RidgeLife Magazine, Summer 2023

RidgeLife MAGAZINE

Inside: Adventure biking, Gone fishin’, Hiking the Bald Spot, ...and more

PROUDLY PART OF TUMBLER RIDGE

Industrial Metalwork is a construction company with a history of working on large scale projects across many key industries in our region and across the country. Our goal is to be integrated in the areas in which we work to create local opportunities, create impact in the communities in which we work, and to do so in a profitable and sustainable manner.

Over the past two years Industrial Metalwork has been dedicated to growing our relationship with Conuma Resources here in Tumbler Ridge. Tumbler Ridge and the Conuma Resources operations are situated on West Moberly First Nations traditional territory. It is very important for us so be working with WMFN as a partner as we grow out business in the region. Industrial Metalwork (IMW) worked with the West Moberly corporate alliance (WMCA) to form a Limited Partnership (LP) company that would utilize the skill and resources of IMW along with the skills and resources of West Moberly. The new LP was formed and operates as WM-IMW. This key strategic move was vital to ensuring we are meeting our goal of being integrated in the community in which we work.

As a part of our ongoing goal of creating impact in the community, WM-IMW team has recently initiated the Our Work Experience program to provide high school students in Tumbler Ridge and Chetwynd with an opportunity to earn extra credits toward their diplomas while gaining hands-on experience in our field of work.

Additionally, we are proud to announce that we have awarded more than six scholarships and education contributions to Indigenous students.

Tumbler Ridge is an exciting place to be living and working as the development of your local resources continues to grow and as the community which has seen its share of highs and lows continues to grow. We are proud at WM-IMW to be working so closely with Conuma Resources as they work to develop the resource output and also commit to doing it in a environmentally, social and sustainable manner for years to come.

RidgeLife MAGAZINE

Tumbler RidgeLife is a magazine for and about Tumbler Ridge. This is our summer edition, dedicated to the people and places that make Tumbler Ridge such a great place to live and visit. This magazine exists because of a grant from the Canadian Government and the BC Chamber of Commerce, which was found and administered by the Tumbler Ridge Chamber of Commerce. While this issue is not funded directly by that grant, we like to remember our roots.

Thanks to all the local businesses and organizations for making this publication possible, and you, for picking it up and reading it.

website: www.tumblerridgelines.com

www.facebook.com/tumblerridgelines twitter.com/tumblerridgelines

Trent Ernst, Publisher publisher@tumblerridgelines.com

phone: 250-219-8215

Lisa Allen, Sales Manager sales@tumblerridgelines.com phone: 236-846-2188

On the cover: the grass grows around and through the boardwalk on the trail to Babcock Falls. Lisa Allen Photo.

Unless otherwise noted, all photos and stories by Trent.

Welcome to Summer in Tumbler Ridge

Welcome to Summer 2023!

As I write this, it is spring, a time of promise and potential. A time of rebirth and the hope of a summer of getting out and exploring all the magic that nature has to offer.

It is also full of wood smoke.

You see, right now, the north is on fire. A low snow year, a dry spring and above average temperatures has pushed the fire ratings into the extremes.

Indeed, just as we were about to go to press, the town was evacuated due to a nearby wildfire.

So, while my welcomes are typically full of optimism and words about the potential adventures that await your visits to the backcountry, this go about, it is also full of caution and a warning.

Which is this. Enjoy your time in the woods, but be extra careful about what you do while you are out there.

Above: Exploring the high country along Albright Ridge

One: if you build a campfire, always attend it. At the moment, campfires aren’t allowed anywhere in the region, but if/when they are, make sure they’re out when you leave. This should be self-evident, but every year people walk away from their fires thinking there’s no way it could escape, and then they do.

But this is just the first part. With conditions this dry, you need to be extra careful. That means no throwing bottles or foil packaging into the woods. I mean, you shouldn’t be doing that anyway. Ever. But when the weather gets hot and dry, it doesn’t take much to start a fire and a bottle or foil can focus sunlight just enough to cause a fire to start.

