Route: Mount Revelstoke
Area: British Columbia, Canada
Date of walk: 24th September 2024
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 2.2 miles
Ascent: 300 feet
Weather: Grey skies
Having enjoyed four fabulous walks in Alberta, it was time to continue our west to Vancouver. We left Canmore and drove as far as the city of Revelstoke, British Columbia. Mount Revelstoke National Park is nearby and we had sufficient time after our arrival to visit the park, which is home to wildlife including wolves, cougars, grizzly bears and black bears. A national park pass is required and we purchased our day pass at the kiosk along the road which leads up to the summit area
We drove up the Meadows in the Sky Parkway which leads to a car park below the summit area. A waymarked path took us uphill through subalpine forest and onto the summit area at a height of 1947 meters, 6388 feet. This must be one of the simplest walks to the top of a 6,000 foot peak in Canada, involving a height gain of only 325 feet. On arriving at the summit area we followed two small circular routes from which there were extensive views of the surrounding mountains and the Columbia River. The light was rather insipid and the views weren’t shown at their best today. I can’t complain in view of the wonderful conditions around Lake Louise yesterday
Having completed the summit loops we retraced our steps back to the start of a short and very easy walk, during the course of which we saw no wolves, cougars, grizzly or black bears, although we did manage to spot a couple of chipmunks
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The start of the walk from the car park near the top of the Meadows in the Sky Parkway
We follow the waymarked Summit Trail
A warning that a black bear and two cubs are frequenting the area. We had bear spray with us, just in case
We follow a path through the woods...
Chipmunk
We follow a boardwalk over a wet area
At a junction we turn left and climb up to the Fire Lookout
The historic Summit Fire Lookout, one of the last remaining lookouts from the early days of fire fighting in the national parks
The view from the summit is partially obscured by tall trees...
The Columbia River below the clouds, the Monashee Mountains on the left and the Selkirk Mountains on the right
We descend from the Firetower area. Mount Williamson 2,347m is in the centre of the picture
More view of the surrounding mountains as we make our way around the extensive summit area of Mount Revelstoke...
Mount Begbie 2,733m, 8,967 feet, the most recognisable summit in Revelstoke
The clouds part to reveal the Columbia River
We descend towards our original ascent path
We pass by a small pond
Looking across the Revelstoke National Park, the world’s only inland temperate rainforest, an ecosystem that once covered 40 million acres
The Columbia River again
We regain our original path and retrace our steps back to the start
The Inverness Peaks
Gray Jay, otherwise known as Canada Jay
Another chipmunk
We descend to the car park to end an enjoyable walk
