NAUMULTEN MOUNTAIN 2474m 8118 ft
Naumulten Mountain is on the northern end of the Valkyr Range, on the ridge of mountains going north from Hilda Peak.
This nondescript peak has a broad, flat summit on which a plane could land. Access is nearly bushwhack-free.
Difficulty: B2
Elevation gained: 1620’
Key Elevations: Park 6500’. Summit 8118’
Distance:
Time: 6.5 hours
Map: 82F/13 Burton
Drive: Drive south from Nakusp on Highway 6 to Burton. Leave the highway 4.3 km (2.7 miles) south of the Burton Store onto the Burton Creek FSR. Zero odometer.
0.0 Start south on Burton Ck FSR.
2.9km Go right.
7.2km Go right on Stoney Road, signed. Ascend thousands of feet. Ignore left spurs at km 11.1 and 11.5.
13.4km Go left. Right is Branch 13 going down. Go left again at km 13.7 (8.5 miles).
21.1km from the highway. Park at a switchback (road veers back N and down) about 5 km north of the goal.
Route:
1. Northwest Ridge. Traverse south heading for the often visible NE-SW ridge north of the goal. Skirt the broad col at 311-259 and climb the northwest ridge over a subsidiary bump, an easy walkup. About 6.5 hours round trip.
FRA Kim Kratky, Peter Tchir, Myler Wilkinson, 27/7/2006.
2. Southeast Slopes. The southeast slopes (easy) were descended during the traverse of the range.
NAUMULTEN 2475m 8120’ Map: Burton, 82F/13 July 27 by Kim Kratky
Having a desire to see the ski terrain and hut of Valkyr Lodge, I was able to inveigle two companions, Peter Tchir and Myler Wilkinson, to accompany me on a day trip to this northernmost peak of the Valkyr Range.
Leaving Nelson at 6:00 am on what promised to be another of the many hot days of this July, we motored to Nakusp and then south on Highway 23 to Burton. We left the highway some 4.3 km. south of the Burton Store and turned on to the signed Burton Creek FSR. From this point, we followed the accurate directions of Mike of Pope and Talbot in Nakusp, keeping right at km. 2.9 and bearing right at km. 7.2 on the signed Stoney Road. On this, we ascended thousands of feet, ignoring left spurs at km. 11.1 and 11.5. At km. 13.4 we kept left (Branch 13 going right and down) and bore left again at km. 13.7. At km. 21.1 from the highway, we parked at a switchback, as the road veered back north and down.
From this point on the west side of the long Hilda-Naumulten ridge (about 6,500’ and some 5 km. N. of our goal), we headed out for Naumulten at 10:05, carrying very little gear. We traversed south through easy, open timber and the occasional meadow for about an hour, making for the often visible NE-SW ridge north of our goal. We skirted a broad col at 311-259 giving access to alpine lakes on the Burton Creek side, ascended easy rock and heather to the west, and gained the north-south ridge north of our goal. As we continued south over a subsidiary bump (311- 255), we could see the ski lodge below us near an alpine lake on the west side. An easy walk-up of Naumulten’s north ridge got us to the summit at 1:45 (3 hrs. 35 min. up).
We lounged for 55 min. on the broad, flat summit of this nondescript peak, speculating whether a plane could be landed here. Truly, this was a hike to an NMI (no mountaineering interest) peak. The weather was pleasantly cool and breezy as we unsuccessfully inspected the massive cairn for a record and enjoyed an unaccustomed view of the Valhallas from the northwest. At the headwaters of the various fingers of Burton Creek lay Hilda, Lequereux, and Woden, while farther to the east, amid the smoke, Gladsheim, Asgard, Midgard, the Prestleys, and other favourites could be seen.
We retraced our steps to the truck in 2 hrs. 10 min. to give us about a 6.5-hour day. By 7:30, we were back in Nelson. Not an exciting trip, but we did get a chance to see some new alpine terrain gained via a nearly bushwhack-free access.
Kim Kratky