ROAD ACCESS – Nelson Range

KOOTENAY LAKE VILLAGE ROAD: drive past Procter Store to junction by railway tracks; keep R here on Kootenay Lake road; in ca. 300 m., reach a chained, posted road on R; turn onto it & ride this old logging road ca. 50 min. to its end at 2800′, GR 051-955; done in 10/09

ALEXANDER ROAD: drive 1 km. past the Procter Store and pick up road on R; drive past houses and go to 4WD; at 1.7 km bear L; at 7.6 km stop at a fork and park on lower road; take upper road (one to L) on foot for 3-5 min. and pick up Mt. Irvine trail

SVOBODA ROAD: gain this behind dorms of 10th Street Campus of Selkirk College; ends in ca. 6 km. at Nelson’s dam and water intake; rode 10/10; roadbed in excellent shape to end; Anderson Creek trestle 2188′; top of Log Jam 3608′; reservoir 3679′

ROAD TO ANDERSON–SELOUS CRK. MICROWAVE STATION: from BNR tracks above Nelson, take Mountain Station Rd. past reservoir; just above this, road bends R. to Kuma Matata campground; go straight up a track at bend or into campground and take signed rd on L; at 100 m, a better rd. joins from R; road heads E. & up; at 22 min., saw rd. on R (did not take); continue up as road heads S. along W bank of Anderson Crk.; after two short zig zags, rd. straightens again till final zig zag R. is reached at 4700′; at final zig zag, a rd. comes up from the R (there’s also a little cutoff here to avoid riding the worst hill; then it goes straight up to the meadow & cabin at 5550′; walked 12/97; mtn. biked 7/98; two deadfalls ca. 150 m. below cabin; a very hard ride (2900′ gain from res. in 6.5 km. to rd end)

BLUE AND GOLD ROAD: turn E. off Hwy. 6 just S. of old BNR crossing; spur goes R @ km. 1; spur goes R @ km. 4.1; road goes to km. 5.4; 2WD; biked in 9/03; drove to km. 5.4 in 01/08; then skied up cable swath to reach road at ridge top at 5220′;

WHITEWATER ROAD: 13.6 km. S of Nelson on Hwy #6 turn L @ Apex; at km 7 is Hummingbird Pass trail; end of road at lodge is km. 9.6; 2WD

HUMMINGBIRD MINE ROAD: not driveable; access is at km. 7 on Whitewater road; road drops down, crosses Apex Creek on a gated bridge, then snakes back up through cutblocks on Whitewater’s cross-country ski trails, leaving the top of the trail passing above Hummingbird Pass on its east bank and ending at Hummingbird Mine (accessed many times on ski)

CLEARWATER CREEK ROAD: turn off onto signed O’Genski Road; road begins at Camp Busk ski area parking lot (3350′); top of big hill, km. 2.4; track L @ km. 3.5; jct. at grooming end, km. 4.4; road bends L after Qua bridge, km. 5.3; Clearwater bridge, km. 6.7; spur goes R @ km. 6.8; driveable to the Clearwater-Huckleberry Crk. pass (4,800′), which is just past the km 10 sign; at km 10, take road to R; at km. 11(?), a new rd goes L & up into new cutblocks (explored to first s/b at 500 m); followed mainline to next junction at about km. 11.5 (here another new spur goes R. & up to new cutblocks (explored for 800 m); continue on mainline as it heads down & look for a faint skidder rd. on the L that goes through a cutblock; this is the old Huckleberry Crk. road; mainline ends in a pile of slash (rode 7/97); skied right through to Wildhorse Crk. 2/01; biked to Huckleberry Pass, 09/06; biked to Bill Bing’s sign 08/08

CLEARWATER CREEK SPUR ROAD: turn R @ km. 6.8, just past Clearwater Creek bridge; ends @ km. 24 from Highway 6 in cutblock below Mt. Elise at       . 2WD; driven 10/08; ridden to km 11 sign 07/11

