Mountain Footsteps by Strong, Janice -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Contents

Acknowledgements Introduction

East Kootenay Region of Southeastern British Columbia The Hiking Trails in the East Kootenay

How To Use this Guidebook

Favourite and special places: 5-star and 4-star hikes Hike ratings Distances Elevation gain Trail Time Access roads

Note on changing road conditions Industrial logging traffic on FS roads Animals on the Road Parking

Porcupine damage to vehicles Vehicle ratings Maps GPS Mountains Rivers Place names Mountain weather and safety Short summers: Rescue What to do if you get lost

How to cut a big orange bag for personal shelter Helicopter rescue Finding someone who is lost

Water

Giardia

The basics Wildlife Ministry of Environment access management areas Bears Ticks Interesting history of Wild Horse Creek and Perry Creek Gold Rush of the 1890s

Fisherville Perry Creek Steamshovel Perry Pass Trail Sanca Pass: Meachen Creek to Kootenay Lake

Trail Builders Note:

1 Northern Purcell Mountains

#1 Silent Pass

Further exploration

Spillimacheen Glacier North Edge Drive Trail

#2 McMurdo Cabin

Further exploration Winter access

Drive Trail

Bugaboos

Bugaboo access roads for hikes:

Getting to the Bugaboos

Cobalt Lake and Conrad Kain Hut Chalice Tarn Road Silver Basin Road Bugaboo Pass Road Templeton Lake Turnoff, continued from “Getting to the Bugaboos” above Templeton Creek Road Lead Queen FS Road continued from “Getting to the Bugaboos” above. For Tiger Pass to Shangri-la hike Frances Creek Road Tiger Pass Road

Bugaboo Provincial Park

Land features and geology Accommodation Protect Your Vehicle #3 Cobalt Lake in Bugaboo Provincial Park

Drive Trail

#4 Conrad Kain Hut

Conrad Kain Hut Camping

Drive Trail

#5 Silver Basin

Drive Trail

#6 Bugaboo Pass

Drive Trail

# 7 Chalice Creek

Further exploration

Ridgewalk Drive Trail

#8 Lower Bugaboo Falls

Drive Trail

#9 Templeton Lake

Drive Trail

#10 Tiger Pass to Shangri-la (Upper Dunbar Lakes)

Further explorations

Western Upper Tarn Tiger Pass Shangri-la Drive

Forster Creek, Horsethief Creek

Forster/Horsethief FS access roads for hikes:

Access from Radium Access from Invermere

Forster Creek for Thunderwater Lake and Welsh Lakes

Road directions continued from Access from Invermere

Horsethief Creek FS Road for Lake of the Hanging Glacier

Road directions continued from Access from Invermere

#11 Welsh Lakes

Further explorations

Upper Welsh Lake Pass between Centaurus Glacier and Killarney Peak Aberystwyth Lake Fourth Welsh Lake Drive Trail

#12 Thunderwater Lake – Whirlpool Lake

Further explorations

Whirlpool Lake Edouard Lake at the headwaters of Edouard Creek Drive Trail

#13 Lake of the Hanging Glacier

Camping History

Drive (repeated from Horsethief Creek FS Road) Trail

Jumbo, Brewer and Doctor Creeks and Columbia Valley Wetlands

#14 Jumbo Pass

Jumbo Pass Cabin Current Events

Drive

West Kootenay access to Jumbo Pass – Glacier Creek

Trail

#15 Brewer Creek Tarns and Pass

Further explorations

Ben Abel Lake, 2340 m (7,700 ft.) Drive Fairmont access Invermere access Trail Mount Brewer option Meadow Trail option

#16 Findlay Falls

Drive

#17 Doctor Lakes

Further explorations

Doctor High Tarn Largest Doctor Lake Drive Trail to Doctor Creek Cabin and Doctor Lake

#18 Columbia Valley Wetlands

Canoeing and kayaking Hikes Further explorations – other East Kootenay wetlands

Drive Invermere/Wilmer access

Wilmer Marsh Wildlife Reserve

Radium access

Wings over the Rockies

Another Radium Option

2 Southern Purcell Mountains

St. Mary River

Road directions for St. Mary Lake Road and for Dewar and Meachen Creek FS roads St. Mary Road to Dewar Creek Road

