Hagwilget Peak Trail is located near the settlement of
New Hazelton, about 70 km West of Smithers (440 km West of Prince
George), via BC Highway 16. The trail is actually signed as Station Creek
Trail, and that's the trail we planned to hike. We did not even know
about the existence of Hagwilget Peak Trail until a sign at the split
3.68 km from the trailhead indicated that this trail was to the
right. We decided to hike to Hagwilget Peak some other day and continued
on Station Creek Trail, but encountered a huge windfall less than a
kilometer later, which looked way too dangerous to cross, so we came
back to the split and hiked the Hagwilget Peak Trail instead.
Station Creek Trail is moderately challenging up to the
split, with several long steep stretches. However, Hagwilget Peak Trail
is often very steep, and has three very large boulder fields, so it is
suitable for experienced and well equipped hikers only.
The views from Hagwilget Peak are quite decent, though no
match to Kitwanga
Mountain Trail we hiked the day before. If you have to choose
which one of these to hike, go to Kitwanga Mountain for sure. And, if
you are planning to hike both of these trails, hike Hagwilget Peak first, in
order to get even better views on the Kitwanga Mountain Hike.
*All trail distances are based on a GPS odometer and
are approximate.
1. Here is a Google Maps location of New Hazelton, BC.
2. We are eastbound on BC Highway 16, entering
New Hazelton. Highway 16 / Highway 37 junction near Kitwanga is 43 km
behind us, and Smithers is about 70 km further east.
Welcome to New Hazelton Sign
3. Turning right from BC Highway 16 East onto Laurier
Street, 1.8 km from the sign seen in the photo above.
BC Highway 16 at Laurier Street New Hazelton BC Canada
4. Now on Laurier Street.
Laurier Street New Hazelton British Columbia
5. Turning left from Laurier Street onto 13th Avenue 300
meters from Highway 16.
Laurier Street at 13th Avenue New Hazelton BC
6. Now on 13th Avenue in New Hazelton, BC.
13th Avenue - New Hazelton - British Columbia - Canada
7. Having spent 200 meters on 13th Avenue, we are making
a right turn onto McBride Street.
13th Avenue at McBride Street New Hazelton BC
8. Now on McBride Street. The road has turned into packed
dirt and gravel. Quite passable all the way to the trailhead.
McBride Street New Hazelton British Columbia Canada
9. Half a kilometer later, stay right at the split
pictured below. You would drive past a BC Hydro facility.
McBride Street New Hazelton BC
10. Drive through a tree-lined stretch 200 meters
later...
New Hazelton BC
11. ...and arrive at the Station Creek trailhead 3.1 km after
the
New Hazelton sign, 1.3 km after turning onto Laurier Street from BC
Highway 16, and 800 meters after turning onto McBride Street
from 13th Avenue. Coordinates:
N 55°14.294’ W 127°34.203’. Elevation: 420 meters. The hike begins past the gate on the left side.
Station Creek Trail and Hagwilget Peak Trail Parking Lot - New Hazelton
BC Canada
12. Now at 40 meters past the gate. Keep left at the
trail sign seen straight ahead.
Station Creek Trail Access Road - New Hazelton British Columbia
13. Station Creek Trail access road at 220 meters past
the gate.
New Hazelton BC - Station Creek Trail Access Road
14. About 800 meters from the parking lot, Station Creek
Trail starts on the left side. Coordinates:
N 55°13.860’ W 127°34.297’. Elevation: 400 meters. There is no sign there.
Station Creek Trailhead
15. Should you miss the trailhead, you wouldn't go too
far, as the access road ends in just over 50 meters.
16-17. It's possibly another Hydro facility at the end of
the turnaround seen above, and it comes with a neat mini-waterfall.
18. We are back at the Station Creek trailhead. Easy
hiking so far. Hagwilget Peak trail split is 3.68 km further
down.
New Hazelton Hiking - Station Creek Trailhead
19. Station Creek Trail begins. At 15 meters here.
Station Creek Trail Hike in New Hazelton BC Area
20. At 130 meters, there is this neat (Station?) creek
crossing.
Creek Crossing - Station Creek Trail - British Columbia Hiking
21. Now at 620 meters of Station Creek Trail.
Pleasant-looking moss is all around.
Hike in British Columbia - Station Creek Trail
22. At the 1.32 km mark, the moss is still here. The
trail turns from easy to moderately difficult (due to steepness) shortly
thereafter.
New Hazelton Trail - Station Creek Trail
23. At 1.78 km from the parking lot, there is this split.
Coordinates:
N 55°13.342’ W 127°34.213’. Elevation: 620 meters. Station Creek Trail continues to the left. And, to the right, is a
100-meter-long fairly challenging spur trail to a small waterfall.
Trail in New Hazelton BC Area - Station Creek Trail
24. Heading towards the waterfall.
Station Creek Trail -Waterfall Spur Trail
25. The easiest way to approach is to head right once you
get to about this spot, as it's less steep down there.
Waterfall Access - Station Creek Trail - New Hazelton BC Canada
26. The small waterfall.
Station Creek Trail Waterfall
27. Station Creek Trail continues. Now at 300 meters
after the waterfall spur trail split.
Station Creek Trail British Columbia Canada
28. At the 1.84 km mark from that split.
Station Creek Trail
29. And here is the main split of the hike, 1.90 km from
the waterfall spur, and 3.68 km from the trailhead (15% average grade). To the left is the continuation of Station Creek
Trail. And, to the right, is the beginning of Hagwilget Peak Trail.
Coordinates:
N 55°12.547’ W 127°34.681’. Elevation: 950 meters.
Station Creek Trail Split with Hagwilget Peak Trail
30. First, we proceeded straight (left), as we did not
even know about Hagwilget Peak Trail, and the goal was to hike Station
Creek Trail. Now at 200 meters after the main split.
Hike in New Hazelton Area - Station Creek Trail
31. At the 650 meter mark after the main split. The trail
is fairly easy, until...
Station Creek Trail in New Hazelton BC Area
32....at 850 meters after the main split Station Creek
Trail is blocked by a huge windfall. Coordinates:
N 55°12.118’ W 127°34.750’. Elevation: 1,050 meters. It appears the bad stretch is, at
least, a hundred meters long and several meters deep.
Station Creek Trail Blocked by Windfall
33. We did not want to risk an injury going through such
a complicated debris field, so returned to the main split and started
hiking Hagwilget Peak Trail.
Hagwilget Peak Trailhead
Our Hagwilget Peak Trail Hike Trip Report
Continues on
Page 2.
ihikebc.com
Trip 272 - Hagwilget Peak Trail Hike
(Near New Hazelton BC)
Page 1 of 2