OLD CLEARWATER CREEK ROAD: follow Clearwater Rd. to clearing past km 7 sign; big stump on R of road here (km. 7.3); descend to clearing on L & cross creek on footbridge in ca. 50 m.; follow snowed-in road skied & walked to ca. 907-681 (4800′) in 4/00; road continued to E; walked overgrown road (heavily flagged) to S-flowing tributary in 6/00; there is a flagged crossing of this creek that looks sketchy in summer

CLEARWATER SPUR 1: at km 10, go L into cutblock; road switches up for almost 2 km to top of block (600′ ele gain); a very faint road then heads up through timber (not explored)

CLEARWATER SPUR 2: follow mainline into Huckleberry Pass and take major L into cutblocks; switches up

WILDHORSE CREEK ROAD (YMIR CRK.): cross bridge in Ymir and follow signposted 2WD road; old road to mine goes R at km 4 (this is point to which road is plowed in winter) and J says it returns to mainline farther along; turnoff for Huckleberry Creek at km. 5.7; road goes L @ km. 8.8; cross Wildhorse Crk. on bridge @ km   ; at km 17 there is a broken down gate; height of land is at km 19; road descends into Seamen Crk, connecting with Kutetl Crk road; rode from km. 8.8 to height of land 09/06; 2WD all the way to pass; in fall 2010, MoF said to be permanently de-activating the upper part (bridges pulled)

HUCKLEBERRY CREEK ROAD: goes off to L from Wildhorse Creek road at km 5.7; hiked part of it in 10/97; first R at S/B leads to fiercely defended private land; 2nd S/B R leads to log dump; followed 3rd road R, which seems fainter than main track which diagonals up & W; on this spur I ignored 3 lefts (some better than the track I was following); eventually reached claims for Pin #1 & 2 (alti. said 4620′); road not really driveable at this point, but roadbed isn’t all that bad; this is the route that leads up to the Huckleberry-Clearwater pass; walked up this road in 11/03 in snow for 1 hr.50 min.; didn’t see Pin 1 or 2, but did see a claim post; Descending from pass, follow this creative mtn. biking road down to Wildhorse Creek; many deadfalls with gnarly detours; single track; farther down, there are nice single tracks in the weeds; definitely walked some of upper portion; about 10 km. down from pass to Wildhorse; rode whole Clearwater loop in 7/97 in 3 hrs. 45 min. (including stop at store and at least 20 min. of route-finding time; skied this from Clearwater & down to Wildhorse Crk. 2/01 (following a good broken track, 2.5 hrs. to pass; from pass to truck at km. 4.1 on Wildhorse took 2 hr. 10 min. on good, broken track

OSCAR CREEK ROAD: cross bridge leaving Ymir on Wildhorse Creek Rd.; immediately after crossing bridge, pick up Oscar Creek Rd. (31 km. from Nelson); road back L @ km 3; washouts at km 3.8 & 5.2 seemed more negotiatable in 10/97 (maybe good for a Suzuki); spur R @ km 5.5 is Oxide Pass Connector; another spur R at km. 6.2; in Ap. ’97 skiied to km. 6 sign (4,550′), where there’s a sign pointing to Oxide Pass; major cutblocks on S. side of creek at this point; in Jn. ’97 rode bike to km 6.9 where a cutblock spur goes L (4,900′ 899 586); drove to km. 10 in 2/07; parked @ km. 9.3 for ski ascent; good quality rd. all the way;

FIRST OSCAR SPUR: turn L off Oscar Crk. rd. at km. 3; follow this rd. as it contours round to a mine site @ ca. km. 1; do not take 1st R. at 200 m; walked this 12/97

“HANG GLIDER SPUR” OF OSCAR: turn L off Oscar Crk. rd. at km. 3; go ca. 200 m. & take the 1st R; in 12/97 walked to another mine site @ ca. 4350′; road carries on to N. over a hummock; a local septuagenarian told me this was the road to the hang glider takeoff

