GIMLY RIDGE ♦♦♦♦♦
Mulvey Basin is the premier climbing area of the West Kootenay – big granite walls surrounding a lake-filled basin. Access was problematic until the 1989 when Bannock Burn FSR became available full time and this trail to Gimli Ridge was built.
This trail ascends directly towards Gimli Peak, an imposing vertical spire of granite. Gimli Ridge gives easy access to Mulvey Basin via the Gimli/Niselheim Col.
Difficulty: C1
Elevation gained: 765m (2510′)
Key Elevations: Parking Lot Saddle 2399m (7870′); Ridge 2525m (8250′)
Distance: 4.85km one-way
Time: 5-6 hours
Season: late June through mid-October
Map: 82F/13 Burton
Drive: To access the southern Valhallas, drive south from New Denver or north from Playmor Junction (between Nelson and Castlegar).
From New Denver. Start at the Petro Canada Station at the junction of Hwys 6 and 31A in New Denver. Drive Hwy 6 south, along Slocan Lake’s east shore, 32.5km to the village of Slocan. Near the village, ignore the signed turnoff for Drinnon Pass, but turn right (west) onto Gravel Pit Road. Zero odometer 0.0
0.0 Start west on Gravel Pit Road. Go straight and cross the bridge over the Slocan River.
.8km Stay left on Slocan West FSR.
1.2km Cross a bridge over Gwillim Creek.
2.3km Go right on Little Slocan FSR.
13.2km Right is Bannock Burn FSR to Gimli Ridge / Mulvey Basin TH.
Bear left SW on the main road for the rest of the Valhallas.
20.3km Right is Hoder Creek FSR to Drinnon and Gwillim lakes. Left continues southwest on Little Slocan FSR. Reach Little Slocan Lakes FS campground in 200m.
From Nelson or Castlegar. Start at the Playmore Junction, the junction of Highways 6 and 3A between Nelson and Castlegar. Turn north on Hwy 6 up the Slocan Valley.
The southern Valhallas are accessed from Passmore Road, 15.6 km from Playmore. there is a large transformer station at the turn. This is 12.1 km south of Winlaw on Hyw 6. Turn left (west). Zero odometer.
0.0 Start NW on Passmore Upper Road.
.3km Cross the Passmore Bridge over the Slocan River.
3.1km Pavement ends
3.6km Left on Little Slocan FSR. Red 44 KM sign.
5.2km Right.
7.5km Go straight on the main road.
9km Stay right, following a sign for Valhalla Provincial Park.
13.2km Straight on Little Slocan FSR. Left is Koch Creek FSR to McKean Lakes.
16.1km and 23km Proceed straight.
25km Go straight. Turn off to the right for Little Slocan Lakes campground.
25.2km Junction for Hoder Creek FSR – left to Drinnon/Gwillim Lakes. This is 20.3km from Slocan City.
For Bannock Burn FSR to Gimly Ridge and Mulvey Basin. This junction is 13.2km from Slocan City and 32.3km from Passmore.
0.0 Start NW on Bannock Burn FSR.
8.4km Go straight.
10.5km Curve right on the main road and ascend steeply.
12.5km Bear left
12.7km Curve sharply back, heading toward jagged peaks.
12.9km Parking for Gimli Ridge / Mulvey Basin Trailhead. 1750m (5740′)
Trail: Start in a bushy clearcut then turn left and cross the creek. Climb steadily for 40 minutes in forest, then pass large, embedded boulders and enter the subalpine and good views. The trail fades some in the gravel and grass but tops out on a saddle on Gimli Peak’s southern outlier. Local climbers call this sandy camping area “the Beach” with a stone wind block, food cache and green plastic toilet on the west slope. Elevation 765m (2510′). 1 1/2 to 2 hours to here.
Proceed north toward Gimli Peak, staying just left (west) of the outlier crest following a few cairns. Clamber over stone blocks covered with black-and-green lichen. Near the top of the talus, a sketchy trail reappears switchbacking tightly as it approaches Gimli’s sheer SW face. The path ends after a grassy bench to continue over chunky boulders and reach the ridge immediately west of Gimli Peak 2525m (8250′) and the Gimly/Niselheim Col.
More than 305m (1000 feet) below you to the north and northeast are the Mulvey Basin lakes. North across the basin is Asgard Peak and NE is Gladsheim Peak.
What to Do?
Access Mulvey Basin. To go down into the basin, descend a convenient rock path that comes directly off the col. It ends on a very steep snow slope that is a glacier with exposed ice late in the season. An ice axe is recommended at any time and crampons are necessary most of the year but especially in August and September. After the short steep descent, then angle left across the snow to gain gravel and rock to descend into the basin.
if you don’t have crampons or an axe, cut across the base of Niselheim to the Niselheim/Midgard col and descend the easy slopes into the basin.
Climb Gimli. A technical rock climb by all routes but the NE ridge which is class 4. To access the NE ridge, scramble the short 10′ high bit to access the slope that leads to the ridge. Don’t bother crossing to a cleft that gives access to the slope. If you have trouble with this short scramble, then climbing the NE ridge may be too much for you.