In Revelstoke: Mount MacKenzie

July 24, 2023

The story of today’s hike on Mount MacKenzie actually begins last night when we call our newest friend and fellow CycleBlazer Betsy Evans. We called her up after arriving in town to arrange a long-planned meetup. When she heard where we were planning to hike she warned us that there be bears up there and offered us the use of her bear spray so we wouldn’t come to an unkind end before the meetup. We accepted, and I drove over to her end of town to pick it up.

We can see Mount MacKenzie from our room! It’s a photo from the following day, but I just noticed now that I can recognize it.

We’ve got three days on our hands here in Revelstoke, but we’re starting with a hike because today has the best weather for it. Some sort of change is blowing in tonight, bringing the threat (or promise, because no doubt it will be welcome here) of rain and a significant drop in temperature. Today is the best day for being high up on a mountain and enjoying the views.

Mount MacKenzie isn’t the obvious destination for hiking near Revelstoke - that would be in the national park - but it sounds just right for us. We visited the national park on our last visit, and as spectacular as that was we thought we’d see something different this time. MacKenzie is a downhill ski destination in the winter, and the gondola operates in the summer also to support hikers and mountain bikers. Rachael did the research to learn of the gondola in the first place, and booked us for the lift last night.

We drive out to the base of Mount Mackenzie at ten, arriving just past its opening hour. The gondolas run continuously during operating hours, so there’s no wait at all once we’ve picked up our passes and queued up with the other hikers and bikers. We step into our car, have a seat, and about twenty minutes and one transfer later we arrive at the top of the line by around 10:30.

The view from the top. The gondola drops us off at 5,500’. We’re looking across the Columbia to the Monashee Mountains. The highest peak on the left is Mount Beglie, Revelstoke’s iconic mountain.

We don’t have a plan when we step off the gondola and look around. We’ve studied the trail map but have been waiting until we got here to decide which way to go. The issues are my knees, which can’t take too much climbing; and the bears, because we only have one can of bear spray so we’ll need to stay together.

We were thinking we might take a couple of short out and backs, but now that we’re here and get inspired by the views across the valley to the Monashee Range we decide to aim high. We select the hike up the Stoke Climb Trail, with its listed one-way distance of seven kilometers and 500 meters of elevation gain. We’ve got the time and the bear spray and I’ve got a hiking pole, so we start out with the idea that we’ll walk as far as the time and knees allow. We head up into the woods, our eyes alert and the bear spray canister in my pocket, ready to be pulled out at moments notice.

Bear spray though is really a last line of defense in case of an actual close-range bear encounter. The first line of defense is to be alert and make noise, under the idea that bears don’t want encounters either and if they hear you coming they’ll steal away into the trees. With that in mind we do a bit of half-hearted talking and singing - Rachael is particularly good at making up spontaneous nonsense lyrics. We don’t get far though when she remembers that she has a phone and it has a music library. For the next four hours we walk through the wilderness protected by an eclectic medley of songs by Billy Joel, John Hiatt, Tom Rush, Counting Crow, Brandi Carlisle, and Aaron Copland. Aaron Copland?

Rachael’s not checking the time or the news - she’s putting on a music sound track to entertain the bears with.

So does it work? Do we encounter any bears?

We do not encounter any bears. Instead, we are passed on the trail by three or four hiking parties (none of which are accompanied by music), perhaps as many as two dozen MTB riders slowly slogging their way up the steep track, and see some impressive but unthreatening wildlife - butterflies and moths, chipmunks, birds. Rachael is pretty sure she saw a fisher dash across the path in front of us also. And flowers. And views.

It’s a spectacular walk . We don’t make it to the end of the trail, but we’re high enough to appreciate some stunning views and gorgeous flower-strewn meadows. The day makes a good claim on being the best of the tour so far.

As we walk, Rachael makes a note to send thanks to Billy Joel for wrapping his aegis around us. We feel protected.

Some sort of fritillary. There are too many possibilities to try to narrow it down beyond that.

A closed-wing view, in case it helps promote one to an IFO.

#172: Black-backed woodpecker. I’m lucky I saw a male, which has a yellow crown, to help with the identification.

A cutworm moth maybe, but what’s underfoot?

Rachael thought ahead when she chose her outfit for the day, knowing we’d be seeing some fireweed.

You’re right, Suzanne! I never seem to lose this, to the disappointment of some.

We turned back not far from here, when the trail disappeared into the tree again and we lost our views.

The sky was clouding over by the time we made it back to the gondola. Before we headed down and back to the car we called Betsy to let her know when we expected to be back in town, and a meetup plan was established. An hour and a half later, with us done showering and her back from a bike ride, we met at the Village Idiot. Becky insulted me almost immediately when she at down by pulling out an Air Tag and instructing me on its use. Why would she think I’d need an air tag? What does she think I am, the Village Idiot?

The sky is closing in over Mount Beglie.

With Betsy, at the Village Idiot. I don’t like it that that sign is placed directly above my head.

I have no idea what point Rocky’s trying to make here, but it looks pretty funny.

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Patrick O'HaraNice hike, Mr. Anderson. Humm....Air tags, you say? Might be helpful with your glasses and wallet?
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9 months ago

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2023 Bird List

172. Black-backed woodpecker

173. Canada jay

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