Alder Flats, Golden Ears Park - Sat June 3, 2023

A group of 9 drove up to Golden Ears Park on Saturday, June 3rd. Some members were lucky enough to see a mama bear and eventually her 3 cubs from the safety of the car. At 8:30 a.m., we managed to get parking spots on the road. 

The group decided to use the West Canyon trail towards Alder Flats. The trail kept its name for the first part, and then began a series of inclines and declines. After about 5 km, we stopped off for lunch, most of us finding cool, shady spots where we could enjoy the beautiful views of the mountain range. The mountains felt close enough for us to touch. 

We then headed back down, grateful for our poles and declined on the East Canyon trail. We took short breaks at the bridge over Gold Creek, watching some brave swimmers enjoy the fresh water. After crossing the bridge, we took a short detour to Hiker's Beach where we were rewarded with more breathtaking views. 

As it was getting time to head back to the car, we turned back on the East Canyon trail towards our parking spot, but in the midst of various conversations, we missed the turn off and ended up adding an extra km to arrive at the very busy main parking lot. After some route finding, we arrived back at our car, having logged approximately 15 km and approximately 600 m gain/descent. 

It was a great day, and met Isabeau's criteria of the hike being longer than the commute! 

Exquisite trail with a view. Image by Terri

Crystal clear water! Image by Terri

Image by Terri.

So the bears can also understand… Image by Terri.