PORCUPINE CREEK ROAD: turn off Highway #6 2 km. S. of Ymir’s south junction; at km. 5.8 rd goes L to Oxide Pass; at km. 9.2, a road goes R; at km. 9.6 pass private land sign; at km. 12.2 a road goes L; at km. 12.4, cross Porcupine Crk.; at km. 13.1 Branch 8 goes R; at km. 15, pass through Darkwoods gate; at km. 15.5, old road goes R (Porcupine Lakes?); at km. 16.6, old rd. goes R; at km. 16.6, fork R (height of land); at km. 18, old rds. go L; at km. 18.4, old rd. goes R; at km. 21.1, reach fork on S. bank (you’re now in Cultus Creek); driven 9/02 & 9/03; 2WD

CULTUS CREEK ROAD: joined from Porcupine Creek road in 9/02 (km. recorded from Porcupine/Hwy 6 jct.)and descended; cross Cultus Crk.at 21.4 km. & reach jct (North Cultus goes L; it’s signed); at km. 26.7 a rd. goes L (km. 26 sign); cross creek to S bank at km. 32 (cabin on N. bank); road comes in from R at km. 32.2; cross to N. bank at km. 33; jct. with Laib Main on L (signed) at km. 34.5; 2WD; driven through from Hwy. 3 and Summit-Jersey in 9/03; 2WD

LAIB CREEK ROAD: turn N. off Cultus Creek road at km. 34.5; Laib Spur (signed) goes L at km. 3.5; cross Laib Creek at km. 4; bear R at km. 4.5; McGregor Road (signed) goes R at km. 5.2; driven 9/02; 2WD

MCGREGOR ROAD: turn R off Laib Creek road at km. 5.2 (signed); pass through a col at km. 6.7; bear L at km. 8.3; bear L at km. 9.8; bear L at km. 10.3; parked in a landing at km. 10.6 near where old fire lookout road goes up; pretty much 2WD to this point; from here, walked mainline through switchbacks and over a knob and into a cutblock in 45 min.; then took old rd sharply up and L through cutblock; this zigs up to lookout and summit in 35 min. more of walking; would be 4WD low-range; driven and walked 9/02

BURNETT N. SIDE ACCESS SPUR: go right or E. on first spur N. of height of land on Next-Laib connector (there is a km. sign at this point); driven on 9/03 5 km. into a cutblock on NW side of Burnett; parked at 6215′ (GPSed); an old disused road, but repairs were carried out on washouts; good grade and roadbed; maybe just 4WD

OXIDE PASS CONNECTOR: (from Porcupine side) follow Porcupine Crk rd. to about km. 5.8 (3400′); here, take a lesser rd. L that switches up to go through Oxide Pass (896 575, pass 5000′, road 5100′), 4 km. from the turnoff (some 12 switchbacks); good road bed all the way to top; in 10/98 driveable to at least the 12th switcback; 4WD high-clearance good quality; a flagged route/trail goes off to L about 50 m. past the point where a big, gray bank on the uphill side has been mined to rebuild the road; the trailhead is marked by a claim post with metal tag on the R (lower) side of the rd. and orange flagging on the uphill side; this route diagonals in a straight survey line right to the top of Jubilee Mtn.      FROM TOP: then through long, horizontal pass & down into very old cutblocks on the N. side; here, road is in bad shape (faint, grassy, & in some places only grass bent over by tires shows the way); a couple of creek crossings are broken out but can be negotiated by ATVs; bridge over Oscar Creek ok; 1.9 km. from pass to Oscar Creek road, which you join at its km 5.5; complete Porcupine\Oxide\Oscar loop is 23 km. which I did in 2 hrs. 45 min.

