Steep in parts, this trail leads to spectacular views at the base of the west wall of Mount Sir Donald.

Trailhead
At the end of the parking area, walk past three orange metal posts blocking access to a gravel road. Head up the road for 40 metres until it intersects with another gravel road. (This is the old railway bed.) Cross this road and move about 5 metres to the right, and you’ll find a trailhead. Go another 20 metres, and the Mount Sir Donald trail breaks off to the right.

Trail
For the first kilometer and a bit, the trail is flat and parallels the Illecillewaet River. Then it turns and starts climbing through an old avalanche path. At 2.6 km, you cross Vaux Creek on an aluminum bridge, and then cross another branch shortly after. (This water was ice when you started hiking this morning.) After the second bridge, the trail starts switchbacking up the hill through a small forest, with the west wall of Sir Donald looming above you. [read more]

At 3.2 km, you reach a junction in the trail. Take the left fork to coninue to Sir Donald. The right fork goes to Perley Rock.

The trail climbs steeply up the boulder slope, which clearly becomes a lateral moraine as you near the top. Once you reach the top of the moraine and the trail levels out a bit, you will see two waterfalls coming over some smooth rock. Depending on the time of year, you may also find the trail disappears under some snow. Head for a spot of the smooth rock just to the left of the right hand waterfall, and you will find a route up. (Actually, there are routes all over the place here, but watch for cairns.) One warning: The snowfield on the south of you, below that rock wall, is prone to rockfall and probably should be avoided. (Of course, it will be filled with tracks from people bootskiing down it….)

Above those waterfalls, the trail quickly reaches the bowl below Vaux Glacier. You will find the tent pads where the Sir Donald climbers make base camp. Another warning: even though the water comes straight from a glacier, drinking it probably isn’t a good idea. A lot of climbers camp here in the course of a year, and there is no organized toilet facility.

It is worthwhile to continue past the campsite. The trail climbs up the side of the lateral moraine to the north, and then follows the ridge of the moraine right to the west face of Sir Donald. This is an impressive place. The Vaux Glacier hangs in the steep valley to the south of Sir Donald. To the west is the Asulkan Glacier and Sapphire col, and behind that, Mount Bonney. And behind you, of course, looming another thousand metres straight up, is the legendary Sir Donald.

About five metres before the end of the moraine, the trail the climbers take splits off to the north, climbs a steep gully, and disappears over the ridge. It leads to the northwest ridge. To continue past this point, see the alpine climbing guide Selkirks South by David Jones.

Cautions

• Watch for bears in the lower reaches of the trail.
• Above the Perley Rock junction, this hike is steep and has a lot of that tiny loose rock stuff that makes your feet slip.
• Sir Donald trail now ends at the junction with Perley Rock Trail.
• Rock and ice falls are a possibility. Don’t get to close to the wall on the south side of the trail, or to the snout of the Vaux Glacier.
• If it is going to be a hot day, do this trail early in the morning. The trail stays in the shadow until mid-morning.

From the junction of Highway 95 and Highway 1 in Golden, drive west on the Trans Canada Highway for 81 kilometres to the summit of Rogers Pass. Drive past the Rogers Pass centre and head down the steep hill on the west side of the pass. When the highway becomes twinned in a 50 kilometre zone, get ready to turn left into the Illecillewaet campground at 83.4 km. Drive past the campground and park in the paved parking area.