Autumn camping rewards hardy B.C. hikers

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      Sad but true: summer is over. Time to pack the camping gear away? Not if you want to experience the bug-free mood of changing seasons with an astounding array of fall colour on display.

      Added autumnal rewards include crisp, oxygenated air exuded by evergreen forests that tastes as rich and thick as cereal cream. Herewith is a trio of A-list camping suggestions trail-tested by the Georgia Straight over the past year.

      No gear? The Elfin Lakes in Garibaldi Provincial Park’s Diamond Head subalpine zone towering above Squamish come complete with a cozy cabin. All you need is food and a sleeping bag. Lace on a sturdy pair of shoes for the gentle 11-kilometre ramble and get going.

      One caveat: although the Pan-Abode shelter comes complete with kitchen facilities and room for 33 people in tiered bunk beds—and costs just $5 more per night than the $10 charged to tent campers—it fills up quickly on weekends. Hedge your bets by visiting on a weekday or plan an early start. (Hint: bring earplugs in case of snoring.)

      Plan B: bring a tent for insurance and make use of the new covered day shelter for cooking or resting up. Either way, the view of rosy alpenglow on the glacier-clad Tantalus Range that rises directly across from the Elfin Lakes is second to none, as are the pumpkin-yellow and orange gullies of berry bushes that drop away on all sides. To best appreciate the profusion, follow a short trail that descends to Ring Creek from the grandiosely dubbed “lakes”—in truth, two diminutive ponds, one of which provides drinking water while its twin invites dippers to take a bracing plunge. Budget three hours to reach Elfin Lakes from the Diamond Head trailhead.

      No car? Hop the bus to Whistler, then ride the Village Gondola up onto the mountain’s shoulder, a welcome assist for those venturing with fully loaded backpacks. Well-marked trails lead away from the Roundhouse Lodge across the Musical Bumps—Piccolo, Flute, and Oboe summits—into Singing Pass, a region of Garibaldi Park that was once as commonly frequented by campers as Diamond Head.

      A decade ago, budget cutbacks at B.C. Parks reduced trail maintenance on the historic lower access route (currently choked with alder) that leads uphill for 10 kilometres through the Fitzsimmons Creek Valley to Singing Pass. (A proposed management-plan amendment for Garibaldi’s Spearhead Area should see, if approved, a restoration of the Singing Pass Trail for both summer and winter access.)

      Beyond the pass, rough campsites ring the shoreline of diminutive Russet Lake, where the rustic Himmelsbach Hut, built by members of the B.C. Mountaineering Club in the 1970s and large enough for eight people (in a pinch), offers shelter—as much to little rodents as hikers. Rising above the lake are the crumbling, maroon-tinted slopes of Fissile Peak, just one of a myriad of awe-inspiring features that make Singing Pass a rewarding destination. Rock and ice never looked so impressive. On clear evenings, the Milky Way pours across the open sky above. By comparison, what’s on display in the city starscape is, indeed, slim pickings. A bird’s-eye view of the old Singing Pass route is clearly visible from the Peak to Peak Gondola at the midway point between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. Budget five hours to reach Singing Pass from the Whistler Mountain Roundhouse.

      No experience? Camping can be intimidating for first-timers or those with limited stamina. Best begin gently on a welcoming trail such as the one that leads into Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park.

      Travel time to the unspoiled wilderness valley near Lytton in the Fraser Canyon is twice as long as to Whistler. The tradeoff is that hiking time into spacious Loop Camp clocks in at one hour—max—along a level riverside route. A bonus: given the valley’s location on the eastern slopes of the Lower Mainland’s Coast Mountain ranges, there is an almost ironclad guarantee of dry conditions.

      Equally beneficial is the welcoming presence of knowledgeable Stein Valley wardens from the local Lytton First Nation. On a recent visit, watchman Leonard Spinks took time to outline trail conditions and cultural highlights, including significant pictograph locations. In an era when the presence of B.C. park rangers is a rarity, the perspective provided by Stein wardens offers a unique insight into centuries-old traditions, not to mention that they monitor yahoos whose actions might otherwise spoil the serenity for others.

      All the above make the Stein Valley an ideal locale for families looking to introduce youngsters to the joys of spending a night or two outdoors, where something magical is sure to happen, whether it be the spellbinding sight of moonbeams reflecting on the frothy river or rays of sunlight blazing through golden ponderosa pines at dawn.

      Access: Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park is located 270 kilometres northeast of Vancouver via the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1 East). From Lytton, follow Highway 12 to reach the free, on-demand ferry across the Fraser River. Signs point north to the trailhead on Stein Valley Road. Visit the BC Parks website for current park conditions. A good guidebook to consult is Stein Valley Wilderness Guidebook (Gordon White). Mountain Equipment Co-op rents camping equipment. Visit the MEC website for details.

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