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two more easily-accessible local mountaintops |
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Written by Tyler Dobie
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Wednesday, 13 August 2008 05:45 |
Another great hike-free alpine adventure which is really close to Kaslo is Mount Buchanan.
There's a decommissioned lookout up there which you can climb up on for a stellar view.
This is old-hat for any alpine hiking enthusiasts, but an easy way for anyone to get up high.
Mountain-climbing doesn't need to be exercise - anyone can do it!
Go west on the New Denver highway, several clicks past South Fork and you'll find the road on your right. You can drive all the way up to the lookout. (it's a forest service road, so clearance is a good thing to have, but 4wd is not essential) Go slow in a low gear if you don't have a big pickup truck, and follow the switchbacks up to the top.
Nicole and I took our two boys up there on Monday, and the views are phenomenal. I can't believe I hadn't been up there before. You can only see a sliver of lower Kaslo, but the Esso and Irly Bird are visible... you can see way down the lake past pilot point, also west down the Kaslo river valley. It's a great picnic spot if it's not too windy.
Another easy one is Idaho lookout ... a little walk through gorgeous landscapes of colourful wildflowers gets you to a high point where it is mountaintops as far as your eye can see. Above New Denver... access is from the historic ghost town of Sandon, and you can drive pretty much to the top. There's a little hike to get to the lookout from the parking lot but it only takes about 45min. I haven't been up there this year, but have been a few times in the past.
Randy is right: we have some of the best alpine in the world right at our doorstep, and it doesn't need to be intimidating to get up there. Pack a snack and bring some water, wear some comfortable hiking shoes and get up there before the snow-line starts to creep down the mountains!
Cheers folks,
~ Tyler
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Last Updated on Monday, 16 August 2010 07:51 |
