Another B.C. Twofer
Summits #64 & 65--January 7, 2024
Today, Jeannie and I headed back to Canada for two more good hikes: Iron Mountain and Heritage Mountain, both near Mission, B.C. Nothing superhuman getting up them, but both were enjoyable and more scenic than expected. So, success on both accounts, making it five in a row north of the border. And just five more to go, with 25 days to get there.
Mission is a little north of Abbotsford where I snagged #63 (McKee Peak) yesterday. We reached the unofficial Iron Mountain trailhead on Matheson Avenue around 10 am, to the hum of a motorcycle looking ready to embark. We hoped they would not be swarming around us en masse. As it turned out, the guy only went up the trail a little before turning around and leaving. Too steep, he said. And we saw no others.
The trails are rough and rocky and apparently popular with mountain bikers as well, although we saw none of those guys either. Just a handful of hikers and a few soaring eagles the rest of the morning. At first, we didn’t think much of the “Outer Limits” trail, but it quickly became much more interesting. Nice forest, giant boulders and a moderate grade overall.
A right at a fork took us up to the lower overlook, then the more impressive upper overlook a short way up the ridge, with a great view of Hayward Lake and the Stave River below. Mount Baker poked its blunted head over the hills to the southeast. It was a great spot and hard to leave, as we watched the sun turning a trace of fresh snow into wisps of vapor rising from green mossy rocks.
We continued easily up the stony ridge, where the trails become something of a maze. However, we had no problem finding the top, marked as it is by a tall radio tower. We snapped a couple of hero shots and returned to the car via the Outer Limits.
Next up was Heritage Mountain, just a 20-minute drive eastward to the other side of Mission. We parked at the sprawling Fraser River Heritage Park, which hosts the annual Mission Folk Music Festival in July. A maze of trails lead up Heritage Mountain close by.
We mostly stayed on the Gondola Trail going up and Hannah’s Trail coming down. We found the excellent viewpoint of the Fraser River just below the summit, before climbing the last bit to claim credit for #65. There are shorter alternatives for the return, but we quite enjoyed the loop we hiked.
The trails were in great shape, well signed, and seemed to have been recently improved. Recent hiker reports suggested crummy trails and no signs, but we found just the opposite. It was also pretty nice to see clean restrooms open in January, as well as a cute cafe that I’ll need to take Kris to one of these days. A civilized place to be sure.
With a coffee and cocoa to go, we were set for the drive home. Again, there was no wait at the Sumas border crossing. Things got even better south of Sumas when we encountered a large flock of snow geese doing their thing over the green fields of Whatcom County. Always great fun to watch.
Tally for the day: Iron Mountain around 3 miles with a 700 foot gain, and Heritage Mountain about four miles with a 500-foot gain. Plenty of good hiking for a fine winter’s day.
