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 | DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1395 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 9:27 PM
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| A lot of people are probably used to accessing Eagle ridge from the Buntzen lake side, however there is another alternative . And it is a fine alternative. A great snowshoe, though you have to hike up a fair ways before strapping on the shoes [about an hour last Sat.]. No different than starting from Buntzen in that respect. A dozen of us did this trip on the 24th. The initial walk is up old jeep trails, bike trails, and taped routes until the main trail comming up from Buntzen is intersected. This route is much less steep than the trail that passes polytrichum look-out from the west. To access this route head up Westwood plateau and continue north past the Westwood plateau golf club, on Plateau Blvd. to the end of the subdivision. Park here. Continue straight ahead up a paved road that switchbacks uphill for a short distance. At a gate the pavement ends, take the rough jeep road that goes off diagonally to the right. After a few kms. you will come to a 2nd substantial creek [you will already have crossed one creek without difficulty]. This is Noones creek, backtrack about 50 yards to find a Mt. Bike trail comming in on the right. Head up this trail until you come once more to another old road. Turn left down this road , going slightly downhill for a few minutes until another road is reached [this is a T-junction immediately after a bridged creek crossing]. Turn right at the T-junction and follow this road to it's end, at an impressive viewpoint atop a bluff. About half way along this road you will pass frozen Cypress lake on your left; stick to the main road - do not turn onto any side roads - the walk to the view is quite long [you will have put on the snowshoes somewhere after the top of the Mt. Bike trail]. From the viewpoint, backtrack a 100 metres or so to a small rock bluff, with graffitti on it, by a frozen excavator dig and take the taped route on the right side of the road [as you walked towards the viewpoint]. Follow the taped route on what looks like it was an old logging road, but does get quite grown in at some points. Follow orange surveyors tape, you might have to look for it in some spots. You will intersect the trail comming up from Buntzen near the top end of the clear-cut, turn right when you intersect the main Buntzen trail. We stayed right at El-paso and continued on to the small lakes on the ridge and then on to Nancycatch basin, near Lindsay lake. About 8 ft. of snow at that point. The return trip took 8 hours. I've not seen this route described in any books and it didn't look too well used. I was impressed. Hope this description is detailed enough for anyone doing this route. ENJOY!! |
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 double-double seeking, snow-chasing, short-cutting, vertical feet collector
4523 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 9:45 PM
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very interesting DW ! I like trails off the beaten track, that are not in guidebooks. Your description is a titch complex, and I don't know Coquitlam at all, but I am willing to try this route one of these days
cheers - C Wall |
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New Westminster, BC
Canada
1138 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 10:11 PM
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What is the gain on that side.
How long to get to the top.
I didn't know there was a way up on the other side, it looks so steep on that side.
Could you 4X up part way.
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"Anything is Possible" |
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| DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1395 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 10:41 PM
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| Hey, Seawall and Trigger;... it isn't as complex as it sounds. Print off my post and take it with you, it will fall into place. Elevation gain; 850 to 1000 metres depending on how far you go. My 8 hour time was for the day, not one way, so aprox. 4 hrs. one way, then lunch, and out. And yes, you can go along way with 4+4, depending on snow conditions; a short wheel base yj with big tires, fully locked , could get you well up there. |
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Buntzen roving stealthy beer mule and artist, aspiring weird image findmaster who loves BC
lower mainland
Canada
1647 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2004 : 10:50 PM
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Thanks, I like the Eagle Ridge area and have only been on the east side once. I'll keep this in mind.
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'Keep on keepin on' |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13035 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 12:33 AM
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Interesting,I know exactly where that clear cut is,and last summer we came to the point where it intersects with the main trail and my wife asked me"Well,you lived in Coquitlam,so where does that trail come from?"My answer was"I don't know,maybe from the bike trails on the other side of Eagle Ridge..."Now I'll have to check it out...Thanks! |
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Coquitlam, BC
Canada
801 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 1:25 PM
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Thank DW2! I've jogged to the 'trailhead' there a few times but never went further. Amazing that a good trail like this can start in a residential area. Thanks for the description.
I might try this one upcoming Sunday or Monday. I'll post it here when I do. |
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Buntzen roving stealthy beer mule and artist, aspiring weird image findmaster who loves BC
lower mainland
Canada
1647 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 5:59 PM
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Dean, what you say about the trails being close to a residential area... it's strange because I know that there are trails galore on the other side of Indian Arm on the north shore, but for some reason to me, the 'remoteness' seems closer here in Coquitlam. Maybe it's the look of new developements next to the adjacent tall trees with no shrub buffer yet?
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'Keep on keepin on' |
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| DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1395 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 6:47 PM
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| Dean, when you get onto the mountain bike trail, which has some pretty impressive ramps/jumps, you will find a detailed sign on a tree that gives directions to Cypress summit. We did not check this area out due to time, but intend to in the future. |
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Coquitlam, BC
Canada
801 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2004 : 9:18 PM
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Nifty. Yeah, there must be a tonne of trails along Indian Arm. We're lucky to live at the foot of mountains aren't we?
And I'll check out that sign DW2.
I've also jogged (or slaved at the steep sections) up the powerline path(Coquitlam Crunch) and noticed a trail starts at the very end. I'm guessing that too connects with the route to Eagle Ridge. I didn't explore it in the summer figuring I'd save it for the shorter days of winter. I'll have to get up there soon. Do you know about this one too? |
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| DW2
Senior Member
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West Coast, B.C.
1395 Posts |
Posted - 01/31/2004 : 12:13 PM
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| Dean, have never accessed that area from that side at all before. It is a longer route than coming up from Buntzen, but the approach is more gentle. |
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Eagle Ridge from Westwood plateau,Jan. 24th
