Scaling New Heights
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada.
Posts: 51
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Downton July 8/9 2017
Some discussion about the area so I thought I would post a quick note on road conditions and attach a few photos. I was up on Sat & Sun and enjoyed both branches of the road.
The last 4km of the left branch will have alder scraping the vehicle but I came away fairly unscathed. The right branch towards Holly Lake is not bad. I would recommend a vehicle with clearance and note that a BMW only made it a few Kms from the trailhead just before a small washout. (Small washout for a jeep anyway
)
You'll experience a bit of side swiping branches but overall no worse than previous years up to the junction. And as I said the left road needs some clearing so be warned. Didn't see anyone up the left road on Sunday and the trail looked as though no one has been up recently.
The last 4km of the left branch will have alder scraping the vehicle but I came away fairly unscathed. The right branch towards Holly Lake is not bad. I would recommend a vehicle with clearance and note that a BMW only made it a few Kms from the trailhead just before a small washout. (Small washout for a jeep anyway
)You'll experience a bit of side swiping branches but overall no worse than previous years up to the junction. And as I said the left road needs some clearing so be warned. Didn't see anyone up the left road on Sunday and the trail looked as though no one has been up recently.
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Hittin' the Trails
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 5
Great pics! Which part of Downton did you go to?
Scaling New Heights
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada.
Posts: 51
I ended up taking both branches of the Downton FSR from the junction where there is an arrow marked "Trail" to the left and the road up to the right.
Saturday I took the right road up to the main parking area and then took the flagged trail (right across from the parking) up past Holly Lake and returned by the same path to the road. You can also go to the very end of this road where there should be a flagged trail. I think I recall from previous years that there was a red X just to the right of where sometimes people camp and the flagged trail will take you up into the trees and then over a boulder field with cairns, then back into the trees, and then another boulder field up to the headwall where there are many small lakes.
On Sunday I took the left branch to the adjacent valley to the parking area at a small clear pond. You can park here but I recommend driving another .5k up the road to the end where you will see a flagged trail. This is exactly at pic #5 off to the right. The trail goes up a very nasty cutblock and I tried to clear a path with my machete so easier to find for the next group. It look like no one's been up there in awhile. The trail opens up in the trees and then suddenly you are up on the alpine. Views are amazing and Heather and flowers awesome right now at all areas - so it's a good time to go.
If someone doesn't clear alder on the left branch this year it's going to be awfully tough to get up there in years to come.
Saturday I took the right road up to the main parking area and then took the flagged trail (right across from the parking) up past Holly Lake and returned by the same path to the road. You can also go to the very end of this road where there should be a flagged trail. I think I recall from previous years that there was a red X just to the right of where sometimes people camp and the flagged trail will take you up into the trees and then over a boulder field with cairns, then back into the trees, and then another boulder field up to the headwall where there are many small lakes.
On Sunday I took the left branch to the adjacent valley to the parking area at a small clear pond. You can park here but I recommend driving another .5k up the road to the end where you will see a flagged trail. This is exactly at pic #5 off to the right. The trail goes up a very nasty cutblock and I tried to clear a path with my machete so easier to find for the next group. It look like no one's been up there in awhile. The trail opens up in the trees and then suddenly you are up on the alpine. Views are amazing and Heather and flowers awesome right now at all areas - so it's a good time to go.
If someone doesn't clear alder on the left branch this year it's going to be awfully tough to get up there in years to come.
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