Climb all or some of the summits above Whitewater Ski Resort. This new trail zig-zags up Whitewater Ski Resort to access several peaks on the “summit side” of the hill.
Trailhead: Whitewater Ski Hill Road
Distance: round trip: 9.5km (to Hummingbird Peak)
Elevation: +521m (to Hummingbird Peak)
Season: late June to late September
Difficulty: Moderate
Drive the Whitewater Ski Hill Road and park near the main lodge. The peaks from left to right are Ymir, Hummingbird, Prospector.
Trail. Walk past the main lodge the Hummer Handle Tow to the Summit Trail. It is signed in multiple places but is sometimes referred to as “Blaster’s Ridge”. Cross Apex Creek and follow the creek and then on a new trail up the Motherlode Ski Run. It crosses a boulder field to the top of the ridge. Detour on this new trail to climb Hummingbird, then Prospector following a goat trail back down towards the col. Then Sherpa.
Summit #1: Sherpa. Turn right at the Ski Way. Follow the red/white blazes to a faint trail heading up into the woods. The next 0.3km is the steep “Blaster’s Ridge”
Walk on the flat out-and-back to Sherpa. It is treed without a great view and a signed junction Follow the ridge to get closer to Hummingbird and Prospector Peaks.
If you are skipping Sherpa Peak, turn left on the Catch Basin Ski Way. The boulder field along the Ski Way had been turned into a sidewalk. The trail up to the ridge is marked with paint.
On the ridge, turn right to Sherpa Peak to complete the loop via Prospector and Hummingbird Peak or Ymir on a trail extension to go behind Prospector and Hummingbird Peak to the Ymir West Col. Shortcuts marked with flagging tape lead up to the summits of Prospector and Hummingbird Peaks.
Summit #2: Prospector. Follow the flagging tape that leads you along the ridge and up to Prospector Peak (2 hours) and a big view.
Hummingbird Peak is just 0.4 km away but with a higher vantage point over the valley. We reached Prospector after hiking 2 hours from the trailhead.
Summit #3: Hummingbird. 0.4 km and only 10 minutes to Hummingbird Peak. Pass a tree fort and fire ring just before the summit.
Summit #4: Ymir. 1 km and 500 m elevation change. Some scrambles.
Return down the ridge to the Catch Basin Ski Way and the Motherlode run to the lodge. .