BUGABOOS
Conrad Kain Hut. Trail one-way: 5 km, 1.5-3 hrs, +700 m
The trail begins in the parking lot, and follows the northern lateral moraine of Bugaboo Glacier. The trail is very steep and strenuous, with exposure to steep drop-offs as it climbs through granite bluffs.
Cobalt Lake. Trail one-way: 8.5 km, 2-4 hrs, +800 m
The trail begins along the park access road across from the CMH Lodge, switchbacks up an old skid road, through a forest of alpine larch trees and eventually to an open alpine ridge with good views to Cobalt Lake and the Bugaboo Spires.
Alpine Traverse between Cobalt Lake and the Conrad Kain Hut. This has a trail at both ends but is unmarked crosses talus slopes, snowfields, and a small glacier in the middle.
Cobalt Lake
Snowpatch Spire
Bugaboo Spire
HIKING & CLIMBING the WEST KOOTENAY
VALHALLA RANGE
Gimli Peak
Mulvey Basin
Gwillim Basin
Devils Range
SLOCAN LAKE. A 58 km long lake with Valhalla Provincial Park on its border. 9 campsites, many waterfalls, trails.
Nemo Creek Falls
Slocan City, Slocan Lake and the beginning of the Slocan River
Silverspray Silver Spray cabin 2337m (7665′).
Elevation gain: 995m (3265′), 6.45 km one-way
This is my favourite place in the West Kootenay. The seeker of solitude will not mind the stiff climb to a beautiful cabin set amid spectacular mountain scenery – grey rocks, mining history, tarns, and golden larch in September. Climb Sunrise Mt, Mt McQuarrie or Evening Star, and visit the Violet Mine.
In a disastrous avalanche on January 2, 1998, a group of 6 back-country skiers from Nelson were killed. Read “In the Path of an Avalanche” by Vivien Bowers, a riveting account of the affair. Since the Silver Spray Cabin has been closed in the winter.
A 2003 forest fire burned through the valley.
Kokanee Glacier
PURCELL MOUNTAINS
Monica Meadows
