Pocaterra Ridge Hike

Where:

• Pocaterra Ridge

 

When:

• September 28, 2021

 

Who:

• Ed, Dave, Phil, Erin, Rod, Bauer, Ian

 

Trailhead:

• take Highway 1 west and turn south onto Highway 40
• follow Highway 40 for 67 km to the top of the Highwood Pass
• park in the lot on the right (west) side of the highway
• the trailhead is out of the north end of the parking lot

 

 

Degree of difficulty:

• 650 meters to the top of the ridge
• 8.5 km return
• 3.5 hours total time on the trail
• moderate start for the first few km until you get to the base of Pocaterra Ridge, at which time the steep ascent starts
• the ascent has some loose shale and snow on this day, so it’s best to take your time and ensure you gain proper traction
• for the same reason, you need to be careful on the descent, and poles are a good idea

 

 

Interesting notes:

• this is an excellent larch tree viewing area in the valley below the ridge and on Pocaterra Ridge
• people can hike into the valley to view the larches without having to ascent the grueling climb up to the ridge

• another option is to leave a vehicle at a lower parking lot below the Highwood Pass and do the full ridge from south to north
• Pocaterra Ridge trail provides views of Elk Ridge, Highwood Ridge, Grizzly Ridge, Mount Tyrwhitt, and Mount Rae
• the trail is named after George Pocaterra, who was involved in ranching, trapping, hunting, coal, and general exploration in the Highwood area