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Richmond, BC
Canada
298 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 11:20 PM
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Hi all!
I was wondering what are your favorite snowshoeing locations are. I would like to go to places other than the North Shore mountains.
I am interested in Hemlock Valley but I was only there once in the summer over 6 years ago. Is there any good trails from the parking lot? I always like to avoid designated trails with fees as the trails end up as solid as sidewalks.
In an average winter is it safe to have decent snow cover in the Cheakamus area if parking close to the highway?
Eager to hear your favorites!
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.
- John Burroughs |
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 Big pack hiker who sleeps with bears in tent and falls on slippery logs
Langley, BC
Canada
7647 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2003 : 11:28 PM
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Poland Lake in Manning Park. Awesome area and the snow is fabulous!
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Richmond, BC
Canada
298 Posts |
Posted - 10/28/2003 : 12:03 AM
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jhamlin,
I will hitting that area in March when I take a group for a weekend trip there. I remember someone mention Burke Mountain area as a good place. What about the Golden Ears trails, Alder Flats?
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.
- John Burroughs |
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 Super botonist, hippie chick who cuddles thistles with glee
Langley, BC
Canada
1541 Posts |
Posted - 10/28/2003 : 07:38 AM
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How long is the Poland Lake trail from the top of the chair lift? We're considering doing that trail while the kids are skiing, but first we have to determine how long we can leave them unattended. Are there more trails up there?
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 opinionated-stove huggin'-fleece wearin'-arse burnin' hill virgin
Here
Canada
4642 Posts |
Posted - 10/28/2003 : 07:58 AM
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I plan on winter camping up there this winter.
Plan the hike, hike the plan... |
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 | DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1396 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2003 : 9:41 PM
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| Depending on your pace, the average snowshoe walk to Poland Lake from the ski lift is about 2 hours to the camp site. |
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Road raging trail blazer
Surrey, B.C.
Canada
1722 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2003 : 10:40 PM
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| According to a local book, one should be able to go snowshoeing up behind Brittania. There is supposedly a trail that goes up to an old mine site. If time allows you can go to Sky Pilot, although I believe that's not recommended for just a day trip. |
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| DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1396 Posts |
Posted - 11/25/2003 : 7:18 PM
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Burke Mt. can have great snowshoeing. It depends on the winter. The best access is up from near the gun club. You should expect to carry your snowshoes up quite a distance most of the time.
In Golden Ears, Allouette is probably the best snowshoeing option, but again, you have to carry your shoes up quite a distance. Alder flats is not a good snowshoeing destination, elevation much too low.
Manning is in my opinion the best snowshoeing destination within a few hours of the lower mainland. As my wife indicated in an earlier post, it's about 2 hours from the top of the chair to Poland lake. It's not a problem to ride up on the chair with snowshoes. They stop the chair so you can get off. Windy Joe is a great snowshoe, both as a day trip or overnight. Monument 78 is another excellent Manning snowshoe, again as a day trip or overnighter, although it would be difficult to go all the way to the monument and back in a day. The ridge leading up Frosty from Windy Joe makes an excellent 3 day trip with good winter camping at the 8 km. mark. Another great 3 day snowshoe is Silverdaisy if you head in by taking the old A.M. mine access road starting from Cayoose Flats. You can snowshoe right to the summit with not much difficulty. Remember though that winter camps in Manning will be often in temps. lower than -20, so good quality gear is essential. Manning also has some marked snowshoe trails starting from the Nordic center and Strawberry flats and they rent snowshoes.
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New Westminster, BC
Canada
955 Posts |
Posted - 11/25/2003 : 8:33 PM
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quote:
According to a local book, one should be able to go snowshoeing up behind Brittania. There is supposedly a trail that goes up to an old mine site. If time allows you can go to Sky Pilot, although I believe that's not recommended for just a day trip.
Bikerider, are you referring to the Mount Sheer Mine site? Definintely a good one to try for snowshoeing: (Directions taken from a book by Jack Christie)
"A road runs through the town (Britannia Beach) and back up into the folds of the Britannia Range, to the sides of aptly named Mount Sheer. Along the way it passes another mine shaft. The easy 3-mi. (4.5 km) walk to the old site, abandoned in 1958, follows the original road, a 90-minute journey one way.
To reach the gate where the trail begins, turn in at the entrance to the B.C. Museum of Mining, drive past the mining offices and continue nearly a mile (1.4 km) uphill on the paved road, bearing right at all times. There's plenty of room for parking on the street in front of the gate."
