This overgrown trail has not been used for decades. It would represent a difficult hike into the northeastern portion of Kokanee Glacier PP. If it were cleared, along with the Klawala Creek Trail (another overgrown trail coming south from Keen Creek), a great trip over Caribou Pass would exist. An alternate route to Silver Spray Cabin would be created if, at Caribou Pass, you turned SW or left and, using a map, traversed behind Sunrise Mountain to the old mine site. Both trips to be done by experienced hikers.
The Woodbury Creek Hotel was built over a hundred years ago to cater to the many miners working in the surrounding mountains. This cedar log building once stood two stories high and housed a hotel complete with a dance hall.
Difficulty: Difficult D2 heavy bushwhack
Elevation gain: 853m (2800′)
Key elevations: Parking ~4250′
Distance: 6.4km
Time: 4 hours one-way to the trail’s end
Season: July to late September
Access: Moderate. Crossing Woodbury Creek would be the first obstacle. Shuttle necessary.
Map: 82K/14 Slocan
Drive: Woodbury Creek FSR (high clearance, 4WD)
From Balfour (ferry): Drive 23.5 km (14.6 miles) north on Hwy 31 and turn left. Zero odometer.
From Kaslo (Esso station): Drive 10.2 km (6.3 miles) south on Hwy 31 and turn right. Zero odometer.
0.0 Start on the Fletcher Creek FSR, signed “Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park”. The old south road access is very rough.
1.1km Go left for Woodbury. (right ascends the unmaintained Fletcher Lake Trail – not recommended due to the high concentration of grizzly bears).
2.4 km The old road comes in from the south. Go right, then bear left. 7.4km, cross a bridge.
9.6kms Notice a large derelict building at the bottom of a slope across the creek to the north. Park well off the road, cross Woodbury Creek wherever possible on fallen trees, and pay a visit to the ruins of the old hotel. Continue driving up the road.
11.2km At the junction and signpost, descend sharply down to the right and park.
Trail/Route: Look for a rough trail to the creek and wade across the creek, impossible early in the season but may not be that difficult late in September and early in the day. The old trail followed Woodbury Creek east downstream and turned up Nelles Creek about 500m upstream from where Nelles Creek enters Woodbury.
Head up in a northerly direction up skid trails to the top of the old clearcut. Here you should be able to pick up the old mining trail that climbs up the valley through stands of timber and slide paths. Near Caribou Pass, the trail fades, so pick the line of least resistance, and go in the direction you choose. Good luck.
Where to go?
From Caribou Pass, there are many options. If this were not in a provincial park, the area on top of Caribou Ridge looks like an excellent area for a hiking camp.
1. Set up a camp to explore the area. Climb Caribou Ridge, Trafalgar Mountain, Satisfaction Peak, and/or Mt Chipman. All these mountains are difficult to access. Satisfaction and Chipman are usually climbed via Ben Hur FSR off Keen Creek. Trafalgar is much more difficult and has rarely been climbed (via Mirror Lake)
2. Continue over the pass and descend to Klawala Creek/trail and Keen Creek FSR. This is before the washout so a shuttle is possible.
3. Go southwest along a nice ridge to the McQuarrie/Sunshine Mt col (the mine site) and descend on the old miner’s trail to the Silverspray Cabin.