| For Whistler & the BC Coast Mountains go here, for the BC Rockies go here For BC ski resorts go here Manning Provincial Park makes good but not great destination. Although it is part of the mighty Cascade Range the mountains here are mostly forested and there really isn't one particular objective that really inspires passion. The best two hikes are to Three Brother Mountain 13 miles & 1050ft (trip report) provided you manage to catch the summer bloom and Frosty Mountain - 13.6 miles 3770ft, for the October larch display. Wells Gray Provincial Park is the home of majestic Helmcken Falls 
There are a couple other striking but lesser known waterfalls in this park too. (trip report) Revelstoke National Park is similar in Manning in that it has nice alpine but really spectacular. However in the winter the Meadows in the Sky Parkway becomes a trail and the Caribou Cabin is opened to the public. Propane lights and wood burning stove make the camping part easy however the five plus miles of snow shoeing to the cabin is tough. Trip report 2001 
Glacier National Park has one distinctive peak, 10,750ft Mt. Sir Donald that has been calling our names for a long time. Our first choice would be to backpack the 10+ miles to Copperstain Pass but it may be that we do one of the many day hikes up to the edge of the Illecillewaet Glacier first. |
Monica Meadows: (above) A spectacular yet short (~2 miles) day hike at the end of a very long road. For more alpine spendor confident scrambles can make their way over to Starbird Pass. Trip report 2006 Located near Duncan Lake and the hiking hotbed of Nelson BC. The Macbeth Icefield is next on our list to do here, or Jumbo Pass, or perhaps something from either Kokanee or Valhalla Parks. 
 Lake of the Hanging Glacier: This lake (above) is so spectacular it should not be missed. The lake is a mile and a half long and is surrounded on all sides by glaciers. These glaciers are heavily crevassed and full of seracs which regularly calf into the lake creating little icebergs and milky green water. There are larches too and flowers and all the usual suspects when it comes to alpine splendor. Not part of any park it's near Radium Hot Spring and Thunderwater Lake (another on the wishlist). Doable as a day hike - 10 miles, 3296ft gain - Trip report 2002 Bugaboo Provincial Park: The Bugaboos themselves are a series of granite spires like the Houndstooth (pictured left) that attract climbers from around the world. We hiked the first three miles of the route which leads to the Conrad Kain Hut at the edge of the Bugaboo Glacier - 2165ft gain. Trip report 2003 Next time we will aim for either Cobalt Lake or larch covered Chalice Ridge. |
