The Badshots are limited by the Duncan River on the northeast, and the trench occupied by Trout Lake and the Lardeau River to the southwest. The Westfall River bounds much of the area on the north, and the group is connected with spurs of the Battle Range in the northwest as far as Carbonate King Creek and Boyd Creek. The Incomappleux River is the western border.
The highest summit, Mount Templeman (3050m), rises between Hall and Stevens Creeks, 6 kilometres southwest of the Duncan Valley. It is the second-highest peak south of the Battle Range, being exceeded only by Mount Cooper farther south in the Goat Group.
There is a misconception about the geology of the Badshot Limestone (which makes up the higher summits) in the literature, which is not a “dyke” (a dike is originally partly molten) but a layer (stratum) of limestone flanked by metamorphic rocks, all originally sedimentary.
Limestone is a fine host for hydrothermal solutions carrying ore minerals, and the country is dotted with old mineshafts, collapsed cabins, strewn mining equipment and ore samples. Limestone is usually very fine rock for climbing, as in the Canadian Rockies, but unfortunately, here it is very loose. The steeply dipping limestone forms a great arc, from Badshot Mountain to Mohican Mountain, Mount Templeman (offset slightly) and Abbott Peak and then dwindles in height toward the southeast.
Maps – 82K/l1 Trout Lake, 82K/13 Camborne & 82K/14 Westfall River, 82K/12 Beaton, 82K/6 Poplar Creek, 82K/7 Duncan Lake; B.C. Provincial map, Beaton
ACCESS
LOGGING ROADS to BADSHOT & GOAT GROUPS
The following table gives the distances from Trout Lake City to Meadow Creek town (N to S) of roads along Highway 31 (turn left just beyond Meadow Creek going N). Roads to the W go to the Goat Group (last two), and those to the E to the Badshots.
For Ferguson, Lardeau Creek, Gainer Creek, and Silvercup Ridge it is probably best to approach from Nelson via Nakusp (or the Galena Bay-Shelter Bay Ferry, Highway 23 from the north).
0.0kms Trout Lake City. Junction of the road to Ferguson (and Lardeau Creek, Gainer Creek)
7.2km Silvercup Trail Access
9.2km Rue de Beau Rd., rough, to high road, Silvercup Ridge
9.5km Copper Queen Creek (sign)
12.6km Laughton Creek
15.3km Road to center, Silvercup Ridge, Badshots, rough
16.9km Rady Creek (sign)
American Creek (the creek itself, next to Horsefly Creek)
26.1km Road to the southeast end, Silvercup Ridge (Horsefly and American Creek Road, rough)
26.7km Gerrard (bridge)
31.7km bridge to Healy Creek, Badshots (ATV only, 2014)
32.6km Tenderfoot Creek
39.0km Rapid Creek
43.1km Poplar Creek road, Goat, Lardeau Gr. (overgrown, 2015)
45.4km Cascade Creek road (new), Goat Group
68.5km Meadow Creek (town)
The upper parts of these roads usually require high clearance, four-wheel drive, and low-range vehicles. For Ferguson, Lardeau Creek, Gainer Creek, and Silvercup Ridge it is probably best to approach from Nelson via Nakusp (or the Galena Bay-Shelter Bay Ferry, Highway 23 from the north). The Goat Group is probably best reached from the south (coming from Nelson and Meadow Creek).
See the B. C. Forests brochure, Upper Arrow, Trout and Duncan Lakes Area, for the road up Lardeau Cr. and other roads. Some may be overgrown.
SILVERCUP RIDGE
Besides the roads and trails on the maps, a good quality passage exists along the entire length of Silvercup Ridge above Trout Lake. It may be reached in three ways:
1. East of Horsefly Creek, starting 0.6 km north of Gerrard at the southeast end of Trout Lake. This road was for high clearance, 4-wheel drive, and low-range vehicles. Camp at a wide spot in the road at 2,070 meters (6800 feet) and hike the old road to the headwaters of American Creek, and then easy terrain. See Fays Peak and Triune Mtn.
2. Rady Creek, 11.4 km northwest of Gerrard. Gives access to the center of the ridge via a logging road that zigzags up the hillside northwest of it.
3. Dirt Road 7.2km Northwest Silvercup Trail Access
HEALY CREEK FSR
Extends 25 km to near its head and the alps south of Similarity Mountain and the Razor’s Edge to the Wagner Mine, near Mount Templeman. Near the top, a branch goes south to Abbott Peak. These roads are for ATVs only and can be very muddy. At times this road has been barricaded.
