We like Wells Grey PP for waterfall hikes. Unlike most of BC, the area was volcanic and is full of basalt plateus. It is huge (over 3,000 sq miles) and the Murtle River alone has seven major waterfalls. Some impressive Falls are Hendrix, Helmcken, Dawson, Sylvia/Goodwin, Canim/Mahood, Deception, Osprey, Moul, and my favorite, Spahat. In Waterfalls of British Columbia, Tony Greenfield calls it "BC's waterfall capital. lizzie
Gosh, there is more here than we can do in two months of steady hiking! The Smithers area is very interesting -- I did not know that there were glaciers in that area. Crosscheck, were those day hikes, or were you backpacking?
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profdant139 wrote: Sue, what kind of a lens were you using to get those shots of the bear? I am shopping for a new telephoto lens for my digital SLR and am trying to balance out cost, weight, bulk, and performance.
profdant139 wrote: Gosh, there is more here than we can do in two months of steady hiking! The Smithers area is very interesting -- I did not know that there were glaciers in that area. Crosscheck, were those day hikes, or were you backpacking?
Garbaldi PP is near Whisler(2 hour drive north of Vancouver). The lake is a backpack and from there we day hiked. You can make it up to the ridge in a day but is is rather long.
Roche de Boule(1 hour from Smithers) is a backpack but all other trips can be for the day.
Babine PP is an hours drive from Smithers. Lots of day hikes.
The glacier is above town1/2 hour drive, 4 hour steep hike one way.
Peak is 3.5 hour hike one way, 3500' vertical from ski area above town. That is where shot of Howson range is.
Few tourists travel to this area and you probably will have the place to yourself, and the wildlife act like normal wilderness animals not like the human habituated ones in Banff or Yellowstone where 5000 people can line up to get their picture without them missing a meal. You can view them from a long way off but try to get close and they are gone. Hudson Bay mountain and Kathlyn glacier from Babine PP
Mountain Billy Goat, Babine PP. How did he get there?
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You have received so much advice already here. The hiking on the old Grand Duke mine road out of Stewart and Hyder looked magnificent with glaciers abounding and high meadows everywhere but I doubt there are many trails and the mosquitoes were voracious when we were there in the summer.
I know the central and southern rockies very well so will give some suggestions here. First, October has most campgrounds closed and the weather can be both cold and snowy so August and September would be better and even then many smaller campgrounds close in early September. So more driving would be involved getting to trails.
I would consider the Icefields Parkway area. There is a seldom used approach to the Saskatchewan glacier which leaves from the big bend on the climb up to Sunwapta pass from the south. It is on an old (no longer used) gravel road then some glacial outwash flats with a climb up over a low summit then down then mostly flat. There is a side trip towards a big waterfall to the south.
I would also recommend the iceline trail out of Yoho park near Field BC. You drive to Takakaw falls (no RV's allowed) then hike a high loop of around 20 km past several small and retreating glaciers. It is spectacular and involves around a 800 m climb at the start then meanders along lovely terrain with magnificent views. It is busy in mid-summer but would be really nice in September.
A third recommendation is out of Radium BC and is not in the Rockies. Camp in Radium and drive the gravel roads to the trail head for "Lake of the Hanging Glaciers". You can begin with a short side trail to a spectacular falls then hike a good trail alongside a roaring creek with some gentler steep sections through lovely meadow to a high lake with big glaciers at the far end. It is around 10 km each way and about 800 vertical meters. From the lake you can follow a rough trail along the left or East shore to a glacier which is actually in/on the lake at the far end. You might see people here but not many.
Bugaboo provincial park is another good one with a good trail (involves climbing a couple of ladders) to the hut with a trail going beyond to the edge of a small glacier. Spectacular area with falls along the drive in. Quite a busy area in summer but quiet in the fall with only a few climbers then.
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Hudson Bay mountain and Kathlyn glacier from Babine PP