HIDDEN CREEK ROAD: (sign says Boulder Pit Rd.) 36.7 km. S of Nelson on Hwy #6; pass Hidden Creek Ranch and come down hill; road is directly across from Porcupine Timber; road is gated on N. side of BNR line; in 5/97 rode to km. 10.5; road is excellent 2WD; between km. 2 & 3, note sign for Hidden Creek South road; two more bridges to S. spurs can be found higher up (of no climbing interest); small business logging around km. 5; enter Darkwoods around km. 8; rode in 7/97 to km. 15.9 in cutblock on N. side (just past km 11, take big bend L; at km 13, go straight; at km. 14, go R); the main road that goes through pass to Porcupine Crk. seems to be the R or straight option just past km. 11 sign

SHEEP CREEK ROAD: take old highway 5.7 km. S. of Salmo; turn left; road is signposted; at 2.7 km keep R (L spur goes to HB Mine, now called New Dawn Resources; at km. 5.2, a new spur goes R and crosses creek–gated; at 5.7 km, road goes L up Aspen Creek (a new branch goes R immediately after you turn onto this road–not explored); at km 7.0 is Hedgehog Crk bridge; at km 9.2 is Nugget Crk. rd; at km 10.2, a rd. L; at 10.3 km. Waldie Lake road goes off to R; at 10.8 km. there’s a BCFS rec site; at 11.8 km a rd. L is gated; at km 12.1 pass mine & overhead tramline; at 14.1 km. Curtis Crk. road goes off to R; at 14.4 mudslide (4WD lst gr. LR); at km 15.1, a rd L goes into cutblocks below E ridge of Mt. Reno; at 15.7 km. Panther Lk. rd goes R; boulder on rd. at km. 17.1, just beyond Gambie Crk. ford; road continues beyond this (you are now in Darkwoods’ domaine, posted; Sheep Crk. road well-signed except in upper reaches; even creeks at bridges are labeled; drove 02/29/12 to Waldie Creek

ASPEN CREEK ROAD: turn off Sheep Crk. rd. at km. 5.7; within 100-200 m. road is blocked by several slides; spurs L at km. .5 & .7 probably go to HB; at km 1.5 a spur goes L; at km. 1.6 road bends L (a spur goes straight past a water tank & sluice for .6 km. to the creek; at km. 3.5 reach a gravel pit (spur goes R & down); at km. 5.8 cross bridge (not passable to regular vehicles) to E. bank of creek (note sign about gate & blasting); then fairly steep uphill on bad roadbed; at km. 7.1 a fainter track R (signed) leads to Aspen Mine (road switches R & L, then ignore spur to R & continue straight N. for 100-200 m. to Aspen Mine, 4630′); badly overgrown road continues ca. 300 m. farther to another works; from mine site a spur leads down to bunkhouses to rejoin main road at its end; biked 6/97

NUGGET CREEK ROAD: follow main Sheep Crk. haul rd. to km.9.2 to obvious turning on L or N; road blocked at lower end by slides; starting at 3000′, it switches up to spur R at 4400′ which crosses crk; bridge at 4800′ is knocked out; higher up, one rd contours round to SE, while another goes up to mine site at 6000′; mtn. biked to about 4600′ & walked the rest 6/97; mediocre quality in lower part; good in intermediate

WALDIE (WULF) LAKE ROAD: turn R off Sheep Crk rd. at km. 10.8; cross bridge over Sheep Crk.; bridge over Waldie Creek at 300 m.; faint rd. R @ 700 m; faint rd L @ 3 km; road R @ 4.7 km; road ends and Waldie Lakes trail begins @ 6.1 km; trail head is below rd before parking lot; good quality 4WD road recently brushed (10/99); skied out this road from Wulf Lk. in 5/02; skied up road to its end 02/29/12

BILLINGS CREEK ROAD: this leads to a mine at about 4800′ on Billings Creek, the next one west of Waldie Creek; drive Waldie Creek road 300 m. to washed out bridge; cross on logs & take first road R immediately after crossing; walked in Oct. ’97 to 7th switchback (ca. 4700′); at 6th s/b a lesser road goes L; at 7th, an old road goes R, fords creeks, and traverses around (best to take s/b L here); road not driveable, but roadbed not bad; could be a skookum mtn. bike route; trim map shows road as ending at 1580 m. (5183′)

