ROAD ACCESS – Bonnington Range

BONNINGTON RANGE

COLUMBIA ROAD: turn off Hwy. 3 at junction past weigh station; follow signs for refuse transfer station; continue past this to gravel pit where pavement ends; drove 1.4 km. past end of pavement to a gate (“Popoure gate”); beyond gate, rode mtn. bike south till road morphs into Columbia River Trail across from Genelle, and on to point near beach across from an island in 10/10.

LITTLE MCPHEE CRK. ROAD: take Castlegar Golf Course rd. 2.2 km. from highway; take a dirt rd. R where pavement bends sharply L; this rd. parallels edge of golf course; go 800 m. and take a rd. R that goes uphill; mtn. biked this for 4+ km. in 10/97 to a flat campsite about 200 m. beyond the Brilliant Overlook Trail head; rough & steep; certainly 4WD LR lst gear in places; signs of ATV traffic; I think this road goes past Aaron Hill and connects with the Powerline Road; also passed a sign for Iron Creek trail lower down (need to explore, especially since map shows Iron Creek as being farther W)
Hiked Brilliant Overlook Trail in 7/98; 11 min. from road to cellular phone tower; trail begins 3.9 km. from dirt road that goes R off pavement; hiked trail in 06/08 from rd. beyond golf course and lot near power station

ROVER CREEK ROAD: turn onto Blewett Road from #3A just E. of South Slocan railway bridge; follow road S. & E. over Kootenay R. and Kootenay Canal; join Rover Creek road just S. of canal bridge (BCFS signed, 1800′); at km. 1.9 unnamed road goes L; at km. 3, Mid Slope Rd. goes L; at km. 5.2 new Connor Creek road (misspelled) goes R; at km. 9.3, Upper Rover Creek road (signed) goes L & Snowwater Creek road goes straight;

MID SLOPE FSR: turn left off Rover Creek FSR at km. 3; new road R immediately; “Drummond” road goes right at km. 1.3; road to u/n 5650′ south of Mt. Drummond goes right at km. 8?; driven 07/08; 2WD good quality

“DRUMMOND” ROAD: turn right off Mid Slope FSR at km. 1.3 (2676′, 649-770; switches up NW face of Mt. Drummond, then carries along NE side of Drummond; good road down and left at km. 8.9; rode bike to km. 10.9 on 08/08 (GR 678-755 4592′ 1 hr. 37 min.); road goes to cutblock south of Mt. Drummond and ends as reported by Howie; good quality 2WD; mtn bike trail right over summit of Mt. Drummond

UPPER ROVER CREEK ROAD: at km. 9.3, (3790′ 670-724), Upper Rover Creek road (signed) goes L & Snowwater Creek road goes straight; crosses bridge at km. 9.8; at km 10.2, a good road goes R (3800′); good quality 2WD all the way to this point; explored 10/97; skied from Rover-Snowwater junction to road end in cutblock and ascended to top of cutblock (5796’699-727); 01/08; good, new road all the way drove multiple times to km. 16 below basin N. of Mt. Connor

CONNOR CREEK ROAD: goes R off Rover Creek road at km. 5.2 (signed & misspelled as “Conners Creek”); at km. 6 reach a fork: Connor East goes left, Connor West goes right; took R fork; at km. 8, a powerline road goes left; Connor road continues round the mountainside into next drainage west; drove powerline road for 1 km., then skied it to 1/2 way up powerline hill in 2/04

ROVER-SNOWWATER CREEK ROAD: goes R or straight off Rover Creek road at km. 9.3; Rover Creek road goes L & is signed as Upper Rover Creek road; at km. 13.2 an old rd. goes R and back; at km. 14.6 , road right goes to Snow Water Hilton; drove to km. 11.6 and skied road to Snowwater Creek Lodge, 4/04; drove to km. 12.6 and skied into cutblock near pass with Erie Creek & Mt. Connor, 5/04; drove to km. 15.8 and walked ca. 1 km. to South Slocan Sno-Goers’ cabin on road at 699-702 1667 m. (5469′) in 10/05; drove to lodge and ascended SnowWater Pk. in 06/06; drove to Snow Water Lodge turnoff, walked some of road to snow goers’ cabin, and climbed Mt. Connor, 11/08

