Trail: Wes' trail up Wilson mountain
Trail difficulty: Moderate, un-maintained
Trail length: 5 km. round trip
Directions:
This trail is located in Peachland, up Princeton Avenue, off Hwy 97. Follow Princeton and continue on once the road turns to dirt. Keep right at the fork onto Brenda Mines following the signs for Silver Lake, and 1.5 km past the turnoff for Silver Lake you will find the trail head. Watch out for a yellow sign attached to a tree along the right side of the road.
Description:
The trail to the top of Wilson Mountain is one of my favorite snowshoe trails! Although it doesn't appear to be a heavily used trail, I consider it to be a little hidden gem. This 5 km round trip hike is a small section of the 32 km 'Wilson Lake snowshoe & cross country' trail system. This trail takes you through an enchanting winter wonderland!
We began by winding through the forest following the yellow trail markers. After 10-15 minutes the trail opened up to the powerlines. From here, we went right down the hill approximately 20 m to reconnect with the trail on the left. Once we got back into the trees we started to gain some elevation. The trail soon opened up and the views of the valley became visible. We continued to follow the arrows up, around and to the top.
On a clear day, the views of the rolling mountains and a little slice of the Okanagan Lake are sensational! But, walking amongst the clouds makes it just as rewarding. At the top we also found a cool old hunting shelter. It was a great place to have a little break before the decent back down the trail.
It is important to know that this is an un-patrolled area with little to no cell phone reception. Always be mindful of your surroundings, pack out what you pack in, stick to the trails, and happy exploring!
Born and raised in the Okanagan, Kristy Draginda always had a strong passion for the outdoors. Whether it be hiking to the top of a mountain or standing below a waterfall she says there is no better feeling than being inspired by nature. Follow along as Kristy shares different hiking locations in and around the Okanagan. For more adventure photos check out Hiking the Okanagan on Instagram or Facebook.
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