PANTHER CREEK ROAD: turn R off Sheep Crk rd. at km 15.7; rd. goes .6 km to parking lot for trail

CURTIS CREEK ROAD: turn R off Sheep Crk. rd. at km 14.1; bridge over Sheep Crk is gone; passable for ATVs as a ford; walked it to Muskrat Crk. rd. in 10/99; walked to Curtis Lake in 2 hrs. 15 min. in 11/03; uppper portion was recently brushed out; at the upper end of last cutblock there is no clear road end or sign of a rec site/trailhead; rather, an ATV track serpentines up to the lake at 6050′

MUSKRAT CREEK ROAD: (not signed) turn R. or S. off Curtis Crk. rd. @ ca. km. 1.2; crosses Curtis Crk. on bridge (not driveable) and continues W. & S into Muskrat Crk. drainage; crosses Muskrat Crk. on decayed bridge; walked this rd. to near end in cutblock to 5200′ (5 km.) in accessing Yellowstone Mtn. 10/99

SHEEP CREEK SOUTH SIDE ROAD: take old highway 7 km. S of Salmo; cross over Sheep Creek bridge and take first left; at km 1.1 pass dump on R.; follow road as it switches up to a height of land at 4100′ (7.2 km.), a 2WD “highway”; road apparently plowed in winter of ’96-’97, perhaps to give access to the washed-out Lost Creek as it seems to continue over hump and to S; followed access to Lost Creek in 5/97; from height of land near cabin (km. 7.4) continue S; veer L at km 7.5 (R spur seems to go to Jersey); at km 9.2 go R (L private property); at km. 9.8, take sharp diagonal down & R (took the straight spur, but it was gated after .3 km); km. 10.1, go straight; km. 10.9, go L (R says pri prop/no trsping); at 11.4 km., take fairly primitive cat track L and down (this is the Lost Crk. connector); follow it for 1.8 km to a good road; go L for .2 km. to another jct; go left; you are now heading E. on Lost Creek Road.
Alternative (one of many): instead of following cat track, continue on main road & keep R at next jct.; in about 1.1 km., you reach the Upper Canex Homestead (Lime Crk.), home of an eccentric, elderly German; he says road carries on down to the highway, but it’s washed out temporarily

SEAMAN CREEK ROAD: explored only from pass with Wildhorse Creek; took spur to headwaters of S. fork; this part passable only to bikes and ATVs; roadbed ok but there are stumps on road

LOST CREEK ROAD: turn off Highway #3 2 km. E. of Nelway junction; I biked this road after accessing it from Iron Mtn. road; from where I reached road, it was 1.6 km to a homestead on S side; after 7.8 km. I passed a road & bridge crossing to S side of creek; stopped at km 8.6 just S. of Mt. Waldie (’97); in ’98, washed out section repaired; at km. .7, pass through washout; at km. 2, main rd. switches back L (within 500 m., it’s gated); don’t follow this, but do take less used rd. straight; washout at km. 4.5, but driveable; pass homestead at km 5; stopped by tree on rd. at km. 6.2; gated and locked at jct. with Hwy. 3 in 5/99

“LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD”: on N. side of Hwy. 3, 8.2 km. E. of Nelway turnoff & E of where the westernmost power lines cross highway; drive 1.8 km. NW to an open meadow (2WD); then take fainter spur back SE for 900 m. to a landing above an open-pit mine; easy to turn around; drove 6/00

STAG LEAP FSR: turn S. onto this at Kootenay Pass 79.2 km @?????); switches up to pass between Baldy Rocks & Lightning Strike (6450′); rough 4WD LR high clearance; Ripple Ridge trail goes R @ 2.4 km; Ripple Cabin trail goes R @ 3 km.; heads E. down into Monk Crk. beyond pass, roadbed is better but with lots of waterbars; Spur 15 goes L @ 3.8 km; reach Monk Crk mainline @ 7.7 km. Stag Leap FSR is Spur 14 from this side; drove in 7/01 & 10/04 & 7/05; blocked at Kootenay Pass as of 2006;