SPUR TO SNOW WATER LODGE: turn R off Snow Water road @ km. 14.6; @ 600 m. keep R and pass through crossing barrier to lodge; drove 6/06; 2WD but did have muddy spots at bridges

SPUR TO PASS BEYOND LODGE: @ 600 m. on lodge road bear L; drove to 800 m. point before being stopped by snow on road 6/06; followed road on foot to pass below Snow Water Peak

FORTY NINE CREEK ROAD: follow Blewett Road and turn left at Blewett School; continue past Bedford Road and the Swiss chalet-like house; turn left onto May and Jenny Road, 12 km. from home; follow this to very end; take no turnings before height of land; do not turn at 2 km.; avoid all roads that switch back to left, even though they are better-traveled; at 4.4 km, just past km 4 sign, Giveout Road joins 49 road; at 7.8 km keep to left; at 9.8 km keep straight & up (old mine site here); road steepens and surface becomes loose; seems definitely 4WD to me; below Hall-49 pass road switchbacks up; height of land at 13.9 km; at this point in Sept. ’93 a sign says “Road Closed”; continue right along fairly steep escarpment (left turn goes to mine below Red Mt) above Hall Crk. to road’s end at 16.4 km where a log no longer blocks passage; here you are on the S. side of Copper Mtn; spur to Copper Mt hut–take road W. into Eire Ck. drainage; about half way downhill, turn sharp L onto a very faint track (white flagging on bush at this point); drive down track to 544rgravel pit and park; from here follow fairly faint trail down and L. to hut in about 150 m.

RED MTN. SPUR: at height of land (13.9 km.) take road to left; pass mine cabin; climb steep 4WD low-range hill; road ends on spur about 754716, about 1.5 km. from jct at height of land; difficult turn-around spot near end

TOAD MTN. SPUR: this exits 49 Creek road at 12.6 km. where road switches back right; at first jct, take L newer road; road goes to the col between Red & Toad on the N. side; July ’94 was able to drive 1 km. to base of switchbacks (6300′); steep & rough; definitely 4WD; walked in 10/99; has trenched waterbars, but I think it’s still driveable for 1 km.

GIVEOUT CREEK ROAD: begins just N. of Cottonwood Lake Park; about 8 km from Nelson; Br 200 goes L @ ca. .8 km; Gold Creek road L to Silverking Mine at km 1.7; Giveout Creek bridge just before km. 5; old road up Giveout Creek goes L @ km. 5; good road goes L @ km. 6 sign; Smelter Creek bridge @ km. 7.4 (signed); consistent uphill to cutblock viewpoint at about 10 km.; Eagle Creek road (signed) goes L @ km.?; Sandy Creek road goes L & up @ km. 13.1 just before Sandy Creek bridge; go L and up at km. 13.5 sign (signed “Sandy”; Kenville Mines Road goes straight and down at this point); continue up L and R, switchbacking through a cutblock; then down with lots of switchbacks and a long up before joining May-Jenny road at 24.4 km; 2WD all the way; rode all the way through from Hwy #6 and down May & Jenny on 08/08; rode to Smelter Creek on 10/10; drove to switchback @ km. 17 05/08 (5457′ 745-757); rode through on 7/11 and descended May & Jenny 4.4 km. to pavement; road washed out @ km. 12.5, just before Sandy Creek road (07/11)

GOLD CREEK RD: exit Giveout main road L at km. 1.7; at km. 2.2 don’t take old rd L; at km. 4.1 pass cabin (people living in it as of 6/05; at km 4.9 don’t take old rd R; at km.7.2 ignore older rd R that looks very much like Silver King Rd; at km. 7.4, Spur 4 goes straight and up (this is road to Silver King Mine); drove to km. 8.8 for skiing 12/11

