There is not a lot of information on backcountry travel in this region, so visitors can expect to spend a considerable amount of time route-finding and bushwacking to reach their ultimate destination. Panorama offers excellent skiing, accommodations, and special events for the whole family. Known as one of the most-complete ski-in/ski-out destinations in the region, Panorama sits in the heart of the village and features epic mountain terrain that is always just a few steps away. Lodging is comfortable and easy to come by, and there are plenty of restaurants, shops, and coffee shops to hang out at throughout your stay. Open since 1990, the Purcell Mountain Lodge is a backcountry lodge located on the alpine slopes of Bald Mountain.

BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.

• There are unimproved horse trails in each main valley and routes into many of the side valleys and over passes.
• The highest peak in the Purcell Mountains is Mount Farnham, an 11,460-foot giant that crowns the impressive Farnham Towers.
• Firearms may be carried by persons with a BC hunting licence during an open hunting season.
• We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.
• The resort, which spans the easternmost slope of the Purcell Mountains, houses several iconic lodges that sit just steps from the epic alpine scenery.
• Visitors to the Purcell mountains should be experienced, self-sufficient wilderness travellers capable of interpreting topographical maps and route-finding.

Generally speaking, the more rugged and glaciated peaks sit in the northern reaches of the range. In fact, the highest mountains and glaciers in the range are typically grouped together in compact subgroups like the Jumbo and Commander Groups. Together, these two groups contain the largest concentration of summits over 11,000 feet, including namesake peaks like Commander Mountain and Jumbo Mountain. The Purcell Mountains wilderness so impressed Grey that he wrote to the then Premier of British Columbia, Richard McBride, urging that this magnificent scenic mountain area be set aside as a national park.

Contact Purcell Wilderness Conservancy

There are abundant populations of animals including elk, deer, goats, black and grizzly bears, wolverines, martin, beaver, coyotes, wolves and even the occasional caribou. There are many wildlife viewing opportunities however, be aware that during the summer many animals take refuge at higher elevations. West side trailheads at Hamill Creek and Fry Creek are accessed from Highway 31 by turning west at Meadow Creek and proceeding south along the east side of Kootenay Lake to Argenta or Johnson’s Landing. The Kootenay-Joe Road leads from near Johnson’s Landing to the height of land between the front range and the Conservancy. The Purcell Mountains, which began to rise 170 million years ago, are characterized by U-shaped valleys, spires, rubble-strewn moraines, crystalline lakes, and heavy glaciation. Today, hundreds of active glaciers, like the Conrad Glacier, Toby Glacier, Commander Glacier, and Bugaboo Glacier, still cover the high basins and slopes of the Purcells.

• Although American geographic classifications sometimes consider the Purcell Mountains to be a subrange of the Rocky Mountains, in Canada, the Rockies sit only on the east side of the Rocky Mountain Trench.
• Use extreme caution while crossing these structures and be prepared to cut out the trail.
• With industrial logging development coming to many valleys in the area local people felt a sense of urgency to protect this spectacular area.
• In 1904 the Argenta mining company operated a compressor station about 8 kilometres up from Lardeau on the lower end of Hamill Creek that supplied air to the Argenta Mine on Lavina Ridge above it.
• A cabin built in 1909 for Earl Grey and his family remains in deteriorating condition above the Toby Creek trail about twenty minutes walk from the Toby Creek trailhead.

Panorama Mountain Resort

The resort, which spans the easternmost slope of the Purcell Mountains, houses several iconic lodges that sit just steps from the epic alpine scenery. These lodges include the Glacier Mountaineer Lodge, Palliser ski in/ski out Lodge, and Copper Horse Lodge. There are also plenty of places to grab a bite to eat and kick back after a long day exploring the mountain. Like the other recreation areas in the Purcells, St. Mary’s Alpine Wilderness and Provincial Park is characterized by remote, rugged terrain and requires a high level of backcountry experience. Nevertheless, visitors to this region can hike to several alpine lakes and tarns, tackle rugged granite cliffs, and explore both alpine basins and enduring snowfields.

Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park

Guide-outfitters and residents have accessed the east side of the conservancy with pack trains for many years to hunt a sustainable wildlife population and for sightseeing expeditions. On the west side cultural artifacts from the early mining period are still in place along the lower Hamill Creek and Fry Creek canyon is often visited by local hikers. A cabin built in 1909 for Earl Grey and his family remains in deteriorating condition above the Toby Creek trail about twenty minutes walk from the Toby Creek trailhead. There are winter recreation opportunities for extended backcountry ski touring. Snow machines and aircraft are not allowed as the conservancy is a non-mechanized area.

