Day 10 & Part 1 of Day 11 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!
8-8-22, late morning – A mere 3 km NW of Smithers, SPHP made a L turn off Hwy 16 onto Kathlyn Lake Road. Another 6 km on Glacier Gulch Road led to a parking lot with room for a dozen vehicles, and a circular turn around in a beautiful forest. There were a couple of campsites and outhouses here, too.
Not a cloud in the sky. Clearly, a day meant for action!
This is it, Loopster, the Twin Falls trailhead!
Give it a rest, SPHP! We went way up Hudson Bay Mountain yesterday.
I know, Loop, but Twin Falls is an easy little trek. 0.5 km to have a look at the waterfalls, that’s all.
Wonderful! Then there’s plenty of time to visit them later on, SPHP. I’m staying right here on my pink blanket for a while. Don’t you have a trip journal to tend to?
SPHP did. Sharing what remained of last night’s roasted chicken with Lupe, SPHP polished off the rest of the orange juice, too. Full of chicken, the Carolina Dog watched people come and go, snapped at flies, then drifted off to sleep while the trip journal got some needed attention.
8-8-22, 12:54 PM, Twin Falls trailhead at the end of Glacier Gulch Road – The American Dingo was up and at ’em! Can’t let a gorgeous day like this go completely to waste!
Hang on, Loop. Gimme a minute to have a look at the posted map.
What for, SPHP? Thought you said this trail was only 0.5 km long? We aren’t going to get lost here.
Yeah, it’s pretty simple, Loop. Onward! Puppy ho!
The Twin Falls trail began as a wide graveled path that left the trailhead between 2 boulders.
Most of the trail was nice and shady. It climbed the entire way, gaining 70 meters over the course of the 0.5 km. After passing an early fork where a trail to the R went to a day use area along Glacier Creek, the trail steepened, becoming rocky and nearly overgrown in spots.
Soon glimpses of Twin Falls appeared ahead. Situated on opposite sides of Glacier Gulch, for twins, the falls actually bore little resemblance to one another. The falls on the L were much larger than the comparative trickle on the R. What the waterfall on the R lacked in flow, it made up for with significantly greater height.
Nearly 3/4 of the way up the trail, Lupe came to a viewing platform reached by a set of stairs. The height of the falls looked much more equal from here, although the flow differential remained.
Guess where those waterfalls come from, Loop.
Farther up in the mountains, SPHP.
Ahh, yes, but of course. Could you be more specific, Loopster?
Well, we aren’t all that far from Smithers yet, SPHP, and have left the Babines. Hudson Bay Mountain (8,494 ft.), where we were yesterday, is the only other mountain I know of this close to Smithers.
That’s right, Loop! Twin Falls is fed by the same Hudson Bay Glacier we were looking down on yesterday.
Really? That’s cool, SPHP! Should be fun to climb above the falls then, and explore all the way up to the toe of the glacier!
Indeed it would be, sweet puppy, but from the looks of that headwall, that isn’t going to happen.
Lupe was kind of getting into the whole Twin Falls experience when the trail suddenly ended, bordered on the L by a vertical wall of rock, and on the R by a picnic table. Glacier Gulch Creek was directly ahead, a fairly deep and extremely fast flowing stream at this point.
The skinny, weak falls on the R were still in sight, but it wasn’t possible to get even a glimpse of the falls on the L without going beyond the wall of rock, which meant crossing the stream. From the roar the larger falls was making, it would be a pretty impressive sight.
However, a sign with peeling paint next to the picnic table said “Caution – Proceed at your own risk”.
Oh, for Pete’s sake! Goofiest, most anti-climactic trail ever, Looper! Ends less than 10 feet from the big scenic payoff!
Glad you realize that, SPHP, cause there’s no way I’m plunging into that icy stream!
8-8-22, 4:27 PM, pullout off Hwy 16 approaching the S end of Moricetown – After moving the RAV4 to a shadier spot at the Twin Falls trailhead, the trip journal had gotten more work while Lupe dozed again. Now she stood on a bank overlooking the Bulkley River just upstream of where it suddenly plunged into an extremely narrow gorge.