SPUR 4/SILVER KING MINE ROAD: at km. 7.4 on Gold Road, go straight & up on signed road “Wilderness Forest Road; spur goes L @ km. 9.8; at km 10.5, follow the better rd up L & down some; spur goes L @ km. 10.9; road goes down & R @ km. 11.5 (this may be the route that joins up with the road on the W. bank of Giveout Creek that I snowshoed in 12/04); mine at km. 12.3; drove new rd above it to km 13 at a landing (here, two spurs go L & main road continues straight and to lake); good quality 4WD to landing in 6/05, 9/05, 07/07, 07/08, 08/09

SPUR L OFF SILVER KING MINE ROAD @ km. 9.8: this is the road I think we drove on 12/11 to a landing at km. 11.3; we continued on skis on a road to R of log decking that interesected the Silver King Mine road at first S/B above the mine shack

SPUR TO LAKE: from km. 13 landing, walk road straight through landing and past a big, flagged pole; this looks to be heading right toward the ridge you want; this soon becomes a 4 track road & eventually leads to a lake at 6200′ SE of Toad outrider; don’t know if rd. continues; before reaching lake, note substantial flagging on R and obvious, wide trail; this is Ibrahim’s, which I followed in 6/05 before it ended, still in bush; ascent of Toad via lake and bush: 70 min. from landing in ’98; ascent of Toad via Ted’s trail: 1 hr. 26 min. from landing in 6/05

SPUR LEFT & UP FROM KM. 13 LANDING: walked in 6/05 up and past diggings and deep holes to an end; then followed flagged survey line down & roughly toward Hall Creek; 40 min. return from landing

GOLD CREEK SPUR: explored old rd L at km. .5 on Gold Creek; it ascends into a cutblock & loops back to mainline in less than a km

SPUR FROM SILVERKING MINE INTO BASIN: from mine site, take an old rd R & straight toward Toad Mtn.; blocked by deadfalls; road crosses creek and seems to head down & S through a cutblock; after crossing Giveout, I checked out a spur L (turned back at km .7); no sign of rd. shown on map as going right through col SE of Toad Mtn.; skied this road 12/11 to point

“CALIFORNIA MINE ROAD“: goes L off Giveout Creek Road at ca. km. 3.5; ATV only; walked road and subsequent trail to end at mine adit; ca. 35 min. up; 6/07

OLD ROAD UP GIVEOUT CREEK: goes S. off Giveout road at km. 5 (779-778, 3600′); not sure this is driveable; walked on snowshoes to a junction in 75 min. in 12/04; main road goes left, probably to link up with the Silverking Mine

SPUR OF OLD ROAD UP GIVEOUT: goes R off old Giveout after 75 min. walk ; walked on snowshoes in 12/04 to road’s end near 754-756, 6420′ on ridge N. of Toad Mtn.; 3hrs. 35 min. up on snowshoes

UNNAMED AT KM. 6 ON GIVEOUT ROAD: goes L @ km. 6 sign; not explored

KENVILLE MINES ROAD: top end starts at switchback on Giveout Creek road at km. 13.5 sign and goes straight; not signed for Kenville; not driven

HALL CREEK ROAD: turn off Highway #6 .6 km. S of the Hall Creek bridge(20 km. from Nelson); drive about .4 km back N on a paved road, stopping before the Hall Creek bridge; road begins about here; skiid this in Ap. ’97; at km. 1, went straight (spur goes up to S.); followed road about 4.5 km to a bridge (not shown on map) crossing Hall Creek at ca. 3850′; don’t know if this road is driveable or bikeable; bridge deck looks ok, but that was with 5′ of snow on it; tried to ride this in 10/97; newly graded & rutted; got only 700 m.

HALL CREEK ROAD: turnoff is just south of Hall Creek bridge on Highway 6; drove to km. 1 in 12/97; skied to km. 1 in 01/08

KENO CREEK ROAD: at km. 1 on Hall Crk. rd., take an older rd. up & L; follow 4 switchbacks, then a 5th gentle curve to L; road begins to deteriorate & fades out entirely where it is supposed to cross Keno Crk. (4350′); probably walked 3.5 to 4 km. in 12/97; skied this in 01/08; deadfalls and some alder; crossed Keno Crk. in a sort of open welter; continued on road several hundred meters; then diagonaled up and left away from road; crossed a road at ca. 5300′(maybe the same road which map shows going to Lost Lake road);

