Gold Creek Loop

May 2, 2024 - Golden Ears Provincial Park

Stats: 20.14 km / 813m gain / 592m high / 5:05 hours MT

Although this hike has few steep sections, it's still challenging because it is long and the trail can be rather rooty & rocky. We left the main East & West Canyon trails three times: to see the Lower & Upper falls and to hike about 1 km up the Golden Ears trail to an open view of the Golden Ears Mt.

The East Canyon parking lot was not accessable due to a landslide so we started hiking from the West Canyon parking lot and soon turned right onto the Menzies trail.

After we crossed a bridge over Gold Creek, we were on the Lower Falls trail.

A viewpoint just a hop & a skip off of the main trail -- west.

It was a good time to see the Lower Falls, after the heavy rain.

The slope leading back to the East Canyon trail was steep but short (about 15 min.)

Not far past the junction to the Lower Falls, we turned left onto the un-signed Upper Falls trail.

Anne is very cautiously leaning slightly forward to get a better glimpse of the top of the falls as they thundered down into the canyon.

We stopped for a snack and a soak in the sun at Viewpoint Beach, .07km past the connector bridge.

Then we backtracked to the bridge and crossed over to the West Canyon trail.

A bit of a steep climb and then we turned right onto the Golden Ears trail. Several metal bridges crossed numerous creeks. This was the longest one.

Arrived! This view never ceases to amaze: Edge Peak (1680m) + Golden Ears Peak (1680m) which is the small dark hump a bit farther back on the right.

Group shot back row, left to right: me, Case T, Owen W, Peter F, Bote M, Ziff

Front row: Irene H, Sue A, Charlotte H, Terry B

After lunch, most of the return was downhill with about 60m of up.

Yay! Our first tail-gate party of the year. Thanks Peter for bringing the table (+ the chips and Irene the almonds). Those cold drinks went down well after a sweaty day and the chairs were ideal for our sore feet & tired bodies.

Alouette Lake to the right.