If you smoke, don’t throw your butts in the bushes. Seriously. When I used to look after the campground at Kinuseo Falls, I would find cigarettes still smouldering along the trail to the falls. I am not going to judge you (publicly) for smoking, but if you do smoke, take responsibility for cleaning up your butts; find someplace to dispose of them that won’t start the world on fire.

Something you might not consider a potential cause of forest

fires is driving, but hot engines, especially on ATVs. Indeed, equipment use (like riding ATVs) is the third most common cause of human-started forest fires.

ATV exhausts can get hot, and driving through dry vegetation can actually start things on fire, especially if you’ve removed your spark arrestor. Don’t remove your spark arrestor; if you don’t have one, get one. Something else you might want to get: a fire extinguisher or a fire kit to carry with you when you’re out riding.

Note that, as this was going to print, there was still an evacuation alert in effect. That means you need to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice if the fire situation gets worse. And there are areas in the backcountry that are still closed due to the fire. Always check the BC Wildfire website or phone app before heading out for the latest information. Thanks for listening. I don’t want to dissuade anyone from enjoying their time here in Tumbler Ridge, but I also want people to explore responsibly.

Have fun, out there, but be safe.

To Do: Flatbed Falls

Tumbler Ridge is known for its picturesque waterfalls, from Bergeron to Kinuseo.

But the closest waterfall to town is also known for another reason. It is one of the town’s favourite swimming holes. While caution is always advised (as the tannin-stained waters can hide hazards such as submerged trees), people not only swim at the base of the falls, but leap from the top of the falls (which are officially listed as 4 m/12 feet high, but are

probably a little shorter.) And the falls are a receding falls, which means it is possible to move to a lower level before jumping. Again, with caution and of your own volition. They’re so close to town that many bike or even just walk to the end of Mackenzie way and turn left to the Flatbed Falls Trailhead; it is only 2 km from town hall, and should take less than half an hour to walk to. The 1 km trail down to the falls should add 15 minutes to the total trip.

Above: Jumping off Flatbed Falls

To Do: Road biking Tumbler

Let’s face it. If you’re biking Tumbler Ridge, chances are, you’re doing it on a mountain bike. And, with a new mountain bike area being built this year, chances are even more likely you’ve got fat tires beneath you.

Which is a shame, because Tumbler Ridge offers some great places for the road biker, too.

First things first, while the town is on top of a bench overlooking Flatbed Creek and the Murray River, the only way out is up. There are three ways to go, each featuring a stiff climb.

The stiffest is along Highway 52 towards Tupper. The route starts off innocently enough, with a straight flat section heading southeast. But after about four km, the road swings south, then drops into the Flatbed Creek Valley. Once over the bridge, the road climbs steeply up the far side. How steeply? It’s a 6.5 percent grade, gaining 153 m over 2.5 km. While going up is challenging, coming down presents its own issues, and people have hit over 80 km/h—on a road bike, remember—coming down the hill. This road can be followed for about 60 km one way from town, past Stony Lake, before the road turns to gravel.

Similar climbs are available heading towards Chetwynd and Dawson Creek. These roads are fully paved so it is possible to bike to either in about four hours or so. Hardcore road bikers can even do the triangle, from Tumbler to Chetwynd to Dawson and back to Tumbler, in a rather long (around 12 hour, assuming 25 km/h average speed) day.

For people not looking for quite so epic a ride, the road to the former Bullmoose Mine is no longer maintained and has some rough sections, but offers road bikers an easy 19 km one way ride, gaining a mere 147 m on the way out.

Do note that wildlife—including bears, both black and grizzly—are common along the roads here, so bikers need to be both self-sufficient (bring food, water, and tools to repair flats) and prepared for wildlife encounters (bear spray).

Also note that much of the road is chip seal, which can prove hard on biker’s bums and palms.

