Oct 19th, Nickel Plate Provincial Park

Burn Perimeter trail.

This was the second trip out with Scotts new toy…….a digital Nikon camera…….so lets see how the pictures work out uploading them. I am already finding that I have to sacrifice some of the clarity of the pictures just to be able to upload them …….feedback welcome if anyone has any opinions….!!

The drive to the park was another one of those BC mountain phenomenal roller coaster rides….the road on the GPS looks like a childs squiggly drawing……with lots of loops and switchbacks……we passed through Apex Mountain Resort and headed up a logging road that no one in their right mind would drive in even vaguely inclement weather or compromised lighting…… ( Aside…..we drove this road a week later in a foot of snow……absolutely terrifying…!!)

The trail itself was a cross country skiing trail…..I have to admit I was not aware one could cross country ski on such grades……not the steepest hike we have done……but there was still a significant climb.

The trail itself has been ignored a bit with COVID….so there were sections where it was difficult to follow the trail through the new growth pine and marshland…..who knew it could be so boggy up so high (just shy of 2000m of elevation)…..fortunately this elevation in October turned out to be mostly frozen…..so crunchy marsh…!!!

I keep saying it….but it is amazing how much terrains can differ……even with the proximity of this trail to Brent mountain……its kind of the next mountain over…..the terrain is quite distinctly different

Part way round, actually about halfway…we decided to deviate from the route and skip the walk up the valley on the grounds that we were already in snow and with no ice grips for our boots going higher might be foolish..(!)….and we would trade it for following another trail down to the lake side…..I think it wa a good decision…..the lake was stunning…..

….and one of the perks of the new camera came with these little buddies who flew right at us and then sat for a photo op. No way I could get them with my phone, even as close as they were….

We made it back to the truck right on time as the light was fading. Something we have had to become very conscious of, not just for the hike but for the drive home too.

Another great day out…highly recommend the trail……might be worth trying it again in snow shoes in a few weeks…!!!

Next stop is Crater Mountain hike up to Hargreaves Cabin….a return to Ashnola..!!!

Extra pix.