Elk-Thurston Trail
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A classic and popular sub alpine ridgewalk.
Statistics
To Elk Mountain
| Total Distance: |
8.0 km (return) |
| Estimated Time: |
4 hours |
| Average Grade: |
16.9% |
| Structure: |
Linear - Return |
|
|
Elevation Gain:
|
674 m |
| Start Elevation: |
630 m |
| Max Elevation: |
1304 m |
|
To Mount Thurston
| Total Distance: |
14.6 km (return) |
| Estimated Time: |
7 hours |
| Average Grade: |
13.6% |
| Structure: |
Linear - Return |
|
|
Elevation Gain:
|
996 m |
| Start Elevation: |
630 m |
| Max Elevation: |
1626 m |
|
Directions
Follow Highway #1 (Trans-Canada Highway) to Chilliwack, taking exit #123 for Prest Road. Turn South (right) onto Prest Road. At the second four way stop, turn left, which is Bailey Road and follow it to a fork, with Lindell Road continuing to the left and Elkview Road heading sharply uphill on the right.
Take the right fork, and follow Elkview Road as it winds its up the mountain to the Ryder Lake area of Chilliwack. At the 3-way stop sign, keep going straight. After approximately 15 minutes of driving through the pleasant country, the road turns to gravel. Stay to the right. You haven't missed your turn - continue onwards on the gravel road, now Chilliwack Bench Forest Service road.
A short 1km of car accessible driving leads you to a gravel parking area on the left. Park here and find the trailhead at the far end of the parking lot (east end) beside the road (no signpost anymore).
Details
The first 3.5 km of this trail is a steady climb through forest. Eventually though you will break through the forest and get to the first lookout, which offers great views of the Fraser Valley to the west.
Continuing along the trail for another 10 minutes back into forest, and you will pop out onto the ridge itself, where in the early summer many wildflowers bloom. If you hit it right, you'll also find wild strawberries as well (around the end of June-early July).
Once on the ridge, there's some excellent views of the mountains to the south and south-east, with Mts. MacGuire, Border Peaks, and Mt. Slesse being dominant. There's also some great views of Mt. Baker as well.
The trail along the ridge rises and dips with the ridge, and eventually heads back into forest past Elk Mtn summit. From Elk summit, another 30 minutes of hiking takes you to another minor peak with a large cairn with some excellent views. This is an un-named peak, but this little peak has far better views than Mt. Thurston, which is the bushy peak that is another 30 min or so away.
The trail actually continues past Mt. Thurston, but it's condition is in somewhat worse condition due to the fact that few carry along the ridge this far from Elk. This trail eventually links up with an old forest service road and takes you to an obvious pass, where a trail then continues on to Mt. Mercer, which is the highest peak along the ridge.
Photographs
GPS Waypoints
| Trailhead |
N49.10490 W121.82054 |
10U 586087 5439787 |
| Small creek crossing |
N49.10949 W121.82207 |
10U 585967 5440295 |
| Start of steep section |
N49.11555 W121.81871 |
10U 586202 5440973 |
| Trail exits forest |
N49.11582 W121.81201 |
10U 586690 5441011 |
| Elk Mountain lookout |
N49.11568 W121.81127 |
10U 586744 5440996 |
| Elk Mountain summit |
N49.11353 W121.80405 |
10U 587275 5440765 |
| Cairn |
N49.10541 W121.78309 |
10U 588819 5439887 |
| Mount Thurston lookout |
N49.10462 W121.77621 |
10U 589323 5439807 |
| Mount Thurston summit |
N49.10699 W121.76781 |
10U 589931 5440081 |