Biking up the Highway 52 hill towards Dawson Creek.

Summer Fun: Community Events

Participaction Community Challenge

From June 1-30, Tumbler Ridge residents are invited to get out, get mobile and log their activities in the Participaction app to claim Canada’s most active community status.

Capital Power Free Swim

Head to the community centre for a free monthly swim, sponsored by Capital Power. June 24, July 22 and August 26.

Summer Splash at the Aquatic Centre

Come down and celebrate the start of summer June 29 6:30PM to 8:00PM.

Canada Day

Activities happen July 1 from 12 PM to 4PM at the Tumbler Ridge Arena. Unfortunately, with the fire danger so high, there are no fireworks planned this year.

Picnic in the Park

This annual community gathering is happening July 19 in the Community Centre Lower Parking Lot.

DTR Kids Summer Camp

Running from July 10–August 25, kids are welcome to drop in at the Community Centre for a variety of summer activities.

Emperor’s Challenge

On August 12, run up and over Babcock Mountain as part of Canada’s toughest and most beautiful half marathons.

Community Registration

On Sept 7, organizations from about the community will set up to offer their programs to residents to do over winter.

To do: Paddle the Murray River

The best moment for this 56 km paddle comes fairly early. From the Kinuseo Falls parking lot, carry your boat down the 3 km trail past the upper viewpoint and down to the river below Kinuseo Falls. This is the hardest part of the trip. But it is not the best moment.

Once you get down to the river, paddle across to the island, get out and line upstream past the rapids or power through them to paddle in the mists below the falls. This is the most beautiful and most magical moment of the trip.

After spending some time at the base of the falls, point your prow downstream. There are a few minor rapids, but nothing past a class II. That said, you can’t just drift down river; get too close to the bank and fallen trees can capture and capsize the unaware paddler. Jet boats are frequently seen heading up the river, and they’re not used to seeing paddlers here. And once water levels drop in summer, there are a number of boulder gardens, where you may have to get out and walk if you miss the deepest channels.

There are plenty of places to stop and rest and relax on the

many islands in the stream, which is good, because most people do this route over two days, although it can be done in one very long day as well.

If you’re the sort to want to stop and fish, the Murray has a decent crop of bull trout, (catch and release only) and Arctic Grayling, (catch and release only until about 2 km below the falls).

You’ll pass under three bridges and take out at the fourth if you’re paddling from Kinuseo to Tumbler Ridge, and it is possible to arrange for a pick-up/leave a vehicle at any one of these locations to shorten the trip.

And if you want to make the trip longer? Go past the boat launch on Highway 29. This is your last viable option to take out before you hit the confluence with the East Pine River, about 120 km later. Paddle upstream to the take out.

This section of the river features some class III features: ledges and chutes and a whirlpool that can trap the unwary. It will take another two or three days to paddle this section, making for a three to five day paddle, all told.

While Kinuseo gets all the press (you can still find it on a number of top ten lists for highest waterfalls in BC, though it’s not anywhere near the tallest; most spectacular? Certainly. Tallest? Not even close), there are plenty of other worthwhile waterfalls to visit in the Tumbler Ridge area.

Bergeron Falls is one of them. At 100 metres high, it is almost twice as tall as Kinuseo, but moves only a fraction of the water, especially later in summer.

Bergeron Falls is set in a natural amphitheatre above the Murray River. Bergeron Creek flows through a narrow gap in the rocks, but as it hits the rocks on the way down, it fans out, becoming much wider at the base than at the top. The trail to the falls climbs steeply up from the trailhead until it gets to a cutline across the mountain. Left will take you to Bergeron Cliffs (another fine destination), while right takes you to the falls. Keep left at the junction to get to a viewpoint from the cliffs at the top of the falls. Note the crumbling nature of the rocks and stay well back from the edge as you admire the views of the magnificent falls.