Purcell Wilderness Conservancy

Anyone hunting in British Columbia must comply with BC hunting regulations. Aside from those previously mentioned, the highest and most noteworthy peaks in the Purcells include Mount Delphine, Mount Hammond, Karnak Mountain, Mount Peter, and Eyebrow Peak.

In 1971 to 1972 Federal Opportunities for Youth (OFY) funds supported the efforts of area people to re-establish the trail. Although most alpine opportunities are remote the rugged back bone of the Purcell’s offers many climbing opportunities. There are refreshing swimming opportunities at this park in alpine lakes and streams. The Purcell Mountains, which extend for nearly 300 miles, is a subrange of the Columbia Mountains that sits within southeastern British Columbia, Canada on the west side of the valley of Kootenay Lake and the Duncan River. Although American geographic classifications sometimes consider the Purcell Mountains to be a subrange of the Rocky Mountains, in Canada, the Rockies sit only on the east side of the Rocky Mountain Trench. The Purcell Conservancy Park preserves a way of life as well as natural values.

In the 1980’s, amendments provided for application of the Park Act and Regulations and in 1995 an expanded Purcell Wilderness Conservancy became a British Columbia class A provincial park. Horseback riding and multi-day pack trips are permitted on the east side as defined by the height of land along the Purcell Mountains. Trails are unimproved, uncut and historical structures such as old bog bridges exist. Use extreme caution while crossing these structures and be prepared to cut out the trail. Firearms may be carried by persons with a BC hunting licence during an open hunting season.

The Purcell Mountains contain many high-altitude summits, most of which reach above or near 10,000 feet in elevation. This subrange also sits beside several other notable subranges like the Selkirk, Monashee, and Cariboo Mountains and encompasses 467 named mountains. In 1970, the historical and recreational values of the Earl Grey Pass Trail were recognized by the community of Argenta which made reopening the trail its project for the 1971 British Columbia Centennial.

This challenging, undeveloped mountain landscape encompasses five biogeoclimatic zones and the only intact ecosystem in southeastern B.C. Additional noteworthy subgroups include the Toby Group and the Findlay Group, both of which are characterized by massive glaciers and remote alpine peaks like Mount Toby, Truce Mountain, Mount Findlay, Mount Morigeau, and Mount Rowand. Locally known as ‘the bugs,’ this incredible collection of craggy, granite spires is world-renowned for its alpine rock climbing and contains Howser Spire, Bugaboo Spire, Pigeon Spire, and Snowpatch Spire. The highest peak in the Purcell Mountains is Mount Farnham, an 11,460-foot giant that crowns the impressive Farnham Towers.

Kootenay National Park

The tallest peaks in the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy area include Mount Toby, Mount Truce, and Mount Findlay. Visitors to the Purcell mountains should be experienced, self-sufficient wilderness travellers capable of interpreting topographical maps and route-finding. The wilderness recreation opportunities include hunting, fishing, hiking, climbing, horseback riding (on the east side of the park only) and wildlife viewing.

Rotas mais populares em nas montanhas Purcell

The Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park is one of the first large scale wilderness areas in Canada to be set aside as a result of local citizen action. This contiguous undisturbed wilderness is critical in maintaining the viability and biodiversity of the largest intact ecosystem in southeastern B.C. The Conservancy, together with the adjacent 9,164 hectare St. Mary’s Alpine Park and 550 hectare Fry Creek Canyon Recreation Area, were preserved for their ecological and recreational values.

The Purcell Wilderness Conservancy, which covers the central region of the southern half of the Purcell https://p1nup.in/ Mountains, protects the massive drainages that stem from the rugged, glaciated backbone of this incredible mountain range. Like other wilderness areas in the Purcells, this region is remote, challenging, and undeveloped. In fact, this area is considered the largest intact ecosystem in southern B.C. However, visitors that are not experienced in backcountry, self-sufficient wilderness travel, can still explore the Purcell Wilderness conservancy area via several guided hiking, wildlife viewing, or hunting excursions. A popular feature of the park is the Dewar Creek Hot Springs, and popular backcountry trails include the Earl Grey Pass Trail, Fry Creek Trail, and Toby Creek to Earl Grey Pass.