Monashee Lake lies right against the spine of the jagged Pinnacles. Monashee Creek rises from the lake and the three Pinnacles rise above the lake. This is the south end of the Mark Berger Trail.
Location: Pinnacles Group in Whatshan Range.
Difficulty: B1
Elevation gain: 700m
Distance: 5kms one-way
Time: 2 hours one-way
Season: late June through October
Maps: 82L/1 Eureka Mountain, and 82L/8 Mount Fosthall, 82K/4 Nakusp, 82L/2
B. C. Provincial map, Sugar Lake.
Drive: From the west: Kelowna 3.5 hour drive. From Vernon, on Highway 6 – 22.5 km east of Lumby and 0.8 km east of Heckman Creek, marked, turn left (north) on a logging road marked “Pinnacle Hiking Area” and “Monashee Lake, Pinnacle Lake, Vista Pass” or South Fork FSR.
From the east (Lower Arrow Lake) via the Needles-Fauquier Ferry south of Nakusp, this road is 2.7 km west of Monashee Creek (marked) west of Monashee Pass.
For Monashee Lake (at the head of Monashee Creek, just south of Mount Severide)
0.0 Start on the logging road.
2.5km Stay right. 2.7km Stay left. 6.4km Stay right. 13.0km Stay left. 15.0km Stay left. Do not cross Monashee Creek. (Turn right and cross Monashee Ck for Pinnacle Lake).
16.7km Straight ahead.
24km 9miles Park.
Trail: This is the south end of the Mark Berger Traverse.
Follow blazes on the trees along the north side of the creek heading toward the steep bluffs. Then ascend a dry watercourse for 400 m, go right through trees and ascend steeply on a grassy slope.
Scramble up any of the three Pinnacles, each about 2350m. Views are in all directions.