On August 8, a group of 21 people convoyed to Sol Mountain for a 3 night trip of backpacking in the high alpines. Our friends Wulf and Bianca organized the expedition and we were lucky enough to be invited to join their group.
For those reading this and are not familiar with the Kootenays, Sol Mountain lodge is located in the Monashee Mountain Range, about 2 1/2 hours North West of Nakusp, on the West side of the lake, and just south of Revelstoke. In the summer, it is accessible with 4 wheel drive and the driving directions are well marked and easy to follow.
In the winter months, it is an extremely popular area for back-country skiing, including a nordic track set, but in winter, it is only accessible by helicopter. We saw some pictures and we are definitely planning a trip there this winter so we can let you know all about it! Judging by the pictures, I'm sure it won't disappoint. The powder looks incredible and there is so much terrain.
Our group arrived around 11:30am and Aaron, one of the owners, was there to welcome us at the parking lot, and to pick up our luggage and food for our stay. (The lodge also offers catering and guided trips but our group chose the option of self-catering and self-guiding. )
There is a short 1.8km hike to the lodge from the parking lot but without having to carry anything, it is a nice introduction to the spectacular scenery we were about to witness.
The lodge is beautiful; it's location is perfect because even if you prefer not to hike, it is in the meadows, and is surrounded by mountain peaks wherever you look. It is absolutely stunning.
SOL Mountain lodge is extremely comfortable even for a large group like ours. The kitchen is well equipped with everything you need for cooking; there's plenty of washrooms and one hot shower on demand, so we can all have a hot shower after our hikes. There's even a beautiful sauna right next to the lodge. All the bedding and towels are supplied; all you need is your hiking gear and comfortable clothes to hang out at the lodge. Forgot your wine or beer? No problem, the lodge is fully stocked with a great selection of both. (and the prices for accomodation are extremely reasonable)!
After getting settled in, we were all anxious to go outside and explore our new surroundings; since it was already late in the day, we opted for a short hike to Sol Lake, (about 30 to 40 minl hike), and only about 200m elevation from the lodge, and continued on the Mission Ridge.
For those who are not keen hikers but like to explore without having difficult terrain, this hike is perfect. And of course, the views do not disappoint. This is what we found was the greatest thing about staying there; no matter what level of hiker you are, there is something for everyone. And since the lodge is so high in the alpine, there is always a view to look at.
This small hike was just the right thing to do on our first day; we headed back to the lodge around dinner time, to gather with Aaron and our news friends and share a mea, a laugh, and planning the next day hike.
Tuesday, August 9th -
August started with a bang weather wise, so we woke up to gorgeous blue skies and a few puffy clouds; our goal for the day, S0l Mountain range. We had a chat with Aaron before leaving and his only advice was to bring mosquito repellant; he mentioned that they were very 'friendly' in some parts of that trail. Just after 9:00am, 1/2 of our group decided to venture to that peak
The great thing about hiking at the lodge is that they provide guests with radios so at anytime, should anything happen (or if you want to brag to everyone once you've reached the top of a mountain), there's a direct link to the lodge.
The hiking program is still a new project for the lodge so the trails are marked to a point, and then guests must make their own trail to summit. (this isn't difficult; you can always see where you are going, so it is a matter of finding the best route to get up there).
Sol Mountain trail starts just to the left of the lodge on the west side, and the first section is a 600 feet descent; we understood very quickly Aaron's advice to carry mosquito repellent; they were viciously attacking us! Then the trail climbs back up to reach the ridge on the other side (about 900 feet) and from that point is a steady climb but not very steep to the 2nd ridge; this is where we had to scramble a bit to find a route and eventually made it up to a plateau, where we could see the summit of Sol.Once we reached that point, a few hikers decided that this was enough challenge for one day so they stayed on the plateau to wait for the few of us who decided to push to the summit.
The final climb isn't technical or difficult but it is rocky and steeper in parts but no one had any difficulty making it to the top.
And there was still snow up there! The views did not disappoint; we saw two more peaks that we would have liked to climb, Pride Rock and Twin Peaks, but we didn't have enough time that day. From the mountain, we could see t many other mountains we can't name but wanting to climb!
What an awesome first day. And the best thing is knowing that we are going back to a comfortable lodge, with all the amenities of home and comfy beds, and oh yeah A HOT SHOWER!!! To us, that is absolute luxury in the alpines. (we usually sleep in a two people tent, stinky from our hike, on a 2" neo-air thermarest, still comfortable but staying in a lodge was a real treat!!!)
Wednesday, Aug 10
The night before, Mike and I had decided to climb Mt. Fosthall but no one in the group was interested in coming with us; some had done it previously and others were a bit nervous about the possibility of hiking 8 to 10 hours, which is what we had heard it could take to get there and back from the lodge.
Although sunny when we woke up, the weather forecast called for thundershowers mid-afternoon so I was definitely nervous about leaving for that long should the weather change.Before heading out, we spoke to Aaron and he suggested that we take a different route, one that would keep us lower on the ridge to a bench just under Fosthall where we could find our best line to summit. He said it would be steep, but it could take off some time off the predicted 8 hours.
By 9:10am, we were ready to go, geared up and radio at hand. The first part of the hike isn't difficult, walking mostly through meadows with some altitude gains but nothing drastic. It was spectacular. We listened to Aaron's advice and once the marked trail ended, we just kept staying low until we could see the bench he had referred to. He was right; the bench was just under the peak so we had a good view of where we could go from there to reach the peak.
This part was definitely more difficult; there is a lot of loose rocks, especially as we made our way higher up; we also found a couple of short cuts that were extremely steep but did cut a lot of time instead of having to go around. we did make the decision though that we would not go back that same way on the way down; it was way too steep. We had to cross a large snow section diagonally and the hiking poles sure came in handy there. and from that point, it was all rocks, mostly loose so we had to be careful with our footing but it was manageable.
I was just ahead of my husband and reached the summit at 11:50am, which, we were told when we got back to the lodge, was a record so far. The clouds were a bit menacing by this point but we stayed about 1/2 hour to enjoy our well deserved lunch break and take in the amazing panoramic views of all the mountain ranges that can only be seen at 2690 meters. what a day! what a hike!
Our friend Bianca and other hikers were just below us on a different ridge and were able to see us ascend to the top; she was on the radio right away to congratulate us on reaching the summit.
We loved this hike, beautiful, moderate hiking in parts to challenging to reach the peak. We made it back well before the storm, just before 3:30pm, and we were SO glad we didn't get caught in the high winds and rain that started around dinner time.
After dinner, a few games, exchange of hiking stories and laughs, we fell asleep immediately. what a great getaway.
Thursday was the drive home day; sadly, we had to leave but we have made lifelong memories there. Now we want to share with everyone reading this how beautiful this part of our Province is, and how worthwhile it is to explore the amazing accessible terrain we have.
So thank you Aaron and Dave for having this vision and supplying hikers, nature lovers, and skiers with such a beautiful place.
WE WILL BE BACK~~ your hospitality was incredible, we felt at home and well looked after.
If you want more information on either hiking, (or just relaxing if you wish), or back-country skiing, please visit their website at www.solmountain.com.
Happy Hiking! As always, stay safe, enjoy the wildlife and scenery, and leave no trace.... only footprints.
