Long Hill
The road to the Trophy Mountains clears up by the end of May, but the hike to the meadows is not worthwhile until later in June. As the snow melts, the first wildflowers emerge. By early July, the trails can be hiked right up to Plateau of the Tarns. South-facing slopes also clear early and hikers can go to the top of some of the Trophy Peaks. The westernmost part of the Range is Long Hill and the exposed south-facing peak makes a good destination for an early-season summit.
Follow the main trail through the meadows and up the side of Little Hill to Plateau of the Tarns. Continue toward the large cirque below Trophy 2. A cairned route leads off west up the steep slopes of Long Hill. Sometimes the route is hard to spot or crosses snowslopes, but we just continue to aim for the lowest spot on the west ridge finding the "path of least resistance" up the slopes. This is the easiest and most-forgiving of all the Trophy Summits, but the top is also a nice spot for lunch, offering wide views in each direction.
An early season hike misses the main fourish of wildflowers in the meadows (about August 1st), but the patches of snow in the gullies, the running streams, and the quiet has its own special quality.
In the distance, Table and Battle Mountain are directly north, and beyond them, the glaciated peaks of northern Wells Gray.
The top of Long Hill is the destination, but all of the Trophy Mountain Trail has muich to offer. We enjoy the meadows at any time of the year.
On the way down the mountain, the north side of Raft Mountain invites us for another hike on another day.
We have hiked Trophy Mountain every year for 35 years and in some years, we go somewhere in the ranges 2-3 times. This is one we will continue to do for as long as our legs will keep going.
More detailed information on the Trophies can be found at some of these links: