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Abbotsford, BC
Canada
439 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 10:21 AM
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I made a quick little detour to check out the Airplane Creek road access beforehand. The gate at the Foley Creek crossing was open but the sign was still there warning of the gate being locked at 2 pm daily. Rather than risk being locked in, I stuck to my original plan.
I drove up the Chipmunk Creek road and parked at the clearing beside the creek at 850 m, just before the bridge. The old Laughington west road (formerly accessed by a second bridge that has since been removed) now requires a ford to reach.
It would have been even easier to cross on the bridge upstream and then follow the other bank downstream and cross the tributary stream at its mouth, where the channel is broad and flat. Crossing here was fairly trivial though.
The road was not immediately obvious but not difficult to find with some poking around.
 
It is getting fairly overgrown with alders through many sections, but there was always at least a worn track to follow. Everything was damp and before long I was soaked.
 I came across this sign on the ground after some distance; funny, I couldn’t imagine many vehicles using this road.
 A little further brought me to this pretty waterfall.
Once past the falls the road was mostly open and more pleasant.
 An obstacle along the way.
 The upper road.
 Gloomy debris pile at road’s end.
From here I made my way uphill through the slash, picking up immediately a route marked with red ribbons. About halfway to the tall trees in the distance, the ribbons seemed to end abruptly. I briefly searched around in vain before resuming my course to the edge of the clearcut and into the old forest. The bushwhacking was easy until I began to approach the ridge crest, where there were dense thickets of mountain ash. Eventually I gained the broad ridge and followed it upwards for quite some time.
 Somebody’s hideout.
 There was a short scramble section.
 Finally the summit! Not much snow left, just some patches on the north side.
 Breathtaking view of the Cheam Range. (Keep looking…it's there somewhere)
On the way back down I strayed a little from my ascent route into the meadowy bowl to the north - turned out to be much easier travel than near the ridge crest. I overshot the end of the road though, but it was of no consequence (just reached the road some distance further along).
It was about 5 hours all told once I had reached my vehicle again.
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 Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5378 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 10:28 AM
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| Thanks for the TR! I've never done Laughington from that side before. |
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 adventure seeking, peak-bagging, high-enduring, strong and silent forest gnome
N49°09', W122°47'
Canada
3819 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 10:38 AM
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Nice one, Shakey  |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13598 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 6:08 PM
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Shakey
Just found this post of yours after replying to yours on the events board. Would you like to try this hike again by walking in the from the 'locked gate' end?
Pretty formidable looking pile of slash. the week before, May 22. had a decent view after walking 3 km up the road past the gate. This would be my choice to start from the south, and then follow the hiker's guide directions to locate the trail.
Was that a cross by the summit? Hope no one expired there.
Karvitk
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K.Vietnieks |
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Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5378 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 6:12 PM
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| You know you can get a key..... |
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Peak bagging, bushwhacking, zamboni driving, snowshoeing, self portrait artist, and speed demon who loves to hang out on Mt. Seymour
4037 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 7:12 PM
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Nice TR Shakey. That looks like an interesting route to take, too bad about the view. It'll be worth doing again on a nice day as the view of the Cheam Range and more is superb.
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Work to live. Live to hike...and bike...and snowshoe... |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13598 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2005 : 9:50 PM
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Exscape
If the gate is locked they must be very leery of the public. I am not sure if they want to start giving access, but I guess one can always try to ask for the key.
Karv
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K.Vietnieks |
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Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5378 Posts |
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Mt Laughington from the west
