JOHN BULL MOUNTAIN 2210m 7250’
An interesting mountain with mine sites to explore, 30 minutes to the summit with no bushwhacking and an easily reached lake north of John Bull Mt. This would make a good family outing.
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Distance:
Time: 30 minutes one-way from Bayonne FSR. 7 hours round trip from Placer Lakes
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Assess:
Map: 82F/3 Creston
Access from Bayonne FSR
Drive: From Kootenay Pass drive 11 km and turn left (north) onto Bayonne FSR.
0.0 Follow signs for Arkansas Lakes
7.8km Go right. Left goes to Arkansas Lakes. Impressive mine sites at 8.8 and 9.8km.
9.8km Park. The road pass here continues in a worse state to the ridge north of John Bull Mt.
Route: Follow the deteriorating road to the north ridge and the summit.
Access from Placer Lakes
Drive: From Kootenay Pass, drive km and turn north onto the unsigned Placer Road (signed with a “No Entry MOTH” sign). 2WD, final kilometre bushy. Park at landing.
Route/Trail: Parking at a landing from which the trail to Placer Lakes was impossible to find. Ignore the MOF hiking trail sign and head due west from the landing keeping the same elevation on an old road, so overgrown that it is not discernable as such. Cross old footbridge in 75m. The old road improves and near the bottom of a clearcut, turns north and climbs to the lower Placer Lake. Cross the outlet stream and follow the trail going around the SW side of the lake (trail on the east side of lake ends) to Upper Placer Lake (trail difficult to find in meadow area along the trail).
Head NW through one minor cliff band to gain the ridge that curves around the south side of Bluebird Creek. Then it is a pleasant climb first on the main SE ridge of the mountain, the northeast over one intervening bump to the summit.
Views are pleasant but not outstanding: Cornice Ridge communication towers to the SW, Three Sisters to the west.
Descend east ridge on the south side on talus and boulders. Find the trail on the east side of Upper Lake and follow to the parking area.