We returned to hike Estekwalan Mountain in October, 2016.   The loop trail is steep one, but the terrain is one of the most interesting in the Interior.   The trail follows the rim of an amphitheater of cliffs with rewarding views of rugged terrain.

 

To get to the trailhead, turn onto Wetaskiwin Road (the Dump Road) at the west end of Falkland and follow the narrow, rough road (Rob Roy FSR) up the slopes for 7.5 km.   This high-clearance road is  best done in dry conditions.   There is a parking area on the south side and a sign at the trailhead on the north side of the road (N50 30.951 W120 37.077).

 

 

The steep trail climbs through the forest and up to the rocky ridges to the top of the rim in an amphitheater of rocky cliffs.   The trail is fairly well-marked (thanks to the Vernon Outdoor Club).   The route to the top of the ridges is about 2.5 km and climbs 602 m (1975 feet).

 

 

Near the top, sheer cliffs on the east side drop 700m into the Chase – Falkland Valley below, but this is also one of the best viewpoints.   There is a bit of light scrambling over the rock at this point.

 

 

To the east,  the Fly Hills (20km  x 40 km) stretch north to Shuswap Lake, east to Salmon Arm and south to Glenemma.   The sub-ranges are the Spa Hills in the south and the Ptargmigan Hills in the north.

 

 

From the summit area, hikers can turn around and go back the way they came or they can follow a loop route which goes down ridges along the amphitheater to cross a gully, then back up to the edge of the south rim.   A lone larch tree stood in the forest near the top, but many more were on the sunny south-facing slopes on the way down.

 

 

From the top of the cliffs a steep downhill route descends on a loose surface to the bottom.   A number of fixed ropes are in place to help hikers.   On this fall day, the route was slippery, requiring a lot of extra caution.

 

 

From the forest service road at the bottom, the view up the cliffs was enhanced by the bright yellow larch trees.

 

This is a favorite hike, one we try to do every two years so we will return in the summer of 2018.

More information:

• Estekwalan (2014)
• Estekwalan Loop (2012)
• Estekwalan Mountain (2011)