HBC Brigade Trail of 1848

An existing section of the first brigade trail between the Fort Langley and the Interior.

Statistics

Directions

Follow Highway #1 (Trans-Canada Highway) up the Fraser Canyon. Just North of Spuzzum, watch for an old wooden building on the right named Alexandria Lodge. Parking is available at the signed trailhead next to the lodge or a few hundred meters further North along the highway.

If you decide to park near the lodge, please be aware that it is private property and should be respected. A new trailhead sign at the lodge would seem to indicate that the current owners are accepting to the occasional visitor parking at the historic trailhead.

Details

In 1847, explorer and Hudson's Bay Company employee Andrew Caufield Anderson set out on foot to survey a possible trade route between Fort Langley and Fort Kamloops. After the Americans closed off Hudson's Bay Company access to existing trails through their territory, brigades began using Anderson's difficult route through the Fraser Canyon. Cabins and buildings were established along the route, including a log cabin that would later become Fort Yale, and a "Lake House" on the ridge above what is now known as Spuzzum.

In June 1848, three brigades set out under the command of Chief Trader Donald Manson and with A.C. Anderson as their guide. After loosing 70 horses and 25 pieces of cargo on the journey, and Manson and Anderson would later recommend that the route be altered and improved. A new route was established, leading from the newly established Fort Hope to Tulameen via Fools Pass. The new trail was rediscovered in the 1970's and is listed under "HBC Brigade Trail of 1849".

Thanks to the tireless efforts of historians and explorers, the trail was rediscovered and cleaned up. Starting at Alexandra Lodge, the trail leads uphill through a mossy forest that can get surprisingly hot and dry during the summer months. Don't expect a large number of switchbacks - the historic trail is steep and direct as it makes it's way up from the highway. A metal plaque attached to a tree approximately 1 km after the trailhead denotes the significance of the route.

After a total distance of 1.5 km, the trail begins to curve northward and level out slightly. The forest through this section of trail becomes denser than the light mossy forest near the start of the trail. After crossing over a small creek and past a minor talus slope, the trail levels off at a lookout over the Fraser Canyon. Unfortunately, the winter of 2006 dropped a large tree in front of the lookout bench, but the view is still inspiring and the bench can still be reached by climbing over the log.

Take your time and catch your breath at the viewpoint before continuing on the trail, now at a more gradual grade. Another 1.5 km later, the trail splits in two directions in a relatively dark section of forest with a bench. The trail leading to the left is the Bluffs Trail, which leads towards Gate Mountain and the 1858 Gold Rush Trail. The route was used by gold miners during the 1858 Fraser Canyon gold rush. The HBC Brigade Trail of 1848 continues to the right.

Unless you plan on making a direct route to either the bluffs campsite or Gate Mountain, the standard day-hike route is to continue on the 1848 trail via the right fork. A short distance after the junction the trail enters the remains of a forest fire that burned up the ridge in the summer of 2004. Thankfully, the fire did not stretch across the entire ridge and only burned a narrow section of forest. Signs of successful forest fire management can be seen throughout the area, including logging along the edge of the burn to create a perimeter and reduce fuel. The trail continues at an easy pace before levelling off after the forest fire area and reaching the top of a plateaued ridge. The ridge is home to five small lakes and a large number of ponds, the majority of which are close to the trail itself. Keep your eyes open for some weathered wooden trail signs on a tree once one of the lakes becomes fully visible on your right. From here, the 1848 trail continues straight and down to old logging roads coming up from the Anderson River.

Alternatively, a faint trail marked as "Campsite" leads to the south of the lake. The route is faint and not well marked, but can be followed north-west to the edge of a cliff above a long and narrow lake below. Aside from the great view of the lake down below and of the Fraser Canyon, there are a few flat spots in the area that are suitable for camping. Although the trail trail is almost invisible after reaching the edge of the cliff, turn to the right and head north to pick it up again as it curves around the cliff and down to the lower plateau.

Once on the lower plateau, the faint trail connects with the Bluffs Trail as it makes it's way to Gate Mountain from the earlier junction with the 1848 trail. A new campsite was constructed at the junction in the summer of 2006 which includes a picnic table, outhouse, metal fire pit, and benches for sitting around a fire. The picnic table and fire pit are right next to the edge of a cliff with good views of the Fraser Canyon. If you plan on staying the night, make sure you pack up your own water or bring a water filter. There is no running water on the ridge and the lakes can be stagnant and murky.

The Bluffs Trail can be followed north from the campsite, eventually connecting with the 1858 Gold Rush Trail leading up from the highway on it's modern route to the summit of Gate Mountain. A sign at the campsite mentions that this northern section of the Bluffs Trail has a few slides on it and may be difficult to follow. An interesting alternative would be to use a two-car system and continue north, leading down the 1858 trail instead of circling back to where you started.

Most day-hikers choose to turn left at the campsite, following the Bluffs Trail to the south. The trail enters the burn area and leads up an unbelievably narrow ridge. Although the forest was devastated by the fire, the trail is extremely fun to hike and provides the best views of the Fraser River and Trans-Canada Highway. The route was extensively reflagged through the burn area in the summer of 2006 and should be easy to follow. Once off of the narrow ridge, the trail re-enters the normal forest and eventually connects with the same junction on the 1848 Trail that you passed earlier. From here the trail can be followed back down to the trailhead at Alexandra Lodge.

Photographs

GPS Waypoints

Trailhead (Alexandria Lodge)	N49.71919 W121.42038	10U 613862 5508607
Alternate Trailhead (Near Highway Pullout)	N49.72161 W121.42126	10U 613793 5508875
Historical Marker	N49.72248 W121.41707	10U 614093 5508978
Creek Crossing	N49.72783 W121.41323	10U 614357 5509579
Rock Slide	N49.72823 W121.41234	10U 614421 5509624
Lookout Bench	N49.73126 W121.41203	10U 614436 5509962
1848 Trail and Bluffs Trail Junction	N49.74039 W121.40226	10U 615118 5510992
1848 Trail and Campsite Trail Junction	N49.75051 W121.39935	10U 615304 5512121
Lake Lookout	N49.75174 W121.40140	10U 615153 5512255
Bluffs Trail and Campsite Trail Junction	N49.75453 W121.40293	10U 615037 5512563