Go Here: Backcountry Between Babine Mountains Provincial Park & Blunt Mountain Range
While this backcountry region is not designated as an official recreation area or a park, it offers great winter recreational opportunities for those who are prepared. Snowshoe or ski the backcountry meadows or shape some perfect powder turns on the nearby ridges to the east.
The ridges offer outstanding panoramic vistas of surrounding mountain ranges and are well worth your effort. Views to the northwest include Blunt and Seaton Mountain Ranges while to the west Hudson Bay Mountain, in Smithers, and the Roucher Deboule Range stand proud. Goat and Natlzul Mountains to the north and Mount Cronin to the West in the Babine Range complete the panorama.
Whether for day-use, or as overnight shelter, the Harold Price Cabin (pictured) is a welcome reprieve. If your plans include a more adventurous trip to places like Silver King Basin, in Babine Mountains Provincial Park, this cabin makes for a great take-off point.
Cabin: Built and maintained by the Bulkley Valley Cross Country Ski Club with authority from the BC Forest Services in 1988, the Harold Price Cabin, which is located in between Babine Mountains Provincial Park and the Blunt Rage, is available for public use. The cabin includes a sleeping loft that can accommodate six to eight adults. (In a pinch, it can house up to 11 people.) Basic amenities include a wood stove, fire wood, axes and a splitting maul. You should expect to find a few dishes and utensils as well as pots and foam mattresses. There is an emergency toboggan, fire extinguisher and shovel. Guests are expected to clean the cabin before they leave. Normally, you can find a kerosene lantern and kerosene, a white gas lantern and gas plus candles and matches. Bring your own just in case.
User fees of $5 per person/per night are payable in advance at McBikes in Smithers (1191 Main Street). Reservations are required. Call Pat Becker (Lady Patricia) at 250.847.5401 or 250.876.8943 or email at [email protected] to reserve.
Getting There: From Smithers, plan for approximately one hour of driving. Drive southeast on Yellowhead Hwy E, turn left onto Old Babine Lake Road, then left onto Telkwa High Road (approximately 20 minutes). Drive approximately 30 more minutes on Telkwa High Road to access your chosen logging road route. Please note that parking is limited to slight pullovers on these roads. Carpooling is strongly advised.
The trip from the trailhead can be made in two to three hours on skis; however, access to the trailheads in winter can add a significant amount of time since plowing is rare on the two main options. Off of the Telkwa High Road, Meed Creek Road (Road 9000), with the trailhead at KM 10.5, is your first option. Motorized vehicles are not allowed beyond this trailhead. Alternative access can be found at KM 14 on the Meadow Creek Road (Road 8000). Sometimes plowing here may get you to either KM 3 or 5. Otherwise, plan to ski the entire way or use a snowmobile to get to the KM 14 trailhead. You may want to consider accessing the trailheads via snowmobile.
Resources: bvnordic.ca
