Elk River Trail/Colonel Foster Conditions

[Bigtree]

Here's an update on Elk River Trail (Vancouver Island).

 

Left car at ~ noon April 4, 2006 (snow in parking lot). Planned camp was Landslide or Foster Lake and possible climb of Colonel Foster via S. Col route the next day. Had to mount snowshoes at about 1 mi mark. Snow conditions became deep at about 5 mi mark (> 4 ft in open and ~ 2-3 ft under cover), very saturated (re: heavy slogging) and avi prone (had to cross 3 fresh slides that had crossed the trail and made it down to the river's edge) just prior to 2nd campsite on the flats. Determined that conditions were too tough and risky to proceed further so turned around at 6.5 mi and was back at the car by 8 pm.

 

Note that I was in the valley the first week of March last year and made it Foster Lake with ease in ~ 5 1/2 hrs, only encountering continuous snow on the trail adjacent Landslide Lake. So I'd say its a heavy, albeit more normal than last, snow year.

 

Wasn't really paying much attention to Elk Mt. but heard lots of action up there on my way out in the early evening.

 

I've posted a map and a couple of pics at the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigtree/.

 

Cheers.

[Stemalot]

love that mountain, but hate that trail