This is a ridgeline of peaks with great views in all directions. Wildflowers in late July.
Rating: ♦♦♦♦◊
Difficulty. C2 moderate
Distance. West Texas Peak is 5.2 km one way. Reco is 5 km one way
Elevation: West Texas Peak +779m. Reco +680 m.
Key elevations: TH, Texas-Reco Ridge, West Texas Peak 2461 m. Mt Reco 2525 m.
Time:
Season: mid-July to late September
Drive. 4WD high clearance is necessary for Stenson Creek FSR.
From Kaslo, drive 28.6 km on Highway 31A towards New Denver and the Retallack Lodge.
0.0 km. Cross a bridge. To the right is parking for the Retallack Old Growth Cedars Trail Quickly reach a junction – left descends to Retallack Lodge (the lodge would appreciate telling them as they have mountain biking groups ferried in a shuttle and the road has blind corners).
Right ascends Stenson Creek FSR.
0.9 km. Fork right onto Stenson Creek FSR through the forest.
3.9 km. Fork right towards the Texas-Reco Ridge.
5.5 km. Stay left on the main road.
6.9 km. Cross a bridge and start switchbacks.
8.7km. Stay right on the main road.
9 km. Park on the side of the road as the road deteriorates significantly as it climbs to the ridge.
Trail/Route. Continue up the road for 2 km through the forest crossing avalanche paths.
1.8 km. Pass a miner’s cabin and old mineshaft. The ridges in this area are littered with old miner’s claims and trails.
2.1 km. Cairns and flagging tape on both sides of the trail mark the shortcut to Texas Peak. Either turn left on a trail or stay on the road to access the ridge closer to Reco Peak.
3.0 km. The landing pad – a flat grassy meadow on the ridge line. A mountain biking trail runs along the top of the ridge, with a wide cat-track path on either side. Right is to Mount Reco and the left is to Texas Peaks.
To Texas Peaks
West Texas Peak’s rocky summit is visible beyond a green sub-peak.
3.7 km. Reach a wide meadow, turn left and look for a cairn that leads towards the sub-peak. The trail ends.
Climb 150 m up the steep grassy slope to the top and views of both Texas Peaks – left is the slightly higher Texas Peak and right is West Texas Peak.
Follow a mountain bike trail on the ridge to West Texas Peak. The last 40m to the summit is loose rock – 5.2 km and 2461m.
Texas Peak is 30 m higher, loses 100 m, gains 130 m and .6 km further.
To Mount Reco. 2525 m
Return on the ridge to the landing pad. Go over the first bump, bypass the second bump and go to the far back side of Reco staying on the mountain bike trail and avoiding going straight up the ridge. Summit 6.8 km, 2.4 km round trip gaining 291m from the landing pad.
Return via Reco’s northern ridge to gain the old road heading left or east. The road is 3 km back to where you parked.