This was a favorite spot, and a last chance for the American Dingo to bid a fond farewell to Hudson Bay Mountain still visible far to the S.
So, what’s next now that we’ve left the Smithers area, SPHP?
A mountain you’ve been to before, Loop, plus one we tried for and failed at.
Again with the fail thing, SPHP? Have you sabotaged this Dingo Vacation with a carefully chosen selection of peaks I’ll never be able to climb?
Heavens no, Looper! We failed before because I was too chicken to push the G6 all the way to the trailhead, managed to get us lost on the extra 5 mile trek to it, and then the weather turned into a complete gale with a storm moving in by the time we got to the first peak. Still think there’s a chance we can actually get to our intended destination with the benefit of what we learned the first time around.
Go on, SPHP. This does sound vaguely familiar. Care to elaborate on the part about “a chance we can actually get to our intended destination”?
Sure. It depends in part on the super long primitive and remote access road still being open all the way to the trailhead, and whether we can manage to get up the mountain’s NW ridge, as per John Stolk’s excellent trip report. And the weather, of course, which appears to be completely in our favor at the moment, if it will just hold.
It’s coming back to me, SPHP! You’re talking about Kispiox Mountain, aren’t you?
Correcto mundo, Loopster! Kispiox has over 5,000 feet of prominence! It would be your first and only Canadian ultra. We’ve got to give it another attempt! Never got a fair shot at it back in 2018 due to my mistakes.
After crossing the bridge over the railroad tracks at New Hazelton, then taking a R on Hwy 62 (signed as Churchill Road), and waiting in line for a turn on the awesome one lane Hagwilget bridge over the Bulkley River, SPHP turned R again at Petro Canada in old Hazelton. The Skeena River soon came into view. The busy road was narrow due to construction, but SPHP parked and got out briefly anyway for a quick look.
So, what did you see, SPHP?
Just the river, Loop, and some mountains beyond it. Kispiox Mountain is out there somewhere, but if it’s in sight, I don’t recognize it from here.
The road soon wound down to cross a bridge over the Skeena River, then turned N. Several miles later, it angled NE (R) across another bridge into the village of Kispiox. Instead of crossing this bridge, SPHP continued N on Date Creek Forest Service Road, aka Kispiox Westside Road.
Date Creek Road started out as a decent gravel road, but deteriorated as it went first N, then NW for miles. In places, trees leaned precariously over the road. Some had fallen, but none completely blocked it. Nearly 15 miles in, the road turned sharply L and started steeply uphill.
So far, so good, Loop! This is where we parked the G6 last time around.
Gunning the RAV4, it made it to the top of the hill SPHP hadn’t dared to attempt in the G6, not knowing what was ahead back in 2018. 5 winding miles later, despite the last mile being soft and rutted, SPHP parked the RAV4 at the Moonlit Mountain trailhead.
8-8-22, 7:17 PM, Moonlit Mountain trailhead – Two pickups were already parked at the trailhead when Lupe arrived.
Gosh, this looks a lot different than the last time we were here, Loopster! Hope they didn’t wipe out the trail!
The trailhead was much more open than SPHP remembered. The slope to the E appeared to have been clear-cut. Been a while, but hadn’t that hill been all forested before? Seemed like it. Last time around, Lupe had been lucky to find this place on the way back from Moonlit Mountain, but where had the trail come in at? SPHP was certain it was somewhere along the E side, nearly all of which was now completely devastated.
I’m going to see if I can find any sign of the trail before it gets dark, Loop. Want to come?
Rumor has it that I have to climb a Canadian ultra tomorrow, SPHP. Have at it!
The road, such as it was here, continued another 200 feet past the little parking area to the edge of the forest. Wandering over that way, a tree had pink paint on it. A few others nearby bore pink ribbons. Looking past 2 logs fallen in front of the pink paint tree, what luck! There was the trail, totally undisturbed.
How did it go, SPHP?
We’re golden, Looper! Found it, just past all the devastation. The trail is on the L near the very end.
