Hike to Gimli Ridge
Features
About this place
Distance: 9.8 km (6 miles) roundtrip. Elevation gain: 765 m (2,500 ft). Duration: 5 hours plus. Beautiful day hike with access to stunning scenery. One of only two alpine hikes in the Valhalla range. Opportunity to camp on an alpine ridge. Great climbing within close range.
The hike to Gimli Ridge is one of only two hikes in the Valhallas that reach up to the alpine area. It provides stunning scenery of the surrounding range, and an intimate experience with the huge monolith that is Gimli Peak.
The trail steadily climbs elevation. From the trailhead, Gimli seems deceptively close, but it will take about 2 hours walking uphill through a beautiful forest to reach the treeline and the real alpine views you came for.
From the treeline, the trail keeps ascending to a shoulder in the ridge which provides a good view of the alpine surroundings. A small campsite is here with a food cache and eco-loo available for campers.
Looking towards Gimli, a small saddle is visible to the west, Gimli Ridge. A small track cuts along the base of the mountain, leading to this saddle. The views north into Mulvey Basin and Asgard Peak are worth the scramble, which should take about 45 minutes to complete. This is the end of the trail - make sure not to walk to close to the edge!
This area is bear and mountain goat habitat, so keep your eyes open, and enjoy the feeling of being out in the wild!
Getting there: The access road up to Gimli is difficult - 4WD and some clearance is recommended. To access the trailhead, turn off Little Slocan FSR 13.2 km (8.2 miles) west from Slocan onto Bannock Burn Rd. Follow the 'Valhalla' signs up this steep, rocky access road for about 13 km (8 miles) and to an elevation of 1,700 m (5,577 ft), where the trailhead starts.