The old mining trail ends in a glaciated lake basin surrounded by Marten Mt, Inverness and Dolly Varden at the edge of Goat Range Provincial Park. It is only 5 kilometres to the alpine.
Difficulty: B1
Elevation gain: 670m (2200)
Key elevations: TH 1762m 5780’; Goat Range PP boundary at 1814m (5950’), End of trail at 5km 2332m (7650′).
Distance: 5km one-way
Time: 3 hours one-way
Season: mid-July through September
Map: 82K/3 Roseberry; Valhalla Society Guide to the White Grizzly Wilderness
Drive: In 2020, several small slides across the road left very sharp rocks. Most vehicles without 10-ply tires were getting flats – one had 3 and had to walk out.
From New Denver, the junction of Hwys 6 and 31A, drive Hyw 6 NW 5.6kms. Turn right onto East Wilson Creek FSR. It’s just before the highway crosses the bridge over Wilson Creek and passes Roseberry PP. Zero odometer.
From Nakusp: From the junction of Hwy 6 and 23 in Nakusp, go SE on Hwy 6 for 41.4 km. Turn left on East Wilson Creek FSR. Zero odometer.
0.0 Turn NW on East Wilson Creek FSR. At .6km, stay left.
2.8 km Turn right onto Hicks Creek Road. At 5.5km, go left and ascend.
12.8 km Proceed on the main road at junction 1652m (5420’) – road narrows. Right goes to Dennis Basin TH.
22.1 km Go left and descend.
24.5 km Go right.
24.7 km Turn left and descend to cross a culvert. Ascend briefly, curve right and descend along a cut block. At the fork, go left and ascend.
26km. Park. TH 1762m 5780’.
Trail: The first part of the trail goes through a cut block, then makes use of an old mining access road that has seen better days. Before long the road is behind you and the mine trail becomes the route. The high peaks and distant vistas, combined with the alpine flowers, collapsed cabins and mine dumps, cause one to stop often.
Enter Goat Range PP boundary at 1814m (5950’). At 2km on a saddle, the trail turns left or west and climbs significantly towards the small lake at the head of the valley. Dolly Varden appears. Good views to the Monashees after an hour of walking. Reach a notch at 2226m (7300’).
At 3.5 km 2171m (7120’), traverse high above Martin Creek. 550m tall waterfalls fall off Inverness Mountain. Mount Martin is northeast. Continue climbing curving north. The NW ridge of London Ridge is visible SE.
Reach the trail’s end at 5km 2332m (7650′) just above the lake basin at the foot of Marten Mountain. The panoramas unfolding around you are certainly worth the energy involved in reaching this point.