SPUR 15: turn E. off Stagleap FSR at km. 3.8; continues in slightly rising traverse to just below col E. of E. point of the Crags (ca. 4 km.); skied to end on 11/02

MONK CREEK ROAD: joined from Stag Leap FSR; distances from this junction; road heads W. up N. bank of Monk Creek and near power line; old spur R @ 800 m; deactivated rd. L @ 1.6 km.; take switchback R, @ 4.9; keep R @km. 6.2 (spur L says “deactivated”); go L @ km. 6.7 (R is powerline spur); drove to km. 8.3 just short of a pylon and very near road’s end (951-279, 6100′); drove 10/04, almost all is 2WD

MONK POWERLINE SPUR: go R off Monk mainline at km. 6.7; reach powerline meadow at 7.3 (that Howie and I walked through) and go L at a junction; drove to pylon at km. 8.1 where road ends; 4WD HC LR; drove in 10/04 Another end of this road goes R at a signed junction at km. 13.4 on Maryland FSR; driven to this point in 10/02

MONK SPUR TO SNOWY TOP: go L or straight up on this deactivated road @ 4.9 km.; road heads E. along a ridge; 4WD with easy, deep water bars; ford u/n creek in deep dip @ 15.3 km. (990-285); take less used spur L & up @ 15.4 km; follow this to road’s end @ 15.8 km; drove 7/01

FORK OF SUMMIT CREEK ROAD: can be accessed from Hwy #3 by descending 4 km. to E. of Salmo-Creston summit (4715′) and walking through trees for 5 min; it must intersect with #3 farther downhill; one branch goes to a cutblock below Wolf Pk.; another part follows the powerline which goes through Lost Creek Pass

UNNAMED ROAD ON N. SIDE OF HWY #3: exits Hwy. 3 about 7.5 km. E. of Kootenay Pass @ ca. 4350′; skied up road to east, then back to NW to 030-394, 5540′; main road continues back to S. after crossing watercourse, then ascends again to N.; followed skid road north from crossing of watercourse into basin and cutblock at 022-397, 6190’on way to E. summit of Windy Ridge on 02/11/11

CHAR CREEK ROAD: turn S. off Hwy 3 at km. 7.6 E. of Kootenay Pass; it’s signed and marked “deactivated”; cross Summit Crk. on moderately good bridge, then turn L onto powerline road; at km. 1.1 Char Crk. road goes R; walked in 5/02; road seems good 2WD with some water bars; bridge to E. bank at ca. km. 3.5 seems in good nick; lots of new cutblocks in upper reaches of Char; Char Crk. Cabin ca. 200 m. past bridge on W. of rd.; skied down from jct. at 026-367 on 3/06 (icy snowmobile ruts)

CHAR CREEK SPUR W.: (not its name; did not see a sign); goes N. & W. from Char Creek road at 026-367 (4600′); skied down this from 010-370 (5400′) to Char Crk. jct., about 2 km., on 3/06; looks driveable but not sure

BAYONNE CREEK FSR: access from Highway #3 11 km. E. of Salmo-Creston summit; signed “Summit Bayonne FSR”; km. 1.6, keep L; km. 3.4 go R at 4×4 post, signed “Arkansas Lake” (L goes to Carolina Creek); at km. 5.1, keep L; at km. 7.8, take sharp L signed “Arkansas Lake” (R fork goes to Bayonne Mine); beyond this, road becomes 4WD LR 1st gear; at 11.1 km. reach Arkansas Lake; followed road down N. from summit for 3.4 km (getting overgrown in stretches) to a big jct. with Blazed Creek road; turned L & drove 1 km. to Next Creek in 10/98; skied down the bottom 3.4 km. on 4/02

CAROLINA CREEK ROAD: turn L off Bayonne FSR at km. 3.4; road looks pretty good but not driven; there are cutblocks at the very head of Carolina Crk. Skied this from Pristine Pass 4/02; picked up south side road and followed it to bridge at Bayonne Creek; bridge is out (had to cross on snow bridge).

