MOUNT LUDLOW 2480m
On the north-south ridge between Hoder Creek to the east and Koch Creek to the west. The mountains from north to south are McKeen Lakes (Mt Woden & Mt McKeen), Mt Harlow, Mt Ludlow, Mt Freya, and Mt Flynn and Mt Heimdal at the south end of the ridge, a distance of 17kms.
Difficulty:
Elevation gained:
Key Elevations:
Distance:
Time: 2 hours one way
Map: 82F/12
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.
Koch Creek FSR
0.0 Start on Koch Creek FSR. Go straight. Right goes to Little Slocan Forest Rd 13.2 from Passmore Rd/Hwy 6 junction.
9km Stay right on the main road. Left goes to Grizzly Creek Recreation Site (2 tables, above creek gorge, no flat parking) and Greasybill Cr Rd.
11km Go straight. Right is Marioka Road.
16km Stay straight and level. Then pass two ascending right forks (second one has a 51km sign).
17km Cross bridge over the creek. Turn right up Watson Creek FSR (rough) opposite where the power line turns to the northwest. Koch Ck FSR continues straight. Zero odometer.
Watson Creek FSR
0.0 Start up Watson Creek FSR heading generally north.
3.5km Go straight. The right goes to within 1km of the summit of Mt Freya.
6.0km Turn right to go up the north side of the creek coming from between Freya and Ludlow. This ends about 2km from the summit of Freya on the SW slope of Mount Ludlow.
1. Southeast Ridge. From the end of the road, go about a quarter of the way up the SE edge of the adjacent clearcut, then through trees to the right into an open area extending up to the main ridge. On reaching the southeast ridge, go left to the summit. Ascent, 2 hours. (I,3,s).
FA Bob Dean, Susan Fisher, Don Harasym, Ted Ibrahim, Anja Logodi, Gill and Karl Merschenz, Louis Sant, Mario Sedlacko, Stefan Storey, Anna, Linda and Norman Thyer, Mary Woodward, 31/08/1997.