Haystack Mountain: The Kootenay’s Best Hidden Trail

You’ll be way out in the wild on this trail. Only you, your thoughts, and maybe a few bears. (It’s probably a good idea to hike with some friends actually.)

Haystack Mountain is hidden in the Purcell mountain range. It is to the east of Kootenay Lake, on the boundary of Kianuko Provincial Park. See if you can find it. Go hike the Kootenay’s best hidden trail.

Haystack Mountain Location

The drive is approximately an hour and 45 minutes from Creston, BC. Drive north along Kootenay Lake, and turn right when you get to Sanca Creek Forest Service Rd.

 

This trail starts off easy. Leaving the car, you have to cross several small creeks on log bridges, which may or may not be stable. It’s all part of the fun. Someone is bound to get his or her feet a little wet.

A couple of kilometres in and you’ll reach the provincial park boundary.

In the first 4.5 km you only gain 200m of elevation and the trail is obvious. After 4.5km, you come to the basin of Haystack Mountain. The basin is beautiful, and surrounding you are peaks and small lakes. This is a great place to stop for a rest before the real exploration begins.

Haystack Mountain from the lower lake

The hike gets trickier after this and channelling your inner adventurer is a must.

 

This is where the trail ends.

 

For the rest of the hike you are free climbing up the side of the mountain. It’s a steep ascent to the ridge, but not too difficult. You will have an easier time hiking to the left side going up because there is more grass and less loose rock.

 

The remaining 700m of elevation gain comes from this 2.5km scramble to the ridge.

View from the Ridge of Haystack Mountain

 Reaching the ridge will make the hike worth it no doubt. Views all around of alpine peaks. Few people make this ascent because there is no trail. If you’re one of these dedicated explorers, congratulations.

Our hiking group from the ridge

Hiking to the ridge and back will add up to a 14 km round-trip hike with a 900m-elevation gain. You will reach a max height of 2525m.

 

If you choose to turn around at the basin it is still a solid 9 km hike with a 250m-or-so elevation gain.

 

Now, if you’re an even more hard-core explorer, you can climb to the peak, which is a rocky scramble. The elevation of the peak is around 2690m. Due to time restraints, our group did not summit.

The Summit

Bring friends, lots of food and water, and bear spray. Kianuko Provincial Park exists to protect bear habitats.

 

In total, depending on your turn-around point, you’re looking at a total hiking time of between 5 and 7 hours. If you push to the peak, you’re definitely looking at a good 7 hours.

 

7 hours well spent though.

The view looking East from the ridge

Haystack Mountain is the Kootenay’s best-hidden hike because there is no real trail. If you do this hike, you make your own trail.

 

Are you ready to explore this deep into the Kootenays?