Does anyone have advice on this? We've managed to get a ride on both ends, so that's not an issue. The beginning of our hike will be midweek and the end on the weekend, so it may make sense to do the busier Lytton side first. Anyone know how much elevation we'd be gaining going in that direction? Any other factors to consider? Thanks very much.

Personally - I'd start on Blowdown side. Get alpine first and save the potentially very hot slog through the valley back to Lytton trailhead. I don't think the trail is busy during summer months to be honest - everyone hikes it in spring and fall to avoid the heat. I've hiked the lower valley many times and I have never considered going once in the height of summer. Consider bagging some of the peaks near Blowdown pass entrance.

On another note - the hike up from Cottonwood towards the pass is pretty steep from what I've heard. You'd save this starting from Blowdown of course. Having said that - some people prefer steep up vs. steep down.

would anyone know the condition of the Blowdown road, as far up as the border with the park?

We did it W to E back in 2008, taking a full 7 days (5 full days hiking + 1 at each end). Blowdown to Cottonwood Junction was straightforward, with only a few downed trees to deal with. We had it bad (everyone say, awww) on the stretch between Cottonwood Junction and Cottonwood Creek with downed trees every 100 m or so (on average) for 8 km, many of which required scrambling over/under or bushwhacking around. I believe that section was cleared a year or two later, but I don't know how badly it was affected by the fires of a couple of years ago.

Once down in the valley it was easy going, though we were slow having expended so much energy through the downed trees. We camped at Blowdown Lake, Cottonwood Junction, Cottonwood Creek, Ponderosa Shelter (the metal food bin is a half-km walk from there), Suspension Bridge and Devil's Staircase. The rough camping near the Silver Queen Mine turnoff mentioned in Gordon White's book was a no-go for us: lots of evidence of bear activity and many rodent burrows. Not appealing.

Direction makes no difference until Cottonwood Creek camp. The toughest stretch elevation-wise is really between Cottonwood Creek and Cottonwood Junction campgrounds. It would be a bit of a slog to get up over Unnecessary Knob, but after that I think it's not too steep - a few ups and downs, the worse being the climb out of Cattle Valley creek. It's only about 600 m elevation difference between the two campgrounds. It's another 1000 m up to Blowdown Pass from Cottonwood Junction, but it's a mellow gradient if I remember rightly and follows an old road for half of the distance.

My biggest complaint with going W to E is that you're really in the alpine for a short time: the route descends gradually from Blowdown Pass but essentially you spend less than a day above the treeline. At the time we didn't mind too much because we started on that infamous weekend of terrible weather at the end of August 2008 (it was snowing when we set off) and it was nice to warm up and dry out as we descended.

Feel free to check out our photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mkanda...7608157916158/

I think E to W could work quite well, if you don't mind the climb. That way you do the easy valley hiking with your packs at their heaviest, spend a couple of hard days hauling yourselves up to Blowdown Pass, camp at Blowdown Lake and tackle Gott and/or Gotcha Peaks for trophy views before descending to the trailhead. But it is undoubtedly mellower to go W to E.

I was up at Blowdown Pass a couple of days ago - the FSR is still 2wd but may require modest clearance and a bit of skill to get through the water bars, of which there are now quite a few in the first couple of km. I got a bit over-confident and even clonked the underside of our CR-V a couple of times... Oops.

The real 4wd-HC stretch looks pretty much the same as ever: a couple of real nasty bits, but otherwise intact. The sandy slope that looks like it's going to wash out real soon looks the same as it did the last time I was there in 2010. Some of the boulders preventing access to the pass and beyond have been moved out of the way and there's now enough room for a vehicle to get around them. There's one little patch of snow that was enough to stall one half of a pair of dirt bikers, so they stopped there. I wondered if they'd continue into the park if they made it through that snow but we'll never know...

Definitely Blowdown to Lytton.

I did a recce this spring (with an eye towards eventually running it - can't recommend that option at present). I started from Lytton... after Un-necessary Knob the <s>trail</s> route is difficult to follow: very little in the way of discernable trail tread, and any (south facing) markers were either burnt by the forest fire or are completely faded by the sun. You may see sporadic faded flagging if you're lucky.

That said, on the return trip, the way was easier to find because a) some markers visible on the north sides, b) better sight lines looking downslope c) I'd already travelled it

Of course, the other bonus is that you're heading mostly downhill if eastbound.

The valley is getting quite overgrown in sections. It badly needs a trail crew to brush it out.

very helpful info. Haven't been there since last Fall when I took my jeep to the top. Sounds like road condition is pretty much the same. Has the 4X4 section gotten any brushier?

Hey, thanks very much for these detailed responses. Seriously useful - you guys are great.

Was on the hot side a couple of weeks ago and the TICKS were insane. Check yourself everyday.

Until we get rid of 'Krispy the Kow' all of our provincial parks will suffer along with their boundaries being changed on a whim. Krispy pays her stooges more than the tiny budget all of BC PARKS receives.

I second that - I was in lower valley twice this spring and had several of the buggers on clothes, gear etc. Thankfully none attached. Bad year for the little bastards.

Not significantly - the first stretch has been trimmed back, but that could have been last year. After that the alder is encroaching in a few spots but I don't think it'll do more than tickle the paintwork.

Damn, I didn't even think about possibility of ticks on the Stein, a few friends and I leave in 3 weeks to attempt the traverse starting at Lizzie lake heading to Lytton. Time to do some research, thanks guys.

Just wondering if you were in the Stein lately? I am planning to head out on Sunday and hike along the Stein River Trail. We are planning on camping at Christina Falls. I see there are 3 fires burning to the south in Mehatl Creek Prov. Park and one east of Lytton. I can't see any updates on fire or parks website since 23-July. If anyone has more updated information about the fires and the air quality, I'd greatly appreciate it. It'll be my 5 year old daughter's first backpacking trip
Failing a response my contingency plan is Skagit River Trail...but that's soooo lame compared to Stein!

The Environment Canada webcams at Lytton are looking pretty clear.

Hello Martin! Thank you so much! I did manage to get in touch with Ranger Mike and he has assured me that the large fire to the east is 65% contained now and that the southern fires are about 60km away and shouldn't be an issue. Thanks for responding with those webcam pics! Super stoked to be able to get to the Stein this weekend!

I just returned from heading E to W and it took my friends and I 8 days. The valley is very over grown. We may have opened the trail a bit but we were off track so many times