BAYONNE MINE ROAD: turn R off Bayonne FSR at km. 7.8; at km. .9, big mine remains; at km. 1.1, reached a jct. and stopped as road deteriorated; later walked road right down from ridge N. of John Bull Mtn.; certainly walkable & in sub-alpine; explored 10/98; mine workings and spurs everywhere

NEXT CREEK ROAD: accessed very top end; from Summit Bayonne FSR via Blazed Creek road to S. bank of Next Creek; turned L or W. and followed newly-graded road on S. bank for 1 km. in 10/98; looks like it continues to headwaters; downstream, links up with Elmo Creek road; definitely in Darkwoods territory; drove this road via Summit-Bayonne access in 9/02, passing the fairly faint Arkansas Lake road and curving down to Next Creek bridge (Km. 17 sign); crossed to N. bank and headed downstream; Elmo Jct. goes L at km. 22 sign; crossed creek and headed back up unnamed creek to pass at head of Jersey Crk.; then descended Jersey to pick up Summit-Blazed and back to hwy; good 2WD all the way

MARYLAND CREEK FSR: turn S. off Hwy 3 at km. 15 east of Kootenay Pass; gas line road goes L at km. 1.7; Buckworth Road goes L at km. 2.5 sign (signed); lesser road goes L at km. 6.7; old road goes R at 8; old road goes L at km. 8.9; faint road goes R at km. 9 in pass; de-activated road goes R at km. 10; cross creeklet at signed Gordy’s Xing” at km. 12.4; jct. at km. 13.4 where signed Monk FSR goes R and Boundary Lake FSR goes L; driven 10/02 & 06/05; 2WD all the way.

BUCKWORTH ROAD: goes L off Maryland FSR at 2.5 km. sign (signed); not driven

BOUNDARY LAKE FSR: forks L off Maryland FSR at km. 13.4; a faint road goes L at km. 13.7; faint road goes R. at km. 16.3; de-activated road goes L at km. 17.0; Boundary Lake Rec Site road goes R at km. 17.6; very faint road goes L at creek crossing at km. 18.2; old rd. goes L @ km. 21.5; de-activated rd. goes L @ km. 23.4; faint rd goes L @ km. 26.1; faint rd goes L @ km. 27.1; at km. 28.7, signed de-activated rd. goes R & crosses Boundary Creek on a good bridge; rd goes L @ km. 30.2; major jct. @ km. 31.7 (just past km. 32 sign) where mainline crosses to S. side of Boundary Creek; drove 10/02 & beyond Boundary Lake in 06/05; 2WD all the way

Km. 17 SPUR (MY NAME): goes L off Boundary Lake FSR at km. 17; drove 1.5 km. (4WD HC low-range) in 10/02; reached big wash-out, then walked to road end at 076-325 in 5350′ pass S. of Maryland Creek headwaters in 45 min.; an ATV track for last 300-400 m;

 

“MT. HUSCROFT ROAD” (my name): turn L off Boundary Lake FSR at km. 31.7 junction; cross the Huscroft creek bridge @ 100 m; at 100 m. past bridge take a fainter road L by rebar with flagging; go 500 m and make a very sharp L onto a grassy, disused-looking road; go back 200 m and make a sharp R onto another spur; go 200 m., crossing a waterbar to end of driveable road just below a power pylon @ 1200 m (3937′); 4WD HC LR lst gear; walked road beyond, keeping right at a jct., to near its end in a block @ 1760 m. (5774′) in about 90 min.; driven and hiked 6/05;

