|
Mt Wells
Park: Mt Wells Regional Park
2.0 km one way.
Terrain: Intermediate
|
Elevations (in meters) |
|---|
| Start | End | Minimum | Maximum | Gain |
|---|
| 116 | 352 | 116 | 352 | 236 |
|
|
Mt Wells Trailhead: Take highway #1 west from Victoria, turn left on Sooke Lake Road (just before entering Goldstream Provincial Park). Dirve to Humpback Road, turn left and follow Humpback Road to the parking area (there is one T junction at which you go right).
(A $0 parking fee is charged.)
Facilities available at the trailhead include:
Uses
| Dayhike | Moderate day hike . | 1 hour one way. | Suitable all year. |
|---|
Description
Despite it's relatively short length this trail is rated as moderate due to the nature of the footbed near the summit. The footbed is a mixture of rock and gravel and can be very slick in wet conditions.
The trail begins by climbing steeply for a short distance. It then levels out and continues to a staircase that crosses the old pipeline that used to serve as Victoria's water supply. The trail continues level and then drops a little to a crossing of Humpback Road (use caution when crossing). On the other side of the road there is another staircase over the pipeline. From here the trail climbs more steeply. The footbed is relatively good in this section, mostly dirt with some roots. The trail drops briefly into a small valley with some cedar before climbing steeply. Part way up this climb a side trail joins in (this leads to private property). Continue on the main trail. There is a section where there has been a minor land slip which requires a little cautioon to climb (and more on the descent). Soon the trail leaves the forest and continues to climb. There is a point here where the trial appears to head straight on but almost immediately disappears, the trial actually takes a 90 degree turn here and continues up the slope. Watch for blue markers from here on to guide you along the trail. A little more effort brings you to a viewpoint with views to the west, north, east and south east. The view to the south is blocked by trees and the actual summit.
Continuing on to the summit you drop into another valley, losing perhaps 20-25 meters of elveation before climbing again to the summit. There are some rocky sections of trail here that can be extremely slick in wet weather. From the summit the views to the west and south are grand and it is delightful to linger here for awhile.
Features
This trail features animals (Black tailed deer, Red squirrel), birds (Dark eyed junco, Raven, Ruffed grouse, Turkey vulture), flowers (Blue camas, Broad-leaved shooting star and Satinflower), forests (Arbutuus, Douglas fir, Grand fir and Hairy manzanita), lizards (Northern alligator lizard), meadows and views.
Last hiked:August 19, 2007
View trail condition reports for this trail.