There are a number of other interesting destinations just above the falls, like Hidden Valley, a mossy, steep-sided valley that parallels the main cliff edge.

And, if you’re doing the side trail to Hidden Valley, why not take the side trail of the side trail to Dipper Falls, a small, pretty waterfall. You can also visit Scalpel Ridge off the main trail, which follows a narrow knife edge ridge before descending to a bench in the forest beside the creek. Of course, looking down at a waterfall isn’t quite the same thing as looking up at one, so for the more actively inclined, the trail continues down to the bottom of the falls. This section is considered difficult, with an elevation gain (and loss) of 450 m, compared to 170 m to go the viewpoint.

Still, the trek down to the base of the falls is worthwhile as you stand next to (or beneath) the falls, feeling the cool spray on your hot skin. In early summer, Swallowtail butterflies have been seen congregating in the hundreds at the base of the falls, and mountain goats are frequently seen on the cliffs around the falls too.

At the base of Bergeron Falls. Lisa Allen Photo

Destination: Bergeron Falls

A summer’s sunset over the Murray River, from the Tumbler Ridge Point Trail. Lisa Allen photo.

Gone Fishin’

Imagine a perfect summer evening. The air is still warm from the heat of the day, but the sun is hidden behind the hills, as the sky moves from blue to purple.

You’re on Moose Lake in a small boat, slowly being pushed along by an electric trolling motor, it’s soft thrum nearly inaudible. In the distance, you can hear the evening calls of the birds.

Then, before you, you see the telltale ripples of a fish surfacing to take one of the evening’s admittedly plenty of insects. Then another. Another. Farther away you see an energetic rainbow trout leap fully out of the water to splash back down. As you keep looking there are dozens, perhaps hundreds of expanding concentric circles about you, breaking the glassy surface of the lake.

And then the tip of your rod twitches as one of those rising fish takes your lure, and the fight is on.

This, my friends, is not a word picture created whole cloth to lure unsuspecting anglers to Tumbler Ridge, but an actual moment from last summer.

Moose Lake is one of Tumbler Ridge’s most popular fishing destinations. The lake is annually stocked with 2500 rainbow trout to keep anglers happy, and while you’re not going to catch a lunker here, the fishing can be fast and furious and the fish are feisty.

If it’s lunkers you’re looking for, your best bet is to head slightly further up the road. Gwillim Lake is about 50 km from town, almost exactly halfway between Tumbler Ridge and Chetwynd on Highway 29.

Fishing Gwillim is almost the opposite of fishing Moose. If Moose is small and intimate with plenty of small fish, Gwillim is big and blowy with the occasional giant fish. One local angler says he spent the better part of a week getting skunked on the lake.

As he was about to leave in frustration, he felt a tug on his line, and pulled up the biggest lake trout he had ever seen. After that, he went back every chance he could.

In addition to lake trout, anglers will find bull trout, northern pike, moun-

Continued on Page 14

tain whitefish, artic grayling, and burbot here. The lake has low nutrient levels, and is succeptable to overfishing. It is not stocked.

Boot Lake is another small, stocked lake, southeast of town. You can access it from Highway 52, north of town, or by following Highway 52 south as it makes a long loop around Bearhole Lake Provincial Park. This road is much longer, but is also generally in much better condition as the first 10 km of the Hourglass road is frequently very rough.

Boot Lake is stocked with rainbow (5000 annually) and brook (3500 annually) trout. While fishing for brook trout differs slightly from fishing for rainbow, you don’t need specialized gear for either. (Note that, as this magazine was going to press, a fire in the area had closed access to the lake; always check with the local visitor information centre before heading out.)

If you do follow Highway 52 south of town to get to Boot Lake, it will also take you past Stony Lake. Unlike many of the lakes in the area, Stony’s prime catch is pike, an aggressive, mean looking fish that’s all teeth and bone. Unlike trout, which are all about finesse and patience, pike will eat just about anything that looks appetizing. There’s lots of pike here, which means they don’t get very big. But they are quite hungry, so it’s hard to get skunked here, even if fishing from the shore.

