Mt. Cheam - so close to home

Stats: 9 km / 715m gain / 2112m high / 3.5 hours

Even though Mt. Cheam is clearly seen from Chilliwack, it's still almost a 2 hour drive to get up there. Why? Because it's a long drive down Chilliwack Lake Rd. and then the FSR leading us to the parking lot is quite rough. A few years ago the water bars were dug out even deeper but broader and the lower road is loaded with potholes. I did notice that this year the sketchy section about 2/3 way up the FSR is now repaired. 4WDs are still a necessity though.

About halfway up we ran into the rest of our group who were in 3 trucks. We'd been delayed because of a last minute repair job on the FJ. Our son, Corwin had organized this day and most of them were his friends, including a few ACS high school friends.

I just had to get a pic of the new odourless outhouse! Never seen one like this before. When you're done doing your thing, you pump 5x on the peddle to the right. It makes the inner conveyor belt flip over and down, depositing your goods.

Corwin took 2 year old Kathleen along. She slept in the backpack most of the way up.

The Rexford Range, Slesse, Crossover Peak, TomyHoii & Mt. Baker.

Lady Peak to the left, Cheam to the right. Lady Peak is 54m higher than Cheam but the trail is steeper, longer and more exposed.

Our dutch son-in-law, Willem said the snow tunnel (created by the creek) looks like it goes right to the end of this section. Thankfully it was the only snow on the whole trail.

Spoon Lake looks like it got a large spoon full of debris in it.

Meadows full of flowers.

Mt. Cheam.

Looking back at Lady.

Buckwheat & Anemonies

On Mt. Cheam's slopes.

Our first glimpse of Sumas Prairie. Cultus Lake to the left.

On the ridge. An old wind shelter.

Sumas Prairie

Views from the summit - southeast. Lady Peak in the foreground.

East on Jones Lake

Northeast

North - the Fraser River & Harrion Lake in the distance.

Northwest. After I took this pic I noticed the memorial plaque, tucked against the cliff.

I took this pic upside-down because it was too dangerous to stand there.

The summit. I've never seen so many people on Mt. Cheam before.

The north and east slopes drove of severely. One missed step would be fatal.

Group shot

Opa hangs on tightly to Kathleen.

I love this pic. Kathleen looks like she's reaching for the heavens.

Heading back down. SE

SW

1) Cow Parsnip 2) Elephants Head 3) Columbines 4) Penstemon

A short side trail (pic 1) led to the view in pic 2.

Almost back in the meadows at the bottom.