Trails Used

Skookumchuck Trail, bushwhack, bike path

Trail Conditions

Notes

We decided on Big Bickford under my 500 list! We headed up skook until 3000’ contour line on gaia at about 2.15 miles in. Pretty open woods all the way to the summit. We tried to stay on that line as much as possible. Rain was trying but only a few drops here and there. We stayed close to it, until we hit the spine which was still nice, we did miss the first ban of rocks by staying on the west side, then went a little on the east side by the small bump before the summit. We then approaches the summit from the east side. We ended up in a lot of birches and ferns but right before the summit we had ferns and raspberry stalks pulling at our skin. We signed into the register and the bottom has been found by Mary!! So we signed in and tried to retrace our steps mostly on the way out! We hit the skook then went down to 1 mile left, hit the old skook trail which was in pretty good condition still, then the bike path back to the car. 7.25 miles 4:34 hours 1610’ gain.

Parking

Plenty

Water Crossings

No issues

Wildlife

Black flies :( saw a fee mosquitos too

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Skookumchuck Trail, bushwhack

Trail Conditions

Notes

Overall pretty dry down low, occasional mud puddles, snow first appears around 2700' on Skook, quickly becoming a light dusting of sticky spring snow. Mostly the same on the ridge, most of the open birch glades are fully melted out. Contoured up off Skook @3000', kinda angled too far up the spine and worked back around into the first big glade. Minor fir waves on the false summit knobs and pretty easy to follow a rough braided herd path over to the true summit of Big Bickford. Took me a hot minute to realize the canister doesn't have a bottom lid lol lol. Didn't feel like retracing my steps so went over to Scarface. Pretty steep spiny ridge to drop NW down off Big Bickford into the col between the summits including another lovely mini fir wave before the short up to the summit. Nice wind chimes mayo jar for a summit canister. Wandered N bearing NW down thru the big glade onto the long ridge back down towards Skook trailhead, tho I kept fighting falling off it to the north. (Mildly annoyed by trying to wander off the right side of ridges into nameless gullies all evening mega sigh). Crossed back to the south side of the ridge after putting on my headlamp and hit the draw I was aiming for and dropped back onto the trail a little ways above the heritage trail junction. Overall a 3 on the bushwhacking difficulty scale and the loveliest spring evening for an etherial forest wander loop

Parking

Lot mostly empty

Water Crossings

Jordan Brook is an easy rock hop

Wildlife

N/A