Drive

Dewar Creek FS Road, continued from St. Mary Lake Road above

Purcell Wilderness Conservancy

Roads and access History Management #19 Dewar Creek Hot Springs

Bathing in the hot springs Camping

Drive Trail

St. Mary’s Alpine Provincial Park

Maps Park status #20 Hikes in St. Mary’s Alpine Provincial Park

South access hike route West access trail North access hikes

South access hikes: Manson Col, east of Mount Manson Drive: South Access St. Mary’s Alpine Park West access hikes: main access to centre of park, many lakes Drive: west access to St Mary’s Alpine Park

Meachen Creek and Perry Creek

Meachen Creek FS Road, continued from St. Mary River earlier in this chapter, St. Mary’s Lake Road at 16 km

Drive

#21 Meachen Creek Falls

Drive

#22 White Boar Lake

Drive

#23 Hourglass Lake

Upper Hourglass Lake

Drive Trail

#24 Haystack Lake and Upper Haystack Lake

Upper Haystack Lake – New Trail

Sanca Pass and Carrot Lake Haystack Lake Upper Haystack Lake – New Trail Drive Trail to Haystack Lake – Old Trail Upper Haystack Lake – New Trail

Road Directions to Perry Creek FS Road

Road access for hikes: #25 Perry Creek Falls

Trail

Drive Trail

#26 VOR Tower

Drive

#27 Richmond Lake

Further explorations

Richmond Lake to Gold Run Lake circuit traverse Drive Trail

#28 Gold Run Lake

Further explorations

Richmond Lake to Gold Run Lake (or reverse direction) Routes: Perry Pass, Hellroaring Lakes, Mount Flett Drive Perry Pass to Hellroaring Lakes and Mount Flett

#29 Richmond Lake to Gold Run Traverse

Drive Trail

Moyie River and Creston

#30 Cooper Lake – Moyie River

History

Drive Trail

#31 Mount Thompson Rim Trail

Drive Trail

#32 Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area

Trails Maintaining the wetland History

Drive

Further explorations

Duck Lake Bike Ride

Cranbrook and Kimberley

#33 Cranbrook Mountain

Trail

Options at the summit Drive Trail

Cranbrook/Kimberley Short and Easy Hikes Cranbrook Kimberley Trail Maps

Cranbrook #34A Cranbrook Community Forest #34B Windy Bluff and Kettle Lake in the Cranbrook Community Forest: Northern hiking/biking access

Drive

#34C Sylvan Lake, Grassland and biking trails in the Cranbrook Community Forest: Southern hiking/biking access #34D Eager Hills in the Cranbrook Community Forest: Across Highway 3/95 hiking/biking access

Drive

#34E South Star Cross-Country Ski Trails (also hiking, biking trails in other seasons)

Trail Further explorations

Drive

#34F Mother’s Day Hill

Drive Trail

#34G Wycliffe Walk, near the Airport

Drive Trail

#34H Moe’s Canyon in Kimberley Cross-Country Ski Trails

Drive Trail

#34I Kimberley Nature Park – Sunflower Hill

Another trailhead to the Kimberley Nature Park: Eimer Pond

Drive St. Mary Lake Road

#34J Marysville Waterfalls #34K Mark Creek Fitness Trail

3 Southern Rockies

Mause, Sunken Creeks and Tanglefoot Lake Wardner/Fort Steele Road: A Scenic Paved Backroad

Fort Steele access from Highway 93/95 Wardner access from Highway 3/93 Wardner/Fort Steele Road Wild Horse Creek FS Road Mause Creek Road Sunken Creek Road Bull River FS Road Bull River FS Road continued: Cliff Lake Bull River FS Road continued: Summer Lake #35 Mount Fisher (FISHER PEAK)