Another popular lake to fish is Quality Lake. The lake is shallow and prone to winterkill, so it is stocked annually with 1500 catchable rainbow trout, which grow quickly in the nutrient rich water.

Fishing Quality Lake can present a bit of a challenge, espe-

cially without a boat, as there are only a few places to cast from shore. Best bring a belly boat or small, hand-launchable craft (there is no boat launch) and get out on the water.

If you are looking for something different, the Murray River has some good sized bull trout lurking in its depths. There’s also whitefish, rainbows, and arctic greyling.

The best place to fish the Murray is near a confluence, like where the Wolverine River flows into it, once the river starts running clear in summer. Some people spincast here, but fly fishers will tell you that catching a greyling on light gear with a caddis or a nymph is magical.

As you move up the streams that flow into the Murray, you’ll find smaller versions of the same fish (greyling and bull trout). People have had luck catching fish around Flatbed Falls, for instance, but also along the Wolverine and up Bullmoose Creek.

Want to know more about fishing around Tumbler Ridge? The Visitor Information Centre has a guide to these and other places you can fish around Tumbler Ridge. They also hold a fishing derby at the end of June each year. Call 250-242-3142 for information.

Anglers plying the waters of Moose Lake during the annual fishing derby.

Destination: Bald Spot

A tall, forested ridge rises east of Tumbler Ridge, towering over the town.

It bears the name Tumbler Ridge, but according to local historian Charles Helm, Tumbler Ridge used to be the range stretching north from Mount Bergeron. (Originally, before the 1920s, it used to be called the Tumbler Range.)

He says he’s not sure if the name transferred to the nearby ridge after the town was built, or if the ridge gained the name first, then the town was named after it. Either way, the ridge is mostly covered with a mixed forest.

Except for a small patch near the top, where no trees grow. This is the Bald Spot, and it is the most accessible, difficult hiking trail around.

The trail doesn’t follow a switchbacking pattern, trading off

the difficulty of sheer elevation gain by making the trip less steep. Oh, no, the trail follows a cutline that goes straight up, then over the ridge. And so the trail goes straight up and up, and ever-steeper up.

A few years ago, they re-routed a portion of the steepest section of trail around an area that is beginning to wash out, adding in a series of stairs.

But the last section gets so steep that a rope has been installed to keep people from sliding back down the trail.

Just as you think you can climb no further, the trail turns sharply left, still climbing until finally, blessedly, you emerge into the open, with views out over the town and the mountains beyond.

To get here: watch for signs on Highway 52, north of the Co-op.

Tumbler Ridge from the Bald Spot. Lisa Allen photo.

Come for the stay for the

Scenery, ADVENTURE

Ryan Lamming has a dream.

Lamming is one of Tumbler Ridge’s most passionate advocates for snowmobiling in the winter. But in summer, his sport of choice is adventure biking, and he dreams of making Tumbler Ridge a popular destination with adventure bikers.

Adventure biking, or adventure riding, is not new, says Lamming, but it’s now a recognized segment of the biking market, defined not so much by the type of riding, but by the approach.

Adventure bikers are explorers. They may ride on pavement; they may ride on dirt roads. They may even ride on trails. But they are, above all, self-reliant. Adventure riders will head off for days, weeks, or even months at a time, carrying everything they need with them.

“An adventure bike is just a motorcycle with saddle bags,” says Lamming. “And adventure biking is just going where the road takes you.”

