At the headwaters of Redding Creek, this 750m-long lake sits under Mt Akokli. The trail connects with the Lockhart Creek Trail from the West Kootenay.
Difficulty: B1
Elevation gain: 335m (1100’)
Key elevations: Baker Lake 1920m (6300’)
Distance: 4.5kms one-way
Time: full day-hike.
Access:
Season: July through September
Map: 82F/7 Boswell, 82F/10 Crawford Bay
Drive: Drive 29 km on the St Mary Lake Road. Turn left onto Redding Creek FSR. 0.0
8km Continue straight for Baker Lake. (left goes to Hall Lake)
23.7km Go straight. (right goes to Gray Creek Pass) 24km sign
32.5km Go straight. (left goes to Snowcrest Mt, then turn left immediately again)
38.7km Turn right for Baker Lake (38km sign). East and west Redding Ck junction.
39.4km Park before the bridge.
Trail: Follow the road for over a kilometre to a clearing, cross the creek, climb through forest, then up a white talus slope to subalpine meadow.
At 2.5km left goes to Baker Lake. Right leads to Lockhart Creek (climbs 300m to a ridge dividing Lockhart Creek from Redding Creek). Cross a second talus slope and head south on the west side of the creek. At the end of the boulder field, go steeply up to the lake.
Campsite on the lakeshore for 6 tents.
What to do?
1. Climb the east ridge of Akokli Mountain 2530m 8,300′. Start with a bushwhack up to the alpine ridge.
MOUNT AKOKLI 2530m 8,300′
Approach: The Baker Lake Trail is the only reasonable access to this mountain.
Route: From Baker Lake, most people head up a basin below the peak often mistaken for Mt Akokli. The col faces north, scrambling up this UN peak, probably more of a challenge than Mt Akokli, although 100 feet lower in elevation.
To climb the real Mt Akokli, turn SSE at the bottom of the basin, passing below this unnamed peak on the east side.
Return down the slope to the lake.
