Spencer Peak

June 20, 2024 - Chilliwack

Stats: 14.2 km / 961m gain / 1662m high / 4:30 hours MT

This hike is hard to beat. When I did it last year, I decided to make it an annual must-do. You'll know why once you're on the summit. Words used to describe it were: premier, classic, spectaclur, gob-smacked and beautiful! You get the views even before you start hiking.

A few kilometers before our parking spot, we had to stop so I could get this shot. The Border Peaks + Larrabee Mts to the left and Tomyhoi to the right.

I didn't expect all three vehicles to make it through the wash-out. But drivers, Sari & Peter insisted. This cut 1.86 km off, one-way.

We parked at an altitude of 910m.

Only 15-minutes into the hike and we got these views of Tomyhoi (2164m) -- south.

The US/Canadian border in the background. 72% of this route was on a deactivated FSR. The first stretch was quite rocky.

Tomyhoi Lake in the valley - southeast.

The Canadian Border Peak (2190m), American Border Peak (2316m) + Mt. Larrabee (2286m).

Avalanche Lilies -- southwest. We had just turned right, leaving the FSR and heading up to the ridge on this lovely trail.

Jelly Cups

Slesse Mt.

This is one of the cleanest, most equipped alpine huts I've ever seen. It even has a plastic outhouse with a mirror!

The Cheam Range -- northeast.

Arrived at our destination, just a hop & a skip from the hut. Mt. McGuire (1950m) -- northwest.

video

southeast

Group shot, back row, left to right: Michlle K, Sari Keinonen (new), Paul L, Lorenz B, Sheri K, Pat S, Susan V, Patty C, Elizabeth B, me

Front row: Peter F, Lucy S

Mt. Baker -- southwest

Flox Oregon Stonecrop

Needless to say, we had a long liesurely lunchbreak.

No, we didn't carry the lawn-chairs up, we borrowed them from the hut.

Western Spring Beauty Fomitopsis

During our descent, we lingered long on this flower-filled slope.

New beginnings Violets

We also lingered long afterwards. It felt so good to pull the sweaty boots off and have a sit with an ice-cold drink on this very warm day. In the valley temperatures went up to 28C.

During the 15-km ride back on the Tamihi FSR, we stopped for these pics of the Tamihi Creek. There were some significant potholes but the road was clear of brush.

The grey line in the upper center is the short-cut we took last year. I would not recommend this because it goes very steeply up and requires bushwhacking.