Hiking
in the Kootenays Region of the BC Rockies
Travel
info
for the Kootenays. Trails
in this area.
The
Kootenays,
stretching from the Monashee Mountains in the west, and the Purcell Mountains
in the east, consists of snow capped mountains, clear bubbling streams,
forest covered valleys and large inland lakes. The climate in this region
is shared by most of the interior of British
Columbia. Winters are usually cold and dry, while summers tend to
be hot, dry and low on humidity. Wildlife
here thrives, so don't be surprised if you encounter deer, elk, moose,
caribou, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, both grizzly and black bears.
Overhead fly both bald eagles and golden eagles and in the lakes there's
waterfowl galore. Take time out to visit the many heritage building, old
mining ghost towns and abandoned railways. The Kootenays offers a diversity
of both summer and winter recreation such as down hill skiing, fishing,
canoeing, whitewater rafting, bird watching, horseback riding, mountain
climbing and hiking. Life in the Kootenays is laid back where people can
maintain an alternative lifestyle, so leave the rush behind and enjoy
this particular corner of BC.
Monashee
Provincial Park:
Monashee
Provincial Park is a wilderness area covering 7513 ha (18,560 acres) in
the Monashee Mountains and is used by advanced hikers and mountain climbers
who wish to scale the higher peaks of this range. From Cherryville, take
Sugar Lake Road that leads north to Spectrum Falls parking lot, which
is 12 km (7.4 mi.) outside the park boundary. From here its a steep hike
to the park and the 24 km (15 mi.) of hiking trails and wilderness camping.
The hiking terrain is strenuous with steep switchbacks, the first camp
site which is at Spectrum Lake is a long five hour hike. Your next camp
spot is at Peters Lake, another extremely steep gruelling hike.
Make this
your base camp and enjoy day trips to other parts of the park, like Fawn
Lakes and the Valley of the Moon. Watch for bears,
bring your bells and noisemakers to keep them away and make sure your
food is well protected and away from the sleeping area. Be safe, have
fun!
Valhalla
Provincial Park:
Valhalla
Provincial Park is 49,200 hectares (121,150 acres) of wilderness, located
on the west side of Slocan Lake in the Selkirk Mountains. Most of the eastern
of the Valhalla Range lies within the park and accessible only by boat from
Slocan Lake, or by four wheel drive from Slocan.
Once your have reached the hiking sections, there are a number of trails,
one is the Nemo Creek Trail another is the Drinnon Pass Trail. Before you
go beyond these marked trails, contact BC Parks in Nelson
for information and conditions. There are no services up here, so plan your
trip, be well equipped and self sufficient. Be safe, have fun!
Kokanee
Glacier Park:
Kokanee
Glacier Park is one of BC's oldest and most scenic parks featuring
glaciers including the Kokanee Glacier, alpine meadows, waterfalls, more
than thirty lakes all intercepted by mountain peaks. Located in the Selkirk
Mountains, northwest from Nelson,
this park has easy access to backpacking during the summer months. The
terrain here is rugged, but the lower sections are full of old mining
trails, that are well maintained by the parks branch. You will also find
old maintained hikers' cabins, outback campsites and nature trails. Make
a base camp and take day hikes into the heart of the park. Stay off the
glaciers, they are dangerous.
Hike the Kootenay Pass, an easy reached alpine area, where a herd of woodland
caribou make their home. Located 34 km (21 mi.) west of Creston,
in the Selkirk Mountains, where the highest paved road runs through the
pass. The terrain is almost treeless, making for great hiking along the
tops of ridges. Take Highway 3 west from Salmo
to Bridal Lake picnic area where you will find short walking trails, or
head directly into the alpine area of the pass and choose your own routes.
Always know where you are, where you want to go and keep an eye on the
weather conditions, things can change quickly high in the mountains. Be
prepared for the worst possible conditions when hiking, it's better and
safer that way.
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