He compares adventure biking to snorkeling, in that it’s free form. If you go snorkeling, you’re not confined to one place or one style. “Let’s say you ride a touring bike, like a Goldwing, or a Harley Street Glide. If you are on one of these bikes, you’re confined to the paved road. An adventure bike opens up the world. Where you go and what you do truly

does depend on your skill set. You can take a large adventure bike, with a larger fuel tank. They go 400 km. They’ve got lots of range. Most bikes have a 150 km–200 km range. That’s it. So an adventure bike can put on the miles and take you to places that you never really thought were possible. There’s nothing like going down the highway and looking at a road and thinking ‘I wonder where that goes?’ But now you have the option to find out. Whereas before you just had to wonder, now it’s like ‘let’s go!’ And If you’ve got your camping gear with you? You can just go down that road and set up a camp and stay there for a week, if you want. The camping gear nowadays? You can pack so much stuff on those bikes, and it’s still light and minimal. There’s nothing like it.” Where can you go with an adventure bike? Anywhere. And Tumbler Ridge, he says, is the perfect destination for adventure bikers. “My dream is to draw adventure biking here. We can transform Tumbler Ridge into an adventure biking destination. We just have to divert the adventure bikers who are going to Alaska. Who are going to Nunavut. Iqaluit is one of the largest destination points on the planet Earth for adventure bikers.”

He says adventure biking is the fastest growing segment of the motorcycle market, having grown 31 percent over the last four years. “It’s the fastest growing segment for women,

Continued on Page 19

Local Adventure Biker looking to turn dream into a reality in adventure bike market Ryan Lamming exploring the Wapiti River area. Derek Blackwell photo.

It seems like such a small thing, but telling stories about the place we live, about the people who live here? Makes a big difference to the people who live here. It helps separate truth from rumour and fact from fiction. Our job at Tumbler RidgeLines is to share stories and celebrate the people who make this such a great place to call home.

Tumbler RidgeLines

and a huge part of why I love it so much is seeing these women on motorcycles. It’s just absolutely amazing. I love seeing the diversity.”

He says riders are coming to North America from Europe because Europe is so developed, it’s hard to go anywhere. He says they’re flying to North America, and working their way up north. “Their destination is Alaska or Tuktoyaktuk. So how do we get them to take a one hour detour to Tumbler Ridge from Dawson Creek?”

He says once people get here, they’ll stay. “The areas we’ve got for Adventure Biking are world class. I’ve guided Europeans here, and they tell me it’s the highlight of their life. Here we are. We can ride into all these waterfalls. We can ride in the mountains, up into the alpine. I had one person tell me this stole the show from his Alaska trip. Tuktoyaktuk is pretty flat. It’s buggy. But it’s the destination. In 2019 there was, 30,000 motorcycles that checked into Tuktoyaktuk. How many came to Tumbler? They don’t know about us. They plug in their destination into their maps, and they follow it to a T. What they don’t realize is an hour away? Is bliss. Absolute bliss. I know it would steal the show.”

Adventure bike destinations

Here are some of Lamming’s favourite places to go in the Tumbler Ridge area.

Mount Spieker from the Bullmoose side. The ride up, he says, is sensational, climbing up along a series of open switchbacks to the top, where a series of exploration roads criss cross the flat-topped mountain. Intermediate.

Kinuseo Falls: Not just for the falls themselves, which are always worth a visit, but because of the Bully Creek and Imperial Creek Forest Service Roads, which lead deeper into the big mountains around Monkman Park. Easy.

Red Deer Falls: This is Lamming’s personal favourite. He says the Ojay Main road leads to some of the most beautiful areas around Tumbler Ridge, including the falls themselves. The scenery is incredible and the riding ranges from easy— on the Ojay Main—to the extremely difficult Onion Lake Trail, which Lamming has done a number of times and there are places that still make him nervous. Easy to Expert.

years of Bullmoose Marshes

A section of boardwalk leads hikers to Bullmoose Marshes, a popular wildlife watching and paddling destination. Lisa Allen Photo

Back when Tumbler Ridge was little more than a proposal to house workers for the Northeast Coal Project, there were two possible locations to build the townsite.

The current site won out, but there was an outside chance that Tumbler Ridge might have been Bullmooose Flats.

