McKirdy Cabin & Meadows Hike

McKirdy Cabin, Meadows & Ridge (#5 on hiking map)

1. Difficulty: Medium –Hard
2. Warnings: No official warnings. Check social media feeds below for current trail status updates.
3. Wheelchair accessible: No
4. High-clearance 4×4 advised to access trailhead? no
5. Best seasons: summer, fall, winter (ski/snowshoe)
6. Distance (one-way to cabin): New trail: 6 km/3.7 mi (old trail 4 km/2.5 mi)
7. Approx. time: 5-6 hrs return (cabin)
8. Elevation gain (cabin): 500 m/1640 ft
9. Steepest grade: 20+%
10. Viewpoints: Stunning views of Kinbasket lake (at the bench half-way up), and once in the alpine great views of Canoe Valley, Mt. Robson, and the Premier Range
11. Geocache points: Yes
12. Closest bathroom/outhouse: Outhouse at the cabin
13. Cell service? Signal in most areas (not all service providers cover the Robson Valley!).
14. Gear to bring: Bring hiking poles (for downhill),  mosquito spray and on a hot day bring 1.5 L water/per person as there is no water until you get to the creek at the cabin
15. How to access/where to park: You can access this trail from the top of 5-Mile Road (this road appears on Google Earth but not on Google Maps). When dry, this road is usually fine for all types of vehicles, though the way down can sometimes be hard on automatic breaks. The maximum grade of this road is approx. 15%.
16. Best Parts: Incredible views and a relatively short hike to the alpine due to the higher access road. Also the option of staying overnight.
17. Worst Parts: Watch for falling trees. Watch out: bears are sometimes spotted along this trail during spring and summer. Be sure to make lots of noise so you don’t surprise them and they have time to leave to avoid an encounter. The mosquitoes are very bad starting as early as mid-May and continuing until mid-summer. Bring DEET and a netshirt/pants and avoid hiking at dusk.
18. Cabin Details: Cabin sleeps 4 comfortably  but can accommodate up to 6 people as there are 6 foamies available. There is also pots, pans, dishes and wash basins. A cooking stove is provided but you must bring your own propane (green canister available at most grocery and hardware stores) . Wood stove available and wood supply is outside of the cabin. There is access to water at a small creek on the east side of the cabin (boil or filter drinking water).
19. BC Sites and Trails map

Trail Description:

For those looking to get into the alpine, the McKirdy Meadows Trail is a great choice! With a relatively high elevation trailhead of 1,500 metres, an improved access road and the recent addition of switchbacks to avoid the extremely steep sections, this trail has become a local favourite that you won’t want to miss. The 6km trail to the alpine goes through a mixed forest which has some nice view points along the way. When you arrive at the subalpine watch for directional signage which indicates the direction to the McKirdy Meadows and the YORA Cabin (note: the creek by the cabin is the only water source along this trail). From this point, the main trail continues across the meadow to another junction where one has four options: 1. Backtrack the way you came which is the shortest option. 2. Take the left fork which swings by the cabin and then back to the main trail junction. 3. Continue up to a nice ridge walk which leads to a lovely viewpoint with a great view of Mt Robson and also swings by the cabin and back to the main trail junction. 4. Take the right fork which drops down to the col where you have the option of continuing up to Carson’s Peak (the sub peak of Mt McKirdy) which is a steady climb with an elevation gain of 450 metres from the col. For those with some mountaineering/route finding experience the Mt McKirdy summit is a very rewarding option with amazing views in all directions (note: if attempting the summit please watch for unstable/loose rocks on the final approach to the summit). The cabin can be booked by calling 566-8244.

See full screen map

Elevation change profile (metres and km). Click to expand.

(This profile includes the meadows only)

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