BARRETT CREEK ROAD: See Carter and Leighton, Exploring the Southern Selkirks; turn off Highway #6 24 km. south of Nelson; road is rough, but passable; at 3.3 km. is turnoff for Lost Lake; at km. 3.9 is tricky crossing of Lost Crk; at 4.8 km. is turnoff for Huckleberry Hut; past this, the road splits at a switchback; older, less-used road goes straight; newer road switches back; they both reach Barrett Lake; book says this is 9.6 km. from highway; I wonder. Signed on Hwy. as Porto Rico Rd.; in 7/96 drove to km. 7.8; in 11/03, drove to km. 8.1 (some switchbacks beyond); this point, across from the W. end of the first major avalanche chute on Cabin Pk., is directly below the summit of Commonwealth Mtn.; upper road had recently been brushed out, probably by snowmobilers; 4WD HC LR for sure; skied down road from Huckleberry jct. on 04/11

HUCKLEBERRY HUT SPUR: follow Barrett Crk. Road to switchback at km 6.3; then, hike lower, grown-over road to bridge over Barrett Crk; in 7/97 walked road to switchback & spur to mine NW of Midday Pk. (6,000); can’t really see this as driveable; just maybe mountain bikeable; skied down road from ca. 766-633, 5600’to Barrett jct. in 04/11

LOST LAKE ROAD: turn R off Barrett Creek road at km 3.3; in 7/97 drove 1.2 km with Subaru before being stopped by a big washout; may be driveable beyond here with 4WD high-clearance in low range; pretty good roadbed but very steep with no switchbacks; between km 2 & 3 note overgrown variation to L; in 7/97 walked up the variation and down the main road, which is much better; main road looks driveable to height of land E. of Lost Lake; beyond that it would be tough even for ATVs, but they do seem to make it right to the lake; Paul drove this to 5870′ in 10/08

STEWART CREEK ROAD: turn west off Highway #6 at 400 m. south of Barrett Creek bridge; at km. 4.9, keep straight, old road crosses creek over broken bridge; at km 5.9, keep right, don’t cross creek; reach Stewart Pass at km. 8.3 @ 5550′; I biked this in 9/97; 1 hr. 25 min. to pass; continued through pass & down Erie Creek to highway (1 hr); at km. 9.6, a spur goes L, probably to 6350′ hang glider peak; at km 11.6, an old spur goes L; at km 14.3, junction with major road system, went down & L; at km 15.3, passed road & bridge on R, leading to Craigtown Crk.; for rest, see Erie Creek E. side FSR; rode to ca. km. 6.25 in 05/95; drove to km. 7.1 before stopped by snow in 5/05; definitely 4WD with good roadbed but somewhat bushy higher up; drove to km. 4.9 on 4/11 twice (plowed) and continued on road on skis to Stewart Pass; drove to km. 4.5 (and km. 5.0 in 01/11 & 02/11

SPUR LEFT AT KM. 4.9: drove to this point on 04/11; plowed road crossed bridge and continued; not driven

BOULDER MILL CREEK ROAD: 37.4 km. S. of Nelson; road is signposted and is just S. of Porcupine Timber Co.; drove up for 2 km. then road petered out into a soggy track 5/97

KEYSTONE MTN. (KEY CREEK) ROAD: .3 km. S. of Boulder Mill Creek Road (37.7 km. S of Nelson); heading S., cross Boulder Mill Ck (just a culvert, not a bridge) & look for a dirt track on R @ 2250′; pass through zone of sloppy logging debris; then follow switchbacks up; at km. 4 switchback, go L (I think this is #7, 3600′); at km. 4.5 jct (3800′), ignore two spurs up & R; road contours into a basin on N. side of pass E. of Keystone Mtn. (many skid roads through cutblock up to pass, 4100′ 802-532); pass is about 5.3 km. from start; take upper of two roads which contours W to link up with “N. Hearn Ck rd”; rode in 11/97; probably driveable by 4WD LR to km. 4.

