Swift Mountain (Summit)

Swift Mountain (Summit) (#7 on hiking map)

1. Difficulty: 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? Required
5. Best seasons: Late June to mid-September
6. Distance: 6.1 km/3.8 mi one-way
7. Approx. time: 6–8 hrs return (accessing the trailhead will take approx. 30–45 mins)
8. Elevation gain: 800 m/2600 ft
9. Steepest grade: 35+%
10. Viewpoints:  Panoramic views of the Cariboo, Monashee and Rockies Mountains,  Kinbasket Lake and Valemount.
11. Geocache points: Unknown
12. Closest bathroom/outhouse: Valemount Visitor Centre
13. Cell service? Not comprehensive, but in spots.
14. Gear to bring: Bring at least 2.5 L water per person, lunch, snacks and mosquito spray
15. How to access/where to park: From the Valemount Visitor Centre, head north on Hwy 5. Take the first right turn onto Loseth Road (Irvin’s RV turn-off). Follow the road as it veers to the left, then take the first right across the train tracks. Follow this road 11.5 km until you see the trailhead and parking sign. At forks watch for yellow and orange flagging tape.  Click here to see a map of the access route (road does not appear on Google Maps)
16. Best Parts: Fabulous views of the valley, the Village, Kinbasket Lake and surrounding mountain peaks.
17. Worst Parts: The road after 8 km is in rough shape and a  4 x 4 is required. There are some very steep sections that require climbing over big rocks and it’s hard to grip unless you’re wearing good hiking shoes. Hiking poles are recommended for the ridge walk and the steep descent. The mosquitoes are very bad during the summertime – mosquito spray, long sleeves/pants and/or a net shirt/hat are a must!

Trail Description:

Swift Mountain is one of the most accessible peaks in the Valemount area. This is partly due to the high access road. You can drive up a rough forestry road (in a high-clearance 4 x 4 vehicle) to a point just below the sub-alpine and walk up a fireguard road. The road eventually disappears and then you’ll have to follow the ribbons marking the route. The trail is quite direct to the summit and it’s steep. Once you’re in the alpine, you’ll get fabulous views of the valley, the Village, Kinbasket Lake and surrounding mountain peaks. The top contains some interesting rock formations and a ridge walk. The mosquitoes are very bad during early summertime.

See full screen map

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

What are people saying about this trail? Use the #swiftmtn hashtag on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo, Flickr, Youtube, Google Plus and Tumblr) and see them appear below (will take a few minutes). Older posts may not be visible.

Tweet #swiftmtn