Pinder Peak

Wide angle view entering the forest from the approach spur. The lower slopes of Pinder above on the left.

    
Refer to the wide-angle photo above. Ahead of you is a creek bed exiting the forest. This creek flows out of the basin below and between Pinder and its satellite “The Horn” and is roughly the route that will be followed. First, though, cross the logging slash at the end of the road to the old growth beyond using animal trails. The easiest course (and the game does know best) leads slightly east of the ideal northeast direction and puts you in the forest at a slightly lower point than the creek exit in 15-20 minutes from the road end.

Once in the old growth, trend northwest back towards the creek and then upwards following the course of the creek but not in the creek bed itself. Stay on the true left (climber's right) side. Bush here is moderately thick in places but, if you’ve chosen well, with one passage through open forest with clear going. You may encounter one or more of the half dozen orange flags we placed in this phase of the route.

After 1-1.5 hours of steady climbing in a northeasterly direction, you will emerge from the trees at the bottom of the steep ravine made by the creek on its journey down the mountain side. 

Climb the gully first up the middle for 20 metres or so and then traverse to climber’s right to find a sub-gully that takes you up under the right hand wall of the main gully. Go all the way to the top of this feature until it peters out into more bush and “krumholtz”.

Prepare for some serious bush at this point as you fight your way up towards the alpine. Keep the same northeasterly course and try to be patient. It’s going to take an hour or so until you finally find a way through and step out onto a boulder field that leads to the small southwest facing bowl under Pinder and the Horn. There is generally snow available here to top up water bottles.

From the bottom of the bowl climb scree and heather slopes to the northwest aiming for a saddle to the left of the main summit. Both the gully and the face to its left “go” at Class 3 but with some loose rock in the gully.

The route to the summit. Taken from just below the bowl below the Pinder/Horn saddle. Click at left for details.

   
Once in the saddle turn right (NE) and walk over the sub-summit ahead and up to the main summit from there. It’s about 20-30 minutes from the bottom of the bowl to the summit.

Alternately, climb up beyond the bowl and right into the saddle between Pinder and the Horn. Turn left and approach Pinder’s steep SE ridge up a heather ramp. I’m told that this ridge can be climbed “with no technical difficulty”. But take this with a pinch of salt and decide yourself. If you decide that this is not for you, traverse down and left (SW) and intersect the route above at any convenient point.

Once on the summit enjoy the 360° views of the north Island as far in all directions as the atmospheric conditions of the moment allow. As impressive as the mountain vistas are, perhaps the most impressive aspect of the views offered from the summit of Pinder is the ability to see right across the Island from the east coast (and the mountains on the mainland beyond) to the open Pacific in the west.

Descend by retracing the upward route. Beware of straying too far to skier’s right when descending below the bowl i.e. in the direction of the ravine formed by the creek. This way lie hidden bluffs, thick vertical bush and, of course, the ravine itself. I speak from experience!

Red tape

Absolutely none.

There’s nothing resembling a trailhead and an intentions system simply doesn’t exist in this neck of the woods. Make sure, therefore, that you have left a detailed trip plan with someone responsible. The RCMP and the appropriate SAR agency will respond in an emergency but it is up to you to have the mechanism in place that will initiate the call-out process if it becomes necessary.

Camping

At the top of the approach spur road in the comfort of your vehicle or anywhere you care to pitch your tent. Fires are nominally prohibited and you should pack a stove. However, this is at your discretion. There’s not going to be anyone around to enforce any rules.

Bear and cougar frequent the mountains and forests of Vancouver Island. Big animal scat and tracks are everywhere you look in this area. Proper back country methods – hanging food bags out of reach, cleaning up all cooking scraps, good toilet practice etc – are absolutely essential. Giardia is well documented throughout the Island, so boil or treat all water.

Weather

Nearest point current conditions and forecast.

West


East

Additional Information

The map for this trip is the government 1:50 000 topographical map sheet 92L/, “Port Hardy”. Advance copies can be ordered on-line at the BC Government open-maps site. Copies are usually readily available in good bookstores and outdoor stores throughout the Island.

Suggested Reading

Island Alpine – A Guide to The Mountains of Strathcona Park and Vancouver Island, Philip Stone, Wild Isle Publications, 2003, ISBN 0-9680766-5-3 and/or visit Island Alpine Climbing Guide

Hiking Trails III is a general guide to the mountains and forests of northern Vancouver Island.

Both these accepted publications describe access to and the route up Pinder Peak via “Apollo Road”. By all means read what they have to say but be alert to missing or erroneous information. For instance, "Island Alpine" shows the correct route to the summit but describes it as the “SE Ridge” when the feature is clearly southwest facing. Use all the information at your disposal not just one source.

An excellent guide to the back roads of Vancouver Island is Backroad Mapbook. Volume III: Vancouver Island

Summit Panorama

The view from the summit of Pinder Peak roughly from the northeast to the west. Click at left for details.

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