A hike up the Hospital Creek drainage to a peak with great views of the Columbia Valley.

Trailhead
Woodlot sign at 600 m on the Hospital Creek FSR.

Trail
Follow the Hospital Creek FSR. Starting from the woodlot sign, you will find the first switchback at 1.3 km, and the second at 2.1 km. At 2.7 km you will pass a cutbank which spills a lot of rock onto the (very narrow) road, and then start entering cutblocks. [read more]

Stay on the main road. At 4.9 km you cross Hospital Creek on a log bridge. Stay left on the main road. At 5.5 km, you cross a tributary creek with the bridge removed. At 6.0 km, switchback right. Do not follow the road that goes straight ahead. At 6.7 km, switchback to the left. At 7.4 km, cross the creek, again without a bridge. Do not switchback right into the cutblock. At 8.5 km, again switchback right at the bottom of a cutblock, and at 8.9 km, switchback to the left again. From this point, the road is only wide enough for quads. Continue across the top of the last cutblock and follow the quad trail into the forest. At 10.3 km, you will enter a boggy clearing with a large A frame hut and a couple of outhouses. This is a snowmobile rest area.

The quad trail continues up into the bowl, but is a bit tricky to find. If you sight along the front edge of the front porch of the A frame, you’re looking at the trail. It is very boggy at the beginning, and unfortunately the ATVs have been tearing the place up. It is easiest to follow the ATV/snowmobile trail through the woods to the alpine bowl.

When you break into the alpine bowl, stay on the left hand side, at the top of the slope that drops into the major creek. You might find that old footpath. When you can see the headwall, take a look on the left side of the creek. You will see a vegetated hillside leading to a shelf below the ridge. The footpath will lead you down to the creek, and then it’s a matter of working your way up that hillside to the shelf. There are several springs on this hill if you need more water by now.

Once you gain the shelf above the trees, you will see a col on your right above an interminable scree field. Head up there. It is a tedious 800 metres but very straighforward, and not really steep at all. Of course, the col you first saw isn’t really the col, but you will get there eventually. And now it’s all reward.

You are looking down into a drainage that feeds Glenogle Creek, and behind that is the ridge beyond Mount Hunter. Well worth feasting your eyes. Then, turn to your right and work your way up the rocky slope to the peak. Halfway up, you will see a radio tower to the left. Head to it, and within five minutes you’re standing on a marker for the Geological Survey.

The view is astounding, and is probably improved by the fact you can’t really see Golden, which is hidden behind a hill. But you can see just about everything else. Across the valley is the ski hill, and behind that is Glacier Park: Sir Donald to the north, the Glacier Circle peaks to the south. Further south are the Bugaboos and the Conrad Glacier. Table Mountain is just to the south, and to the southeast are the Goodsirs. Looking up the valley you can see Kinbasket Lake and Sir Sanford.

It is possible to head south along the ridge for about six kilometres, on what is a beautiful walk. There is only one slightly sketchy part of about 80 metres where you need to climb (and coming back, descend) a steep shaly, muddy slope. I haven’t yet figured out the best way to get off the ridge at the south end (although I might have found the worst way.) Once I get that nailed down, I’ll post the ridgewalk as a separate and highly recommended trip.

Heading back down Hospital Creek, the only place you need to keep your head up is at the creek crossing at 7.4 km. The obvious road goes straight ahead, but you actually need the one that cuts off to the right. Go straight ahead, and you end up climbing into the cutblock. (Does this sound like the voice of experience talking?)

Cautions

• Hospital Creek FSR is closed to summertime motorized traffic.
• Remember, Hospital Creek is a consumptive use watershed. Please respect their water source.
• Watch for bears

From the junction of Highway 95 and Highway 1, drive east on the Trans Canada Highway for 1.4 km. At the top of the hill, get in the left lane and turn left on to Golden Donald Upper Road. Drive another 3.4 kms to Barber Road, and turn right on Barber Road just before the bridge over Hospital Creek. [read more]

After 800 m, stay straight on Oster Road. (Barber Road cuts off to the right here.) Follow the road as it curves left, crosses Hospital Creek, and curves right. The pavement ends here, and gravel begins. In another 400 m, look for an unsigned road on the left. This is the other end of the Oster Road loop. Turn left, and in 500 m you will see a road on the left with a sign about paying trail fees. This is the beginning of the Hospital Creek FSR. (Don’t worry about the fees, the sign is for snowmobilers.) Continue on Hospital Creek FSR for 600 m and park at the woodlot sign. Walk or bike up the road.