8-9-22, 7:35 AM, 46ºF, Moonlit Mountain trailhead – Clear and calm! Lupe set off from the RAV4 on an absolutely gorgeous morning. Heading SW, a quick stroll to the end of the road got her to the pink paint tree. Leaping over the two logs, she entered the forest.
The Moonlit Mountain trail started out level, or nearly so, heading SSW. Lupe had to leap over some more deadfall early on, but nothing major. Only a few minutes from the trailhead, the trail angled W, descending 30 feet to a small stream, which was easily hopped.
The steep, muddy W bank on the opposite side proved to be much more of an issue. Although Lupe had no problems with it, SPHP had to cling to trees and bushes to get up it.
Above the nearly vertical W bank, the trail remained a mucky mess for another 10 minutes before Lupe reached drier terrain.
Loopster was now on Moonlit Mountain’s long, broad NE ridge. The trail turned S, winding a little as it began a steady, gradual climb through the forest. For a long way, there was nothing to see other than trees. Now and then a bird would chirp, but the forest was otherwise silent. Despite occasional deadfall, the Carolina Dog made great progress.
Nearly an hour after setting out, Lupe finally came to a clearing. More appeared soon afterward, as the forest rapidly thinned out.
Lupe didn’t have much farther to go before reaching an 80 foot wide swath of open ground extending SSW as far up the ridge as she could see. Along the R side, the trail went through grass and low vegetation, but toward the L, a profusion of wildflowers grew in a damper region.
Oh, I remember this place, SPHP! This open swath is how we knew where to head down on our way back from Moonlit Mountain in 2018.
That’s right, Loop! It’s an easily recognized indicator of where the trail goes.
Back in the forest, there had been a few mosquitoes, but not enough to be much of an annoyance. However, the lush strip of wildflowers was humming with insects, and not all of them were entirely focused on flowers. The trudge up the open lane was steeper than before, and as SPHP plodded along, a buzzing swarm gathered.
Most of these pests were small, biting flies, but mosquitoes were among the plague, too. Worst of all, though, were the big, horrid horseflies that continually circled looking for any opportunity to inflict a nasty bite. They provided plenty of incentive to keep moving, but SPHP still had to pause now and then to gasp for air due to the rate of climb. Looking back, the clear-cut region gave away the location of the trailhead.
Yeah, I’m just about 100% certain that clear-cut wasn’t there in 2018, Loop. We didn’t have anything like that to aim for on our way back from Moonlit Mountain back then.
For pity sake, SPHP! Keep moving! I’m getting eaten alive! Did you bring any insect repellent?
SPHP had. During breaks, Lupe hid in the shade of the last scattered, stunted evergreens while SPHP slathered on lemon eucalyptus lotion and 100% Deet. This helped somewhat, but did not entirely dissuade the buzzing horde, especially the horseflies that kept swooping annoyingly close in their desperation for blood.
Continual swatting and slapping was still required. The enemy suffered a fearsome toll, but their numbers didn’t diminish in the least. The only real defense was to keep moving.
A good climb got Looper up to where the open lane widened out into a big meadow full of purple wildflowers. To the S, the N end of the 1600+ meter ridge was in view. Moonlit Mountain (5,951 ft.) was in sight, too!
The 1600+ meter ridge was the narrowest part of Moonlit Mountain’s huge NE ridge, and ordinarily a lovely, level trek. Unfortunately, it was difficult to enjoy what should have been a fun, scenic romp S with the buzzing, swirling swarm still in hot pursuit.
Once at the S end of the 1600+ meter ridge, the only difficult part of the Moonlit Mountain ascent was next. SPHP led Lupe WSW toward a very steep slope roughly 350 high. Already feeling hot under full sun, Looper wasn’t so sure she wanted to make the effort, curling up at the base of the slope instead.
Lupe relaxed to the extent that she could while snapping at horseflies, as SPHP started up. With little to cling to, the slope quickly became steep enough to make SPHP a bit nervous. Definitely more worn and braided than when Loop had been here in 2018, apparently this route had been much more frequently traveled in recent years.
