Evan-Thomas Creek Hike

Where:

• Evan-Thomas Creek

 

When:

• April 6, 2024

 

Who:

• Ed, Craig, Janet, Oak, Rod

 

Trailhead:

• 27 km south on Highway 40
• park in the Evan Thomas Day Use Area (east side of the road)
• the trailhead is on the right-hand side near the end of the parking lot by the washrooms

 

 

Degree of difficulty:

• 250 meters elevation
• 12 km round trip to just past the Green Monster icefall (we had to stop at the Green Monster as the creek had taken away the trail)
• 3.5 hours total time on the trail
• follow Evan-Thomas Creek trail (logging road groomed for skiing) to a junction at 1.6 km
• turn right onto Wedge Connector (logging road, also groomed) and descend to the bridge over Evan-Thomas Creek
• the foot trail leaves the near side of the bridge and heads left up Evan-Thomas Creek
• at 3.1 km, you reach Chantilly Falls, a popular beginner’s climbing route
• farther on at 3.8 km is the super impressive Moonlight (110 m high) and its sidekick Snowline
• at 4.7 km, you reach the mouth of the canyon
• this is the end of the road for a lot of people as from here you ascend and cross a narrow ridge with chains on Rehab Wall as well as descend it using ropes
• after this tricky section, the trail continues up the creek bed with numerous beautiful icefalls until you reach the spectacular Green Monster icefall where you can walk in behind the base of the waterfall
• the hike is very flat and moderate other than the section through the start of the canyon along Rehab Wall
• grippers were a good idea as it was slippery in the canyon

 

 

Interesting notes:

• the rock formations and icefalls on this trail are spectacular
• the trail offers views of Old Baldy Ridge, Mount McDougall, The Wedge, Limestone Mountain, and Mount Kidd
• Evan-Thomas was named in honor of Rear Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas, Royal Navy commander of the 5^th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet during the Battle of Jutland in World War 1