SUMMIT-BLAZED FSR: turn N. off Hwy #3, 22.1 km. E. of Kootenay Pass; at km. 3.5, Bluebird goes L; at km. 4.4, Summit/Jersey goes R; drove into Next Creek in 9/02; think I found that sign R for Next Creek did not lead down into Next Crk., but up into cutblocks; drove this 9/03

BLUEBIRD ROAD: turn L off Summit Blazed at km. 3.5; drove 4.2 km. on this in 9/02

SUMMIT-JERSEY FSR: turn R off Summit-Blazed at km. 4.4; S. Jersey rd. goes L at km. 9 sign; reach height of land at km. 11 sign; road goes right through to Next Crk. (2WD all the way); driven 9/02 & 9/03; part is on Darkwoods land;

UNNAMED ROAD: turn N. off Hwy. #3 25.2 km. E. of Kootenay Pass; not explored but looked well-used in 9/01

TOPAZ CREEK FSR: turn N. off Hwy. #3 33.9 km. E. of Kootenay Pass & just W. of Summit Creek bridge; road goes L at km. 1; go L at km. 3 sign (R or straight is signed for Newington Creek); road switches up and back to S and then W. under radio tower; road goes R & up at km. 11.2 where sign warns of no motorized hunting (this rd. probably accesses the transmitter tower); go L on Topaz mainline (signed) at km. 13.2; go R on Toby Rd. at 20.8 km.; Darkwoods sign soon after; driven 9/01 & 7/03; parked at pullout near flagging marking Mt. Hulme trail not far past km. 21; 2WD all the way; this looks as if it may continue for kilometres

NEWINGTON CREEK/SHAW CREEK RD: following Topaz Crk. FSR, continue straight at km. 3; cross Midgeley Crk. @ km. 8.4; Midgeley Rd. goes L at km. 12; go straight @ km. 14; at km. 23, descend into Shaw Creek valley; go straight @ km. 24.3; at km. 25, cross Shaw Crk. & head down valley; at km. 27 go R and uphill; at km. 27.4 go straight on Pioneer Rd; at km. 29, go straight on Chickadee Rd; at km. 29.1 take L spur & drive 200 m. to end of driveable part (after km. 25, data is for SE ridge of Wood Pk.); driven 8/02

TOBY ROAD: turn R off Topaz road at km. 20.8; keep R at 21.4 km (signed as Darkwoods, no entry); keep R at km. 22.8; stop at pull-out at km. 23.2, due S of Hulme Pk.; road continues; driven 9/01; 2WD

TOBY ROAD SPUR: go L off Toby road at km. 22.8; drove to end at landing in .5 km 9/01

DODGE CREEK FSR: turn S. onto West Creston Rd.; at km. .7 go L; at km. 7.1 join Reclamation Rd.; at km. 16.5, turn R onto signed Dodge Creek FSR; re-set odo; at km. 4.1, Spur 73-2 goes L; at km. 5.7, Square 4 goes R; at km. 9, a spur goes R; at km. 10.4, a spur goes R; at km. 10.6 South Dodge Road (signed) goes L and down; mainline bends N. up Dodge Creek; at km. 11.5, Urmston Road goes R; driven 05/09; 2WD

URMSTON ROAD: goes R. off Dodge Creek FSR @ km. 11.5; re-set odo; drove to km. .9 4750’on 05/09; stopped by snow; farther along, a spur goes L; road crosses to R. bank of Dodge Creek; a spur R going along E. bank of Dodge Creek; beyond wide col at 269-309, reach jct; road straight goes down into Urmston Creek; left branch switches up into blocks S. of Mt. Rykert; walked 05/09; some is overgrown N. of big col

URMSTON SPUR TO L: walked 05/09; to a spur R @ ca. 5632′ 256-296 05/09

SPUR R OFF THIS SPUR: goes R @ ca. 5632′ 256-296; walked it to summit of u/n 6069′ 253-303 05/09

 

FERRIES

Galena Bay – Shelter Bay
Non-summer schedule: leave Galena Bay every hour on the half hour /  leave Shelter Bay every hour on the hour – crossing time=30 minutes