After parking, walk past the gate and start hiking up towards a water supply station for the town, as well as the town dump. Once you pass these, the trail widens. More than halfway through, turn right at a fork in the trail - take the uphill route. You will be at the mine site in about an hour and a half from the beginning (well, hiking time). After that, you can see the trail continue on, but not long after it turns into a steep route and heads up towards Sky Pilot Mtn, climbing a good 5-600 metres in about 4 km or so. I haven't done the entire route; just to the next fork in the trail where the grade steepens quickly and the trail becomes very narrow. Anywho, just thought I'd share - great hike for the summer, when you only have a few hours to go hiking.
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blah, have a cookie |
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43 Posts |
Posted - 11/26/2003 : 06:02 AM
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| The folks at Hemlock do not like snowhoeers there (at least they didn't last year). I would phone to check it out so you don't waste a trip up there. |
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New Westminster, BC
Canada
955 Posts |
Posted - 11/26/2003 : 10:40 PM
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quote:
The folks at Hemlock do not like snowhoeers there (at least they didn't last year). I would phone to check it out so you don't waste a trip up there.
They don't like anything that's not "organized" by them. Reminds me a lot of Grouse in the Jan/Feb time of the year, when all the tourists get to Vancouver.  Same goes with Whistler.
BTW, Just a question about Hemlock... I heard there was a trail heading up west off the gravel road that leads to the resort in one place. Anyone know anything about it? That area's got great views at higher elevations!
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blah, have a cookie |
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Rmd, BC
Canada
1360 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2003 : 12:11 AM
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I don't know about in the winter but I know the route from Brittania is a friggin nightmare in the summer. The better trail in is the new one we took last month in to the Mountain Lake Hut. Directions & more info on my site: www.mountaingirl.net
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The Mountains are calling and I must go. ~John Muir |
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Satirical photoshop junkie who frolics in the mountains of the Chilliwack River Valley
Chilliwack, BC
Canada
6908 Posts |
Posted - 11/28/2003 : 8:15 PM
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Silverdaisy...that would make sense for a good snowshoe or even a better ski. I was up there back in mid October, and the road going up to silverdaisy from Cayuse Flats would make for an excellent winter trek; although I would think it would be fine as a dayhike.
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"If you don't get at it, when you get to it, you won't get to it to get at it again!" |
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| DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1396 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2003 : 4:36 PM
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Silverdaisy can only be done once the access road is cleared out. With heavy snow fall the highway is ploughed, and there is no where to park. We went up in the later spring once the vehicle could be pulled off the road. It was an excellent trip. We followed a set of bear prints for half of the snowshoe in.
Another great snowshoe trip is from Whistler village to Singing Pass and onto Russett Lake. You cannot go in via the musical bumps as it is for skiers only. |
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Satirical photoshop junkie who frolics in the mountains of the Chilliwack River Valley
Chilliwack, BC
Canada
6908 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2003 : 5:26 PM
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Good point about the parking areas being plugged with snow just after a heavy snowfall. The coq is the same way with the falls lake exit
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"If you don't get at it, when you get to it, you won't get to it to get at it again!" |
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Road raging trail blazer
Surrey, B.C.
Canada
1722 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2004 : 7:06 PM
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| Apparently there is a trail from Furry Creek to Beth Lake. Has anybody been there? Enough snow for snowshoeing? |
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Chilliwack, BC
Canada
100 Posts |
Posted - 01/21/2004 : 7:58 PM
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Hi BCbear,
If you are up to coming out to the valley, their is some good snowshoeing up Chilliwack Lake road. Most of the hiking trails have snow at this time of year. One of the best ones I found is Raduim Lake, trail is easy to follow and you cross a number of suspention bridges. You are looking at about 3000 feet of elevation and should allow 6 hours round trip. |
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Surrey, BC
Canada
405 Posts |
Posted - 01/30/2004 : 10:45 AM
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| Other than the large basin below Webb/MacDonald col, have you ever seen any slides on the route to Radium Lake?...I can't recall. |
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Satirical photoshop junkie who frolics in the mountains of the Chilliwack River Valley
Chilliwack, BC
Canada
6908 Posts |
Posted - 01/30/2004 : 9:47 PM
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I believe there are a few chutes you have to cross to get to Radium, so you'll want to keep that in mind if going there
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"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy"
Red Green |
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18 Posts |
Posted - 02/15/2004 : 5:00 PM
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| I am planning on going on my first snowshoe hike. I was thinking about going to Manning Park. Someone mentioned Poland Lake. I was wondering if the trails there are easy to navagate. Also, what costs would be involved if any to use to trails and the parking lot. |
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| DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1396 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2004 : 8:40 PM
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| No costs for using the trails at Manning. It was 5$ to ride up on the chair last year if heading into Poland Lake. If this is your first snowshoe I would suggest using the trails that start from the lodge or head in on the first 2 kms. of the Windy Joe trail and then branch onto the Similkameen trail. You can get snowshoe trail maps at the Nordic centre. |
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Topic |
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Interesting Snowshoeing Locations