Drive Trail

#36 Mause Creek Tarns

Further explorations

Tanglefoot Lake Five Passes Unnamed Mountain south of tarns Eastern tarn

History

To Tarns: To Tanglefoot Pass: Drive Trail 1. Scenic route, 2. Faster route

#37 Tanglefoot Lake via Mause Creek Tarns

Further explorations

Five Passes Trail

To Tanglefoot Pass To Tanglefoot Lake To Windy Pass

Drive Trail

#38 Sunken Creek

Further explorations

Five Passes trail

History

To second creek crossing

Entire trail

Drive Trail

#39 Five Passes Trail

Drive Trail

Wild Horse River

Wild Horse River FS Road access for hikes:

Drive

#40 Lakit Lookout

Lakit Lookout Shelter

Drive Lakit Road Trail

#41 Bear Lake

Pass above Bear Lake Loop trail via Little Bear Tarn

Drive Trail

#42 Fay’s Lake

Hiking the entire route ATV access on old roads to the trailhead Drive Trail Further explorations

Fay’s Lake to Teepee Mountain

#43 Nine Basins – Wild horse Creek Headwaters

Trail

Drive

Bull River

#44 Pickering Hills

Trail Further explorations around the Bull River

Bull River spring walk Drive Pickering Hills

#45 Cliff Lake

Drive Trail

#46 Summer Lake Trails

Further explorations

Drive Ruault Lake

Trail and Route to Ruault Lake

Teepee, Premier Lake, Top of the World and Whiteswan Lake

#47 Teepee Mountain and Mount Stevens Pass

Further explorations

Fay’s Lake to Teepee Mountain Estella Mine Drive to Estella Mine Drive Trail to Teepee Mountain via Mount Stevens

#48 Marmalade Basin to Shark’s Tooth Mountain

Further explorations

Ram Creek Hot Springs Drive Trail

#49 Premier Ridge from Wasa Lake or from Premier Lake

Drive Trail Hike Wasa (Wolf Creek Rd) to Premier Ridge Hike or Bike from Premier Lake Further explorations

Quartz Lake shore for boat access or hiking To Premier Ridge from Premier Lake Provincial Park

#50 Yankee, Canuck and Turtle Lakes Loop – Premier Lake Provincial park

Drive Trail Further exploration

Saddleback Trail

#51 Saddleback Ridge

Drive Trail

#52 Top of the World Provincial Park: Lussier River to Fish Lake

Top of the World Provincial Park Trail to Fish Lake: the visitor core of Top of the World Provincial Park Fish Lake Campsite

Fish Lake Public Cabin – accommodation

Karst limestone plateau Natural feature Coyote Creek Campsite from Fish Lake Hikes in Top of the World Provincial Park

Karst limestone high plateau from Coyote Creek access Karst Limestone High Plateau from the Fish Lake Visitor Core Sugarloaf Mountain Sparkle Lake Alpine Viewpoint Wild Horse Ridge Summer Pass and Galbraith Creek Drive Coyote Creek Campsite from Fish Lake Sugarloaf Mountain Sparkle Lake Alpine Viewpoint Wild Horse Ridge

#53 Ptarmigan Lake

Drive Trail

Fernie

#54 Fernie Alpine Resort – Skyline Ridgewalk

Geology Planning the hike Shorter ridgewalk: Polar Peak Entire loop

Lizard Range full loop Shorter ridgewalk: Polar Peak Drive Trail for Entire Loop

#55 Fernie Bike and Hike Trails and Elk River Walk

The Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club Maps Mount Fernie Provincial Park Castle Rocks

Drive to Castle Mountain trailheads

Further exploration

Elk River walk Trailheads from Mount Fernie Park Fernie/Elk River Walk Drive

#56 Fairy Creek Falls

Fairy Creek past the falls to the base of mountains Drive Trail

Hartley Lake and Dicken Road

Road access for hikes:

Drive

#57 Ghost rider on Mount Hosmer

Ghost Rider Lore Hike

Drive Trail

#58 Three Sisters Mountain

Drive Trail

#59 Mountain Lakes Trail – Traverse from Three Sisters Pass to Island Lake Resort

Further exploration

Mount Fernie cutoff, a.ka. “Rocky Way” Drive Trail

#60 Cabin Ridge

Thunder Meadows Hut Further explorations

Fernie Trails Island Lake Resort Trails Old-growth cedar grove only Continue to Thunder Meadows Hut Drive Trail

