Slesse Mt. to Propellor Cairn

June 12, 2021 -- My daughter, Renee asked me, "Mom, can we do a hike Saturday that I haven't done before?" I said, "Well the forecast isn't ideal, calling for clouds and sun. But we can hike to the commemorative site where a Trans Canada airplane crashed in 1956. This will make for a nice moderate hike." I did not expect that by the end of the day, not only would we make it to our club's usual destination by the propellor cairn in picture perfect weather, but to also have the mountain all to ourselves! And picture worthy this hike is, showcasing some of the most outstanding almost vertical peaks that are easy to distinguise from far away.

Yes, we needed our good ol' FJ for this one, having to drive over 4 mini rockslide areas. We parked at the new trailhead by the post sign. To the left is a sign for Rexford. Our club built this trail to avoid the half a km of very rocky and rugged FSR. Also this cuts off the drop in elevation to the Nesakwatch River. Its not a welcome thing to have to climb a steep slope at the end of the day.

Nice work, Chilliwack Outdoor Club!

Timmermans Landscaping arborist crew felled this tree.

The government did a very fine job of completing this much safer bridge. The old one farther downstream had washed away.

An open viewpoint of the Rexford Range by a talus slope -- north & northeast.

East

In December of 1956, a TransCanada airplane slammed into the mountain in bad weather. The wreckage and bodies were never recovered, and have long since been swallowed up by the Slesse Glacier. Some debris remains in the area, notably the propeller of Propeller Cairn.

Despite months of searching, the crash site was not found until May of the following year due to the remoteness and ruggedness of the area.

This now protected site was established in 1995 in memory of the 62 passengers and crew of flight 810.

pic 2) Crossover Peak (2040m) -- southwest

We didn't see any snow so we thought we'd proceed and see how far we got.

The Cheam Range -- west.

I was surprised to see fresh Trilliums.

The annoying alders were paying homage to the peaks. We had to be careful that they didn't pop up from under the snow.

Illusion Peak (1920m), Rexford Peaks (2130m), Mt Cope (1950m) & Middle Peak (2134m)

At this point (1300m) we left the alder lined and overgrown FSR (after it had curved to the right) and turned left onto a narrow trail that wound through forest. Now the grade got steeper.

At 1330m we put our micro-spikes on.

We had to kick step on some of the steeper sections.

Almost on the ledge where the Propellor Cairn was buried under snow.

Made it! We heard and saw one of two avalanches. The second one came down the gully to the right. No fear of it hitting us because the ledge is a raised arm of land. Probably a moraine.

Those cracks were about 10 feet deep.

From south to east: Slesse (2250m), Crossover, Cheam Range, Rexford, Cope & Middle Peak.

West - Cheam Range

North - Illusion & Rexford.

East - Mt. Cope + Middle Peak

Slesse

Massive slabs of ice piling up at the base of the pinnacles.

Between me and Renee is the gully where the trail leads you up to the base of the Rexford Spires.

Heading back down.

Patterns in the snow.

It certainly goes alot faster on the downhill. The snow was getting slushy. I had to climb back up the steepest part when I discovered one of my husband's micro-spikes had fallen off of my boot. Renee had mine on. I was just starting to reason that 2 bottles of whisky's-worth (Case's language) were gone, when I spotted them in the snow.

We could clearly hear the waterfalls at the base of Crossover Mt's slopes.

The ground plateaued for a bit as we entered some old-growth forest.

Back on the overgrown FSR.

pic 1) a grouse

Just past the commemorative site.

pic 1) Nice job COCers! pic 2) Renee left her valuable Rayban sunglasses on the memorial plaque. When we came down, they were gone. They also have sentimental value for her. Please return them if you have them. She will come pick them up and give you a bottle of wine...

Road side Indian Paintbrush.

Pierce Lake to the left. The red trail branding off of our route, just before the memorial site, leads to Crossover Peak. I don't know anyone who's summited that peak. Too many loose rocks. You can actually hike over and across to McFarlane. The 4 peaks from bottom to top are: 2 peaks of Slesse, Mt. Parkes + Crossover Peaks.

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