Map courtesy of the Hope Mountain Centre & Clark Geomatics
The Olivine Trail is part of the historic Hudson’s Bay Company Trail and is one of three possible routes used in the 1800’s to bring the laden pack strings from the final camp on the trail, Lodestone Lake, into Tulameen. This trail used to be maintained by the Vermillion Forks chapter of BCHBC but they sadly folded due to a lack of members. Since then, locals, Aldergrove chapter and other trail user groups have made the trek to clear and brush the trail.
This is a beautiful section of trail beginning on the north slope of the HBC trail coming down Olivine Mountain, and winding down to the Tulameen River, where in days of old there was a Hudson Bay Company Store. This marked the end of an arduous mountain journey from Hope (Peers Creek) to Tulameen, with heavily loaded pack animals. The trail tread can still be seen in places, as well as rock enforced hand-built supporting walls.
A new route is built to get the quads through
On a Friday in June last year about a dozen of us camped at Black Powder camp to swap stories and make plans for the next morning. As usual for clearing this trail, we Backcountry Horsemen brought an assortment of quads, side X sides, chainsaws, hand saws, and brush cutters. Horses are an option but the vehicles cover more ground and faster! The Hope Mountain folks are avid hikers and that’s what they did.
We split into about 3 or 4 groups the next morning and our gang headed down the trail clearing as we went. When we reached Olivine (previously Slate) Creek a massive washout stopped us in our tracks. Because of the atmospheric river and subsequent flooding in 2021 the old trail was completely gone and getting the quads through to get to the Tulameen River and the end of the trail, was impossible.
Sort of. Never say never to the intrepid spirit of trail users who want to get through!!!
After a great deal of head scratching and scouting around, we figured we could detour the ATV’s safely through another spot upstream and drop back into the now dry river bed with a bit of creative log placement. That left us with merely a 5-6′ bank to get the machines up.
Success!
It took some sweat, but we built another ramp and a couple of hours later we were on our way again headed towards the Tulameen River! But not for long. Once again, we were foiled. This time by an enormous boulder we could not budge. We did some clearing without the quads and vowed to come back and finish what we started someday.
End of the trail!
In August, with money donated by BCHBC, the Hope Mountain Centre returned with volunteers and contractors and were able to open the trail! The ramp we built to get the quads through had worked, but it sure wasn’t horse safe. A detour was built and from the Tulameen River, to Lodestone Lake the trail is open and ready for horse traffic!
Unless it isn’t.
We’ll be heading back up again in June to see what winter did this year. We’ll brush and clear, or whatever needs doing. Trail maintenance is one of the many important things BCHBC is all about. If you’d like to join us, or have questions about the trail please go to site15.fullcircledev.ca/ and contact Aldergrove Chapter! We’d love to see you!
Submitted by Sheila Sowerby- Aldergrove Chapter
BCHBC is privileged to have Saddle Up Magazine as ‘the official voice’ of our province-wide organization. We value this partnership and encourage you to check out Saddle Up magazine online and consider supporting this BC-based publication by purchasing a subscription. You may also pick up printed copies of Saddle Up in 156 cities/towns with 340 outlets, mainly in BC and Alberta, as well as other parts of Canada and the US. It’s free!
Read the May Saddle Up online, including the BCHBC story. Or enjoy our feature story right here.