#61 Spineback Trail at Island Lake Resort

Island Lake Resort (Island Lake Lodge)

Drive Trail

#62 Baldy Loop on Island Lake Resort Trails

Drive Trail

#63 Old Growth Trail at Island Lake Resort

Further exploration

Cabin Ridge trail to Thunder Meadows Hut Drive Trail

Elko

#64 Silver Spring Lakes

Further exploration

Silver Spring rim overlook Drive Trail

#65 Silver Spring Rim Overlook on the cliff rim above Silver Spring Lakes

Drive Trail

#66 Wigwam Flats–Mount Broadwood Heritage Conservation Area

Further explorations

Silver Spring rim overlook trail Silver Spring Lakes Sheep Mountain Drive Trail Wigwam Flats Confluence of Elk and Wigwam rivers

#67 Sheep Mountain – Elko

Drive Trail

#68 Baldy Lake

If the trail is snow-covered

Drive Trail Ridgewalk

Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park Adjacent to national parks of Waterton in Alberta and Glacier in Montana

Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park Hiking Camping in Akamina-Kishinena Park Ecosystems and mountain ridges #69 Wall and Forum Lakes in Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park

Akamina Ridge

Drive Trail to Wall Lake Forum Lake

#70 Akamina Ridge via Wall Lake

Wall Lake to Akamina Ridge – return the same way Alternative route up to Akamina Ridge from Forum Lake

Drive Wall Lake to Akamina Ridge – return the same way Forum Lake to Akamina Ridge Trail

4 Northern Rockies

Northern Rockies – West Side

#71 Bumpy Meadows–Pedley Pass

Drive

Windermere Creek Road

Trail

Ridge – rounded summit Tarn

#72 Swansea Lookout Trail

History Trail drive to the top

Drive Mount Swansea FS Road Swansea Slopes trails

#73 Columbia Lake – by Canal Flats, east side

Trail

Drive

#74 Diana Lake

Diana Lake Lodge

Drive Trail to Diana Lake

#75 Nipika Mountain Resort – Natural Bridge Trails

Trails Nipika Mountain Resort

Drive

Height of the Rockies Provincial Park

Recreation Recommended hikes described in this book Hikes not in this edition Fire Mountains Historical information Kootenay and Palliser rivers, Albert Creek and Joffre Creek FS roads

Access roads for hikes:

Highway 93 in Kootenay National Park to Settler’s Road Palliser/Kootenay FS Road Albert River FS Road for Ralph Lake Joffre Creek FS Road for Sylvan Pass #76 Ralph Lake – Height of the Rockies Provincial Park

Trail Further explorations

Scenic Pass views of the Royal Group mountains Drive

Albert Creek FS Road, repeated from earlier in this chapter

Trail

#77 Sylvan Pass to Limestone Lakes

Limestone Lakes

Trailhead to Limestone Lakes three-day minimum, four- to six-day backpacking trip Sylvan Pass Sylvan Pass to Limestone Lakes Drive Sylvan Pass Sylvan Pass to Limestone Lakes (also known as Westside Lakes on some maps)

Elk Lakes Provincial Park

Elk Lakes Provincial Park BC Provincial Parks History Drive to Elk Lakes Provincial Park Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (Kananaskis) #78 Elk Lakes Provincial Park – Overview of Hikes in the Park

Accommodation in Elk Lakes Provincial Park

Lodge

Camping Further explorations

Upper Elk Lake Viewpoint Trail Pétain Waterfalls Upper Pétain Basin from waterfalls Lower Elk Lake to Frozen Lake Loop Lower Elk Lakes Drive Trail to Lower Elk Lake Upper Elk Lake Pétain Waterfalls Trail to Upper Elk Lake and Pétain Waterfalls Upper Pétain Basin from waterfalls Lower Elk Lake to Frozen Lake Loop Trail

Contact Information and References

Organizations

Trail-building and maintenance groups Backcountry huts Lodges that operate trail networks

References Useful Information

Ambulance service BC Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest District BC Ministry of Tourism, Culture & the Arts – Rocky Mountain District Recreation Officer BC Provincial Parks Forest fires Hospitals RCMP Report wildlife violations (24-hour service):

Index About the Author

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