The chain of mountains to the south of Smithers dominates the skyline.    Hudson Bay Mountain looms above the town.    A gravel road winds up the flank to cross country and alpine ski trails.   The road ends at a small village and the ski runs come down off the ridge in two directions, but the summit of the mountain is not serviced by lifts.   It sits high above the ski runs.   On a summer day, we hiked up to the peak and fell in love with the mountain.

From the village, take the Crater Lake trail which follows a double track up a ski run.   Watch for the junction to a single track which heads across the meadows.    A wildflower display through the lower meadows thinned out to alpine conditions on the  the way to Crater Lake.

Crater Lake is a destination in itself.  Bring your camera:

The trail climbs above the lake and becomes steep, working its way up rocky slopes towards the south summit. Snow drifts lingered on, even in August.

The last part of the South Peak is a scramble with a tricky route around a rocky horn. Cornices, loose rock, and cliffs line every side so care must be taken. From this point the other rugged peaks of the range are seen, but would be best tackled from other approaches with climbing equipment. Hudson Bay Glacier sits below in a north-facing cirque.

On the return trip down the mountain, the meadows await.    All parts of this hike are rewarding and scenic.   This is one of the top hikes in the province, one we will return to again.

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