Crest Mountain

Overview

Crest Mountain is a comparative rarity in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. An easy peak with an engineered trail directly off pavement almost all the way to a friendly flat summit. What makes it worthwhile is the incomparable camping on a wide open alpine plateau with all of Strathcona’s highest peaks in uninterrupted and jaw-dropping view just a few kilometers to the south. A night up here in such alpine splendour should be considered an obligatory experience for anyone who considers themselves an Island alpine afficionado.

Crest is also used as the approach to higher, more demanding summits to the north such as Heber, Judson, Isardi and Big Den, although no trail exists to these objectives once past the summit of Crest.

Getting There/Approach

Vancouver Island can be reached directly by air from, amongst other places Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Seattle and San Francisco to Victoria and by ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria on The Coho and on BC Ferries from Vancouver to Victoria or Nanaimo. Public transport on the Island is relatively poor and anyone arriving by air would be advised to rent a car. Access in this case is all on paved roads and, therefore, fine with a normal sedan. From Campbell River, at the end of the Island Highway 19, take highway 28 west towards Gold River. After approximately 30 km the road meets Upper Campbell Lake and after 40 km you will enter Strathcona Park at Elk Portal. 1 Km Further on highway 28 makes a right turn over the bridge at Buttle Narrows. Take this turn in the direction of Gold River and drive 27 km to the Crest Mountain trail head on the right. 

Route

Take the well signed and engineered Class 1 trail from the parking lot, across the bridge over Drum Narrows and up the mountain. Water is available just under half way up and then not until the alpine. Reckon on about 2-3 hours – depending on pack weight - up the switchbacks to the alpine at a large tarn and then a further 0.5-1 hour northwest on use-trail, or just follow your nose, to the large flat summit and cairn.

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