These days, the Bullmoose Flats area is home to some of the best wildlife watching in the Tumbler Ridge area, mostly centred around the Bullmoose Marshes area.

2023 marks the twenty year anniversary of the creation of the Bullmoose Marshes Trails and Wetland Interpretive Area. While birdwatchers had been coming to the area for years, two decades ago, volunteers from the Wolverine Nordic and Mountain Society were able to secure donations to create the trail and more importantly the boardwalk to allow people to get to great viewing areas.

There are two short trails in the area. The shorter of the two is called the Sora Trail, which takes people to a viewing platform on the marshes. Expect to see many different types of warblers, Wilson’s Snipe and Solitary Sandpiper, Tree Swallows, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Mallard, American Wigeon and Bufflehead, while the trail’s namesake—Sora—are more

often heard than seen in the marshes near the trail. Listen for what sounds like a horse whinnying.

The Bittern Trail is 1.2 km long, and leads to another viewing platform. Along the way you’ll see (or hear) Pileated Woodpecker, Blackpoll Warbler and American Bittern—for which the trail is named and which are rarely seen in this region.

All in all, there are nearly 100 species of birds that have been spotted here, from the common raven to Golden Eagle. Mammals spotted here include: Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Moose, White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Wolf, Coyote, Woodchuck, Red Squirrel, Red-backed Vole, Beaver, and Muskrat. All four northeastern BC frog species occur here, as well as the Common Garter Snake. The marshes are breeding grounds for some of the fish species that you’ll find in Bullmoose Creek. In the spring, this area provides nesting habitat for many species of birds, especially waterfowl. While the area is a popular destination for paddlers, they are asked to wait until nesting season is over—July 1—before heading out on the water.

Bullmoose Marshes are 24 km north of Tumbler Ridge alongside Highway 29. Watch for Wildlife Viewing signs.

Destination: Windfall Lake

Over the last few years, Windfall Lake has gone from a local favourite to one of Tumbler Ridge’s most popular trails.

And it’s easy to see why. Not only is the lake itself a perfect almost-alpine destination (the short sub-alpine trees around the lake seem like brush, but some are over a hundred years old, having struggled to survive in the harsh high-mountain envorioment), but it is the base camp for a number of interesting destinations in the area.

The lake itself is 5 km from the trailhead, gaining 370 m, much of that in the last kilometre. The route ascends slowly through a deep forest with some boggy sections, then climbs steeply up and into the subalpine meadow to the lake. This section is particularly beautiful in wildflower season.

Once at the lake, you can just hang out, maybe spending the night at one of the campsites developed by the Wolverine Nordic and Mountain Society. (If you do, remember what I said about the trees being a hundred years old; they are not brush. Don’t cut them down to have a campfire.)

While there, you can also use what may be the prettiest toilet facilities you ever did see, an open throne with a bit of a

modesty shield, but mostly open to the world. BYOTP.

You can return to the trailhead via the circular route (watch for signs), or via Pinnacle Peak (which has been flagged in the past). Pinnacle Peak features a stiff climb to gain the alpine ridge that leads to Pinnacle Peak and to another peak to the southeast.

West of the lake is a ridge with views out onto the Sukunka Valley. Or, head northwest for another five km to Tunnel Mountain, which is a popular destination as you climb part of the way to the top from the inside. These are not marked trails, so always be aware of your surroundings and know your way back.

Mount Crum is another popular destination for people with strong routefinding skills. This is a slightly more technical route, and quite difficult, but does not require technical climbing gear.

And for the truly adventurous, it is possible to get into the Albright Ridge area, staying about the 1600 m mark the whole way, a distance of about 20 km.

Trail maps are available from the Tumbler Ridge Visitor Centre or at www.wnms.ca. Click on Trail Brochures, then Alpine Hiking Routes.

STRONGER TOGETHER.

