Victoria Ridge Off-Trail hike on 16-Aug-2023

We started our hike under blue skies shortly after 8:00 am. We were delayed for a few minutes by the road construction on highway 6. After 34℃ on the previous day, we enjoyed pleasant 14℃. It took us about 50 minutes to walk on the gravel road to the Victoria Ridge trailhead. The trail was overgrown at some places with tall Thimbleberry bushes. We have seen four bear scats but no bears in sight. We hiked for about 10 km till we reached the col. We had blue skies up to the tree line, but when we reached the tree line the smoke started to move in. We could barely see Victoria Peak from the col. Two Ramblers stayed at the col due to smoke and had lunch there. The rest of us continued to the false summit where we stopped for lunch. We decided to turn around due to more smoke moving in. The real summit was about 1.5 km away. On the way back two Ramblers decided to take the ridge walk instead of staying on the main trail. We regrouped at the cars at 4:40 pm

If in better condition (no smoke and a little bit cooler) we would have continued the real summit. We traveled 24 km with the elevation of 1078 m.

On the trail under blue skies.

Tall Thimbleberry bushes.

Still blue skies.

On the trail.

Almost above the tree line.

On the ridge. Smoke is moving in.

The turning point. Victoria Ridge real summit in the distance.

Thank you to Jim, Lenard, Cristina, Jim, Kate, Mei for another great day in the mountains, scribe Teresa.