0.0kms Road to Ferguson (and Lardeau Creek, Gainer Creek) in Trout Lake City
26.7km Gerrard (bridge)
31.7km bridge to Healy Creek, Badshots (ATV only, 2014). Zero odometer.
0.0 Start on Healy Creek FSR
12 km keep right (new road). and stay left at
13.6 km. Go left. at
20 km. Pass a ranch (bunk houses).
24.5 km. Right to Abbott Mine road & Abbott Peak.
Left goes to Hall-Healy Pass and the Wagner Mine (Similarity Mt, Razor’s Edge, Mt Wagner). There is no water at the pass, but good campsites. An old trail goes up the south side of Hall Creek from Duncan River (where the road crosses Hall Creek) which intersects this road at about 1980 meters just north of Hall Pass.
For south-to-north distances, or between points, subtract.
TO LARDEAU, GAINER and TRIUNE CREEKS
From Trout Lake City at the store.
0.0 Turn north onto the Lardeau Creek road (distinct from the Lardeau River).
5 km Go right and downhill and cross to the south side of Lardeau Creek.
14.5 km. A branch crosses to the CMH lodge on the north side of Lardeau Creek under Spine Mountain.
15.3 km Go down and left, and cross to the north side and the Gainer Creek road (running NE-SW on the northwest side of Gainer Creek). Gainer Creek is in one of the most spectacular spots in the Badshots, an old mining district ringed with summits: Spine Mountain, Lade Peak, the Badshot Peaks, the Piton Peaks, Mohican Mountain and Redcliff Peak are accessible.
Upper Gainer Creek is high clearance, 4WD, LR. A bridge about 6 km (3.7 miles) from the crossing goes to the southeast side. The road is being extended on the northwest bank.
16.8 km Triune Creek is at the valley bottom, but the road climbs the hillside and the northwest bank for 5 km (3 miles) from the CMH turn off when it is not barred. When open, it is for high clearance, four-wheel drive, low-range vehicles (see Triune Mtn.) and arrives at 2160 meters (7100 feet).
HALL CREEK ROAD
The Hall Creek trail is on the extreme east end of the group, above Duncan River.
Drive: At the north end of Kootenay Lake on Highway 31, cross Duncan River to the east side.
0.0 Drive north on the Duncan FSR. Near Abbott Peak, the road crosses to the west side of Duncan River.
66 km. Just south of Hall Creek, the road takes an S-turn. Before crossing Hall Creek, take a spur road south for 0.3km and park.
The upper trail has probably not been cleared, but the lower 2.5 km are spectacular and were blasted out of the canyon itself. It leads to the Hall-Healy pass between the ridge northwest of Abbott Peak, and The Razor’s Edge.
The Duncan River road continues to the east side of the Battle Range, the northernmost Purcells, to the Sugarloaf Group and Glacier National Park. The upper portion is for high clearance, four-wheel drive, low-range vehicles. Word has it that the bridges on the Duncan and Westfall Rivers will be pulled in the summer of 2016.
HOPE CREEK FSR
A new road has been constructed up Hope Creek, the next stream southeast of Healy Creek, from Highway 31. At present, it leads to alplands and a small peak far south of the named summits, which was climbed during a KMC hiking camp.
ACCESS from the WEST SIDE
From the Galena Bay (east) side of the Upper Arrow Lake Ferry, drive two kilometres south on Highway 23 and turn left onto Highway 31. At the T-junction beyond the bridge, turn left (right goes to Trout Lake City). Follow the road northwest and then northeast to Camborne. Zero odometer. This is within range of the Mount Pool massif (BC Forests brochure, Arrow and Kootenay Lake Forest Districts). The best way from Nelson is via Nakusp.
0.0 From Camborne heading north. Camborne is just south of Pool Creek
2km Continue on the east side of the Incomappleux River (do not cross to the west side) 15 km Boyd Creek. A road goes up the north side of Boyd Creek
16.6 km Kellie Creek canyon
28 km Battle Brook.
The roads are for high clearance four-wheel drive low-range vehicles in their upper portions.
Mount Pool from the West
From the town of Camborne, (best via Nakusp), Pool Creek road starts 300 meters north of Camborne and about 200 meters south of the bridge over Pool Creek. Zero odometer. 0.0 Start on Pool Creek Rd. Drive to a landing above a tailing pond, and then an overgrown track from the southeast corner of the landing (high clearance, four-wheel drive, low range; best to bring a saw).
The road is easier when it turns south to Mohawk Creek
5km Keep left
7km Former bridge over Mohawk Creek. A tree was felled in 2002 to cross the creek.
After crossing, walk the old road to the mine site. It is a two-day trip to the peaks at a minimum. The climbers in 2002 did not reach Mount Pool.