Sibbald Flat Trail
Date Walked: 20th July 2013
Distance: 6.9 Miles (11.2 km)
Actual Ascent: 1345 feet (410m)
Time Taken: 3.5 Hours
Sarah had such a good time hiking Seventy Buck Hill last week she was keen to go out and try another one. We had never been to the Sibbald Lake area so headed there to find a suitable trail. On arrival there were a lot of people fishing and kayaking on the lake (which is too small for kayaking really) Everyone was having a great time as the summer sun heated things up well into the 20's before we had even started out.
We identified the Sibbald Flat trail as one that gave us the best options for the day and after a good lathering of bug spray we set off into the shade of the forest.
We identified the Sibbald Flat trail as one that gave us the best options for the day and after a good lathering of bug spray we set off into the shade of the forest.
after a short ascent through the forest we dropped back down into the Moose Pond area where wetlands and wildflowers made a perfect foreground to the distant mountains. The shade was welcome and the narrow trail easy to follow thanks to many feet that had gone before us.
Occasionally the trail breaks out of the forest and drops down into the sun filled meadows where the wildflowers are almost as abundant as the grass itself.
The trail is easy going and follows a valley alongside Moose Pond where we will have an option to continue forward or circle the pond, we leave the decision until we reach the junction.
At the junction Sarah chooses to carry on directly toward Eagle Hill, as we do we pass a couple of groups of people resting along the way. We walk toward Eagle Hill for about 2.5 km but some of the ascents are proving to be enough for Sarah, though she says she is fine I calculate that the overall distance to Eagle Hill and back will be too much (when the ascent is taken into consideration)
I call for a turn back and suggest we return to the pond and follow the circular route, after a little picnic Sarah agrees and we return to the junction 2.5 km behind us.
I call for a turn back and suggest we return to the pond and follow the circular route, after a little picnic Sarah agrees and we return to the junction 2.5 km behind us.
At the junction we head East and in a very short time hit a 210m direct ascent, it's a good grunt in tight trees with hardly room to breathe, the sun was now a pain in the butt as sweat ran from us in rivers. Sarah had taken the rucksack after the picnic and carried it up the slope, though I offered to take it back....she did swear about heat and flies all the way up.
The 210 m grunt is followed by a further 100 m of steady continual climb but we are now out of the trees a little and have views to the East and a lovely breeze coming over the ridge.
As we top the hill we meet another group of hikers who are resting by the viewpoint, we decide to carry on and make the descent down the ridge and back through the forest to a wide meadow where we stride through the wildflowers in a northeasterly direction back toward Sibbald Lake. We are soon looking at the birch forest through which we began our hike.
We pick up another trail that goes around the edge of the forest and back to the car park where we are pleased to dive into the air conditioned cab of the Tundra. The outside temperature was reading 28 degrees and we felt every one of those, Sarah had 'jelly legs' and was pleased we hadn't carried on to Eagle Hill.
This was a nice hike with some tough going at times but still really enjoyable, and talking to people by the lake it seems I may have found a fishing spot.