“HEARN CREEK ROAD”: this name is my creation; joins Hwy. #6 from W about 1.7 km. S of Keystone Rd; it is S of the mini golf course & just N. of the S curve and flashing light; road looks to be across private land; has a fire number (8776?); rode from top end by way of connector with Keystone; about 200 m. beyond pass, go R & up; next jct. go L; top out in a recent cutblock @ 4520′; for ride down, descend to Keystone jct. & bear R & down; follow road 5.4 km. down through switchbacks and logged landings; impressively steep but good roadbed; might require 4WD for ascent because of steepness. 

ERIE CREEK EAST SIDE ROAD: turn off just W. of motel in Erie about 5 km. W. of Salmo jct. on Hwy. #3; at km 2.3, Whiskey Crk road goes R (looks good, shows on some maps as Hooch Crk.); at km 3.3, a faint rd. R (probably Rest Crk); at km 7.2 a faint rd. R; at km. 7.9, a faint road R; at km. 8.7, a road goes down & L, probably to Grassy Creek; at km. 12.4, a road goes L & crosses bridge, probably leading to Craigtown Crk. & upper Erie mainline (for spur R, see Stewart Crk); Erie Crk. is accurately signed at least to km 12

WHISKEY CREEK ROAD: signed; turn right off Erie East Side road at km. 2.3; gated at bottom in 1/05; named Hooch Creek on 1:50 000 map; Shane’s Rd. on L; Tom’s Rd. on R; Herb’s Rd on R; Mary’s Rd on L; Gary’s Rd. on L just past a creek crossing; snowshoed in 1/05

GARY’S ROAD: signed spur of Whiskey Crk. road; turn L or north just past a bridge; go left; then go right; ends in far end of a cutblock below Keystone Mtn.; snowshoed in 1/05

ERIE CREEK WEST SIDE ROAD: turn off to N.just W. of Erie Crk., about 5.2 km. W. of Salmo or 48.8 km. from Nelson; signposted as “Rose Road”; at 1.9 km. see sign saying “West Erie FSR (take it); pass first switchback to L at 3.8 km. (go straight);

CHAMPION LAKES ROAD: drive 21 km. W. of Salmo on Hwy. 3; turn R and follow for 10 km. to parking lot; paved all the way

HUDU CREEK FSR: take Champion Lakes Rd. for 8.2 km; turn right; not explored; may be able to portage over to a road at the headwaters of Champion Creek

POWER LINE ROAD: drive Hwy #3 17.6 km from Castlegar Airport to Bombi Summit; turn L or N just past the Bombi Summit sign; follow powerline & logging main haul road; at km 2.6 don’t go R; at 3.6 don’t go L; at km. 3.9 reach Old Millsite Jct. (1400 m), don’t go L; at km 4.7 don’t go L; at km 5.3 is spur R to False Grassy; at km 6.2 is spur R to False Grassy (just past km 6 sign); at km 10.8 take main spur up & R; at 11.3 spur blocked by landslide; gives access to pk N of Grassy via cutblock; another rd. heads back S to easy N ridge of Grassy; good quality, mostly 2WD road with accurate km signage; drove to km. 7 sign in 2/05 4/07 4/09 (good parking spot here for ski access to Grassy;

BEAVERVALE CREEK FSR: turn R off Hwy 3 @ 4.1 km. N. of 3/B junction 3167′; at     reach race track; a spur goes R; Beavervale continues straight past race track; rode 09/07

BEAVERVALL SPUR RIGHT: not signed; at race track bear R; at upper race track road bends R (gated spur L); at 675-504 a spur goes L; rode to high point @ 681-502, 4222′; road seems to go down into Benton Crk; pretty much 2WD; rode 09/07

L SPUR: goes L at 675-504; ends in cutblock at 678-520 4226′; 2WD rode 09/07

 

SALMO FOREST

QUERY CREEK (Beaver Forest Lookout): BCFS signposted; turn S. off Highway 3B just W. of the Castlegar-Salmo highway (55.7 km. from Nelson; drove in Oct. ’96; kept L. at 5 km; powered out in snow at 6.7 km (4,200′) below a cutblock; walked road for 45 min. which petered out in cutblock at 4,500′; Paul says we should have born R. at km. 5; in May ’97 drove road to km. 3, where it was blocked by a snow hump; followed road to km. 6 on foot (avoid two spurs going up & right); just beyond km. 6, road crosses a creek; follow snow through cutblocks to summit

