HIKING & MOUNTAIN BIKING

It was John Muir who said, “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like falling leaves.”  Whether exploring our routes of wilderness on mountain bike or the soft and steady stride of your own two legs, Callaghan Country’s diverse landscapes is an experience of solitude and deep connection with pristine nature…

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SELF-GUIDED HIKING EXPERIENCES
The Callaghan Country hiking experience offers a virtually untouched mountain environment with breathtaking views in every direction.  The hiking “trails” are in-fact true  wilderness routes, which means that they are flagged, but some route-finding may be necessary and you should expect some primitive sections of trail along the way.

The routes beginning at the lodge basically take you up into the alpine and finish there, once there it is real wilderness alpine hiking where you choose your own direction to anywhere as it is all open to exploring so you can then make the hike as long as you want, especially if you plan to reach a summit. The terrain is typical of coast mountain alpine environments.

The sub alpine terrain in Solitude Valley, immediately surrounding the lodge,  is also considerably open, allowing for extensive exploration of the surrounding area  and therefore allowing you the ability to be out hiking for the length of time of your own choosing.

SIGNATURE ROUTES (See trail map here >>):
Callaghan Lake to lodge 4.5 km one way
This is the primary summer access route to Journeyman Lodge. Callaghan Lake
is accessible by high clearance vehicle during the summer months. The well defined
footpath leads west from the parking area and climbs gently through a
variety of West Coast forest types. The elevation gain is 150 m. Allow two
hours (one way).

Solitude Glacier 5.0 km one way
The hike starts with an easy walk through a series of meadows rising gently
for 2.5 km. From there, a rustic route ascends a steep grade for 150 m,
terminating at the bottom of a large glacial cirque surrounded by ice walls.
Travel up along the moraine (2.5 km) to the toe of the glacier is on loose scree
and is not suitable for novice hikers.

Ring Lake Route 5.0 km one way
This 10 km “out-and-back” hike takes about five hours (round trip) from the
lodge and gains 330 m of elevation. It begins with an easy walk through a
series of meadows. The difficulty level increases and the trail gets more rustic
on the final push to the alpine. The spectacular views of Mt. Callaghan, Ring
Mountain and picturesque Ring Lake make it well worth the effort.

SELF-GUIDED MOUNTAIN BIKING EXPERIENCES

For mountain bikers, the main access route to Journeyman Lodge is over a 9.5 km ride, covering a 570 meter elevation gain, from the Callaghan Country base along the Wild Spirit trail (see trail map). Wild Spirit exits left off of Mainline approx. one half km above the initial base area. The trail climbs immediately for about 1 km and then follows a gently sloping bench northwest for 4km to the bridge crossing at Callaghan Creek (5km post). Immediately after the bridge the trail climbs a series of hills for 2km and then mellows somewhat between sign post 7km and 8km, whereupon it climbs again to the intersection of Upper Wild Spirit and Parkway just past the 9km mark. The final leg is a 2.5 km climb before reaching the final destination at Journeyman Lodge. This trail is a retired forest service road that features some steep sections as it winds its way through the stunning old growth forests of the Callaghan Valley.