about’s were unknown, not even a burnt foot. The investigation proved null and no one could say what happened to Nils, although many have pointed to Sprout Lakes’ already spiritual and violent past.
Vanislewaterfalls 