Ref: Kamloops Trails
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At the lower trailhead, the sign discourages driving further.
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Scramble:
RT 3.0; 1.25 up. Most hikers will forgo Raft Mountain for Trophy Peaks
when they visit Wells Gray Provincial Park; however, this outing grants
good access, a nice trail, great views, and the possibility to "up the
ante" with a ridgeline traverse. The hike to the summit isn't long or
difficult; it's the perfect afternoon trip. When we went, time
constraints only allowed us to hike to the summit; we had
to forgo the loop extension. That weekend, the temperature was hot, so
we booked a campsite close to the water; unfortunately, it
wasn't near the mountain. After a lazy morning, we drove back to
Clearwater and located the well-marked access road to the trailhead; we
started hiking early afternoon. The hike was very short on a nice
trail that quickly exits the forest and climbs steeply through open
meadows. I wish I could say it was delightful, but the bugs were
fierce;
we had to hustle most of the way. Once on the ridge, a breeze luckily
kept
them at bay. We enjoyed the view while hiking to the top; it was neat
to look at
Trophy Peaks. Most of the snow had melted by now; we were there 3 weeks
ago when it was still snowbound. After a good break by the summit
cairn, we headed down. We
decided to visit Dutch Lake for a quick swim before our long drive
home.
This was a great summer weekend.
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Hiking the short stretch of road to the upper trailhead.
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The start of the trail.
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The path goes through open terrain.
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It's a steedy climb to the ridge. |
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The repeater is visible on the ridge. |
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Reaching the ridge.
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Looking back with Dunn Peak in the background.
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The summit is in sight.
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Almost there.
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Kidney Lake below the cliffs on the northern aspect.
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To the north Trophy Peaks are a popular destination in Wells Gray Provincial Park.
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The summit cairn is a skip and a hop away!
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Kidney Lake (left) and Crystal Lake.
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Arriving at the summit.
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To the east are the impressive northern Monashee Mountains of the Seymour Range.
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Dunn Peak south of us.
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Taking a nice break at the top.
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The ridgeline traverse grants some scrambling sections.
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The far end of the ridgeline traverse descends towards Willis Lake.
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Gold Peak is the highest summit between Seymour Pass and the Thompson River(s).
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Heading down.
Picture courtesy of Milan Kubik.
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Enjoying the "bug-free" ridge.
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Finishing the trip with a nice swim in Dutch Lake, which overlooks Raft Mountain.
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