Not to be outdone, the American Dingo soon appeared, passing SPHP while climbing among rocks so close to the cliffy N edge, that she added to SPHP’s anxiety. The last little bit was grassy, and not as steep off to the L (S), where a path finally got Lupe up to the mountain’s E shoulder.
Upon reaching Moonlit Mountain’s upper E shoulder, Lupe curled up again while SPHP took a breather. Kispiox Mountain (6,877 ft.) was now in sight, a mere 3 km due S.
Oh my gosh, Looper! There’s Kispiox! Been 4 years to the day since we first saw it from right here. Didn’t know if we would ever see it again!
We’re doing good then, SPHP! We’re actually going to get a decent shot at it today! Do you remember how windy it was, and how dark the clouds were, the last time we got this far?
Sure do, Loop. I’ll never forget that. You summited Moonlit Mountain in an absolute gale. In any case, I’d botched the beginning, and we’d started from so far away that we arrived here much too late to have any chance at Kispiox, even if the weather had been ideal, like it is today.
I wouldn’t call this ideal, SPHP! I’d give anything for a 10 or 15 mph breeze to drive these ghastly bugs away! Hate these horseflies!
Agreed. They’re horribly annoying alright, Looper. Sort of surprised we aren’t rid of them yet. C’mon, let’s tag Moonlit Mountain while we’re so close to the top before pressing on to Kispiox.
In a dead calm, still hounded by the remorseless swarm of insects, Lupe trotted W along Moonlit Mountain’s enormous E/W summit ridge. The first high point ahead was the most impressive, but clearly wasn’t even in the running as a true summit candidate. Skirting around the S side of it, the American Dingo went directly for the next high point beyond.
All the terrain up here was super easy. Didn’t take long to get there.
8-9-22, 10:45 AM, Moonlit Mountain (5,951 ft.), E summit – 4 years to the day since the American Dingo had first been here, Lupe was back! This time, instead of standing in a cold gale beneath a dark cloudy sky, she panted in the hot sun on a dead calm day amid a swirling swarm of insects. Constantly snapping at the irritating horseflies, it was a little hard to fully appreciate the moment.
Congratulations, Loopster! Can hardly believe we’re actually here again!
Thank you, SPHP! Wish we didn’t have such an entourage with us, though! Could sure use some of that wind we had here last time.
Yeah, I know it. From one extreme to another! That’s the way it goes, Loop. Care to split a chocolate coconut bar to celebrate?
After shaking the Carolina Dog’s paw, despite the chocolate coconut bar being a melting mess, it was well received. Would have been fun to stay a while to enjoy the views, but pressured by both insects and the need to press on to Kispiox fairly soon, Lupe lingered only a few minutes.
Loop wasn’t done with Moonlit Mountain yet, though! Two more high points were farther W. The one farthest W seemed a bit lower, but the closest one appeared to be nearly identical in elevation to the E summit. To be certain she hit the true summit of Moonlit Mountain somewhere along the way, Lupe paid brief visits to both W high points.
From the far W high point, it was clear there were no more true summit candidates any farther along Moonlit Mountain’s enormous NW ridge, which sloped downward from here as it curved away to the N.
Hard to say for certain which of the 3 high points Lupe had visited was Moonlit Mountain’s true summit, but most likely one of the first two was it, although even the far W high point couldn’t be completely ruled out.
In any case, for the second time in 4 years, Moonlit Mountain (5,951 ft.) had been a success! Encouragingly, by the time Lupe reached the far W high point, she’d ditched the vast majority of the annoying insects. After enjoying the views during a more relaxed visit here, Loopster trotted back E across Moonlit Mountain’s huge gently slanting summit plain.
The American Dingo didn’t return to any of the other summits along the way. Skirting them to the S, Lupe went clear back to where she’d first reached the mountain’s E shoulder. Turning S from here, she began the trek toward her ultimate objective, Kispiox Mountain (6,877 ft.).
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Moonlit Mountain, Skeena Mountains, British Columbia, Canada (8-9-18)
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