ARCHIBALD (TILLICUM) CREEK: signed Archibald Creek Rd with green sign; another BCFS signposted road; turn off Highway 3B about 51 km. from Nelson at Meadows, about 2 km. before the Castlegar-Salmo turnoff; that’s 8.4 km. W. of Salmo jct of #3 & #6; cross bridge at 3 km.; L. fork follows Archibald and Tillicum Crks. and is said to go through to the Pend D’oreille R.; R. fork heads SW up a tributary of Archibald through col between Mt. Kelly & fire lookout to SE; Paul says this branch is washed out; in Oct. ’96 drove only to bridge (snow); (badly washed out in summer ’98, says George A); drove to .5 km. in 2/05; skied mainline and right-hand spur 4/06

SPUR TO MT. KELLY: goes R off Archibald road @ km. 3 just after crossing bridge over Archibald Creek; makes a couple of switchbacks, then continues straight up and south at a steep angle; last sign is km. 5; past this, the main goes S. seemingly into pass between Kelly and high point to SE with hut; took right-hand track which continues up toward Kelly with switchbacks; track probably goes right to summit, but we cut it off; ski ascent 4/06; several spurs come in from west during long, straight stretch; may indicate this road is upgraded and driveable now

UPPER PEND’OREILLE

PEND D’OREILLE R. ROAD: from Columbia Gardens Rd., turn L or S onto Station Rd; at km. 2.8, this joins Seven Mile Dam Rd; follow this 3.6 km. S & E to a jct.; take the L turning (signed for Urquhart Meat Processing; at km. 2, explored a rd. L (gated); at km. 3.6, Blizzard Mtn. rd. goes L (enquire at Urquhart’s for permission); at km 7.5 a road goes L (Dick says this is alternate, steeper, approach to Blizzard Mtn; at km. 10.1, go down & R  to dam; at same spot another rd. goes L past trans. station & up Nine Mile Crk. (said to be dangerous because of a gun-wielding property owner); km. 10.6 is dam parking lot

BLIZZARD MTN. ROAD: at km. 3.6 on “Upper Seven Mile Dam rd, turn L and go uphill past John Urquhart’s; immediately take lower road (gated but not locked); past km. 1 bear R at jct; a road then goes sharp L, but keep straight; go downhill & cross Four Mile Creek near an abandoned homestead (km. 2.5); gain S ridge of Blizzard & follow it N, crossing power line at km. 5.5; follow steepening road to summit at 8.5 km.; good 2 WD; ridden 11/01

BLIZZARD MTN. ROAD (ALTERNATE): at km 7.5 on “Upper Seven Mile Dam rd” a rd. goes L (Dick says this is alternate, steeper, approach to Blizzard Mtn; not explored

PEND D’OREILLE R. ROAD: from Nelway (69 km. fr. Nelson, 2500′), take the signed, paved Pend D’Oreille River rd. W past Lomond Lake, & descend past a communications station; rd. R @ ca. km. 4.5; water siloes below Remac @ ca. km. 6.5; Salmo R. bridge @ ca. km. 8.1; road R @ km. 9.2 (probably follows N. bank of Salmo R); Kopec Resources rd. R @ km. 10; road R @ km. 13.1 (probably W. side Tillicum rd); at ca. km. 14.5 road washed out; Charbonneau Crk. ca. km. 16.5; Buckley campground at km. 19.5; turnoff down to Seven Mile Dam @ km. 21; dam @ km. 21.5; then on pavement, it’s ca. 14 km. to the Waneta cutoff; road is signed each km. E., starting from 7 Mile Dam; rode from Nelway to 7 Mile in 11/97 from the dam, head uphill for 500 m. to a jct; go R; at km. 2, note BC Hydro’s Buckley campground; pass through meadows; at km. 3.4, a big rd. goes L & up (Charbonneau Crk?); two more faint rds. go L in next 3 km.; km. 6.8 Bissett’s Corner; km. 7 stopped where rd. washed out; would still be driveable with 4WD;