Vedder Mountain Hiking Trail, Chilliwack, BC

Distance : 2 Km
Difficulty : A – 1 – A (Easy)
Time : 2 ½ Hours
Location : Hope, BC
Map: Thacker Map (click to enlarge)

Description :
This leisurely forest walk takes you through a former sheep ranch just east of downtown Hope. It now belongs to the UBC Forest Research Dep’t.

It provides a rain-forest setting in the middle, a small lake, and the odd breakout for views of the Fraser and Coquihalla Rivers, where the two rivers meet, looking down on Hope from the east and from the south.

Hope, B.C. is known as the “Gateway To The Fraser Canyon” and serves all three major highways in Southern British Columbia – Highway 1 (Trans-Canada), Highway 3 (Hope-Princeton), and Highway 5 (Coquihalla). All three can be viewed from Mt. Thacker.

A view of Kawkawa Lake can be seen from the far east end, just about the Aywawwis Native Reserve.

A communications tower on the south-east side provides a nice lookout and stop for a break.

Take a copy of the map to take full advantage of the hike.

How to Get There :
Drive east from Chilliwack on Highway 1 approximately 25 miles and take the third Hope exit (Highway 1 Exit 170). Turn left at the first traffic light and travel under the freeway overpass, turning right at the next traffic light.
This is a portion of the old Hope-Princeton highway and several amenities are available. Turn left at the Chevron gas station, 6th. Ave., and travel north for a short distance, turning right on Kawkawa Lake Rd.
Take Kawkawa Lake Rd. east for a couple of blocks and travel across the Coquihalla River bridge (site of the movie First Blood in 1981). Take the first left past the bridge and then turn left at the junction of Thacker Mt. Rd. and Union Bar Road.
Travel up Thacker Mt. Rd. where it turns back with new houses on your right hand side. At the end of the street, turn around and park. Hike up a forest service road on your right-hand side. After a short climb you’re into the forest and continue around to the left, through dense forest and swamps.
Not too far along there will be a trail to your left which leads to the first lookout (junction of the Fraser and Coquihalla rivers). Continue to travel around to your left (in a clockwise direction) for more interesting views of the forest and surrounding areas.
On the south side you will soon see a road heading south which leads to the communications tower. Take this road for another lookout of eastern Hope, Hwy 3 and Hwy 5. This is an excellent spot for a break.
Continue back down and around the south-east side of the mountain, and eventually leading back to your car.

 

See event description on calendar page for pre-departure meeting place for when the club is doing this hike next.

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