Life Names

(778) 985-1888

contact@lifenames.com

www.lifenames.com

Lush Desserts (250) 257-9466

amanda@lushdesserts.ca lushdesserts.ca

Mike Bernier, MLA (250) 782-3430

Mike.Bernier.MLA@leg.bc.ca

Meikle Wind (250) 782-3910

meiklewind.com

Northern Lights College (250) 242-5591

jkeutzer@nlc.bc.ca www.nlc.bc.ca

Oak&Pearl Clothing Co sales@oakandpearl.com www.oakandpearl.com

Parallel Projects Inc. (250) 784-5161

joel@parallelprojects.ca www.parallelprojects.ca

The Tumbler Ridge Inn (250) 242-4277

trinn@telus.net

www.tumblerridgeinn.com

Watkins: Independent Consultants Kim Greenwell and Glen McGregor (778) 686-7695

greenwellwatkins@gmail.com www.respectedhomeproducts.com/1214660

Argo Road Maintenance (South Peace) Inc.

(250) 795-2919

argosouthpeace@argoroads.ca

Charmed Creations by Natasha (250) 855-8805

Natashal@live.ca

Dawson Creek Catholic Social Services Society

(250) 782-6800

robyno@dccsss.ca

Freshmart

(250) 242-4222

freshmart2217@hotmail.com

Fringe Focus Media and Marketing

(905) 818-4374

admin@fringefocusmedia.ca

Harvest Lifestyles

(250) 784-5421

land2b@gmail.com

Hickory Lane Creations

(250) 242-8148

mwsnid@live.ca

Home Hardware Tumbler Ridge

(250) 242-4338

janice.turner@homehardware.ca

JCS General Carpentry

(250) 242-8148 mwsnid@live.ca

Jerrilyn Schembri (250) 242-8047 truth@pris.ca

Joe’s Pizza Stone (250) 242-3456 joespizzastone@gmail.com

Kaila’s Hair Studio and TR Tupperware with Kaila (250) 242-1081 Kaila.pinkston29@gmail.com

Kangas Consulting Inc (250) 242-7205 askangas@telus.net

Ladybird Creations (250) 242-8985 loredh1237@gmail.com

Lindberg Construction 250-782-6700 office@lindbergconstruction.ca

Maxine Osmond Bookkeeping and Personal Taxes (250) 242-5249 mosmond@telus.net

Mila Lansdowne - Creative Enterprises (250) 242-1511 mila.lansdowne@gmail.com

Rat Race Contracting Ltd (250) 788-3191 info@ratracecontracting.ca

Rocky Mountain Dance Company (250) 996-4094 director@rmdanceco.com

Strata Corporation PGS 131 (250) 242-3879 195chamberlain@gmail.com

The Western Steakhouse (250) 242-2739

242brew@gmail.com

Triple K Safety Inc (250) 242-5033

tripleksafety03@gmail.com

Tumbler Ridge Co-Op Cardlock (250) 782-3106

reception@dawsonco-op.com

Tumbler Ridge Days Society (250) 242-4444

grizfestmusicfestival@hotmail.com

Tumbler RidgeLines (250) 219-8215

publisher@tumblerridgelines.com www.tumblerridgelines.com

Tumbler Ridge Pharmacy (250) 242-3333

trpharmacy@teampractice.ca

Tumbler Ridge Public Library (250) 242-4778

PCoutts@trlibrary.org

Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark (250) 242-3123

manda.maggs@tumblerridgegeopark.ca

Versatile Vinyl (250) 242-1114

versatilevinyl@live.ca

Conuma Coal Resources (250) 242-3764

contact@conumacoal.com

Lake View Credit Union (250) 782-4871

rwaldie@lvcu.ca

Sunsets and still waters

At Eye for Detail Photography, our goal is to take unique pictures of unique people. We want to capture epic images of you: at the base of a waterfall, At the top of a mountain, or on the shores of a still lake at sunset. Call us at 250-219-8215 or email trent@eyefordetailphotos.com to find out more and to book your session.