Hiking for The Scaredy Cat: Hikes in and around Vancouver, B.C. Canada
  • Trail Information
    • The Hiking Trails & Safety Information >
      • Abby Grind: Abbotsford
      • Alder Flats: Golden Ears
      • Alouette Mtn: Golden Ears Provincial Park
      • Ancient Cedars Trail
      • Al's Habrich Ridge Trail: Sea to Sky Gondola
      • B.C.M.C. Grouse Mountain
      • Bear Mtn: Mission, BC
      • Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls: Mount Fromme
      • Blue Mountain:Coquitlam
      • Bosumarne Falls: Chilliwack, BC
      • Bowen Lookout:Cypress Mountain
      • Bridal Falls Lookout: Chilliwack-Agassiz
      • Brother's Creek: North Vancouver
      • Community Forest: Chilliwack
      • Community Forest-Gloria Lookout-Mt. Thurston-Elk Mtn-Chilliwack
      • Coquitlam Crunch: Coquitlam
      • Cheakamus Lake: Whistler
      • Crystal Falls: Coquitlam, BC
      • Dewdney Grind: Mission
      • Diez Vistas: Buntzen Lake
      • Dragon's Back: Hope, BC
      • East-West Connector Bridge Trail~Golden Ears Provincial Park
      • Eaton Lake: Hope
      • Elfin Lakes: Squamish
      • Elk Mountain: Chilliwack
      • Evan's Creek: Golden Ears Provincial Park
      • First Peak: Seymour Mountain
      • Ford Mtn: Chilliwack
      • Grouse Grind: West Vancouver
      • Garibaldi Lake: Squamish
      • Harrison Grind/Campbell Lake: Fraser Valley
      • Harrison Lookout/Fire Tower
      • Heather Trail: Manning Park
      • High Note Trail: Whistler
      • Hillkeep: Chilliwack
      • Hope Lookout Trail
      • Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park: Vancouver Island
      • Jacobson's Lake to Palmer Pond
      • Joffre Lakes: Pemberton
      • Jug Island: Belcarra Regional Park
      • Ladner Creek Train Trestle: Coquihalla Hwy
      • Killarney Lake: Bowen Island
      • Lake Lovely-Squamish
      • Larch Meadows: Manning Park
      • Levette Lake Loop: Squamish
      • Lewx Qwo:m (luhw KWOM): Chilliwack
      • Lindeman & Greendrop Lakes: Chilliwack
      • Lightning Lakes: Manning Park
      • Lindsay Lake Loop: Buntzen Lake
      • Little Douglas Lake: Coquihalla Summit
      • Lower Falls-East Canyon Parking Lot: Golden Ears
      • Lynn Loop: Lynn Headwaters Regiona Park
      • Lower Hollyburn: Cypress Mtn
      • Lynn Peak: Lynn Headwaters Regional Park
      • McKee Peak-Cliffside Caves
      • Mehatl Falls
      • Menzies: Golden Ears Provincial Park
      • Minnekhada Park: Coquitlam
      • Mount Cheam: Chilliwack
      • Mount Fromme: North Van
      • Mount Sleese to Memorial Plaque: Chiliwack
      • Mount St. Benedict: Mission
      • Mount Strachan: Mount Seymour
      • Mt. Thom: Chilliwack
      • Mt. Gardner: Bowen Island
      • Mt. Woodslide
      • Munro & Denette Lakes: Coquitlam
      • Mystery Lake: Mount Seymour
      • Needle Peak/Flatiron: Coquihalla Highway
      • Norvan Falls: Lynn Headwaters Regional Park
      • Othello Tunnels-Nicola Valley Loop
      • Parkhurst Ghost Town: Whistler
      • Panorama Ridge: Squamish
      • Petgill Lake: Howe Sound
      • Poland Lake-EC Manning Park
      • Quarry Rock: Deep Cove
      • Ravens Bluff-Mission
      • Red Mountain: Mission
      • Salmon Ridge Trail: Chilliwack, BC
      • Sandy Cove Trail: Harrison Hot Springs
      • Sasquatch Caves: Hope
      • Sea to Summit: Sea to Sky Gondola
      • Skyline: Grouse Mountain
      • Skyline 1: Manning Park
      • Spirit Caves-Yale, BC
      • St. Mark's: Cypress Mountain
      • Statlu Lake
      • The Stawamus Chief: Squamish
      • Tikwalus Trail: Spuzzum
      • Trickle Creek Treehouse
      • Thacker Mountain Trail: Hope
      • Tunnel Bluffs: Howe Sound
      • Vedder: Chilliwack
      • Watersprite Lake: Squamish
      • Wedgemont Lake: Whislter
      • Wells Peak
      • Widgeon Falls
      • Williams Peak
      • Windy Joe: Manning Park
      • Woodland Walk to Sawblade Falls
      • Zoa Peak: Coquihallia Hwy
    • The Snowshoe Trails & Safety Info >
      • Artist Point
      • Bowen Lookout
      • Dog Mountain: Day
      • Callaghan Valley
      • Dog Mountain: Night
      • Eagle Bluffs
      • Elfin Lakes to Red Heather Hut >
        • Fat Dog
        • First Pump
        • Hollyburn
        • Lightning Lakes Loop
        • Rainbow Lake
        • Sasquatch Mountain Snowshoe: Hemlock Valley
        • SS Grind
        • Stawberry Flats
        • Zoa
    • The U.S.A. Hikes >
      • Blue Lake: Northern Cascades
      • Chain Lakes
      • Damfino Lakes
      • Deception Pass State Park: Washington, USA
      • Oyster Dome
      • Yellow Aster Butte
    • The Trail Walks >
      • Aldergrove Regional Park: Aldergrove
      • Blue Heron Reserve: Chilliwack
      • Brae Island: Fort Langley
      • Burn's Bog: Delta
      • Burnaby Lake Loop: Burnaby
      • Campbell Valley: Langley
      • Cathederal Grove: MacMillian Provincial Park:
      • Delta Watershed
      • East Sector Lands: Harrison Hot Springs
      • Elgin Park: Surrey, BC
      • Green Timbers: Surrey
      • High Knoll Park: Surrey
      • Houston Trail: Fort Langley
      • Katzie Marsh Loop: Pitt Meadows
      • Lower Falls: Golden Ears: Maple Ridge
      • Lower Seymour Conservation: North Vancouver
      • Lighthouse Park: West Vancouver
      • Mud Bay: Surrey
      • Redwood Park: Surrey
      • Reifel Bird Santuary: Delta
      • Rice Lake: North Vancouver
      • Richmond Nature Park: Richmond
      • Rolley Lake: Mission
      • Ruth Johnson Park: White Rock
      • Sasamat Lake: Port Moody
      • Spirea Trail: Golden Ears
      • Sunnyside Urban Forest: Surrey
      • Serpentine Bird Santuary
      • Shoesmith East Trail Loop: Maple Ridge
      • Spirit Trail: Ladner
      • Stanley Park Seawall: Vancouver
      • Sye'xw Cho'teqw Adventure Park
      • The Jetti: Iona Beach, Richmond
      • Tynehead
      • Yew Lake
  • My Blogging
  • Jorullo Bridge Hiking Tour Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  • Mt. Kilimanjaro
  • In the River Valley Hikes
  • West Coast Trail
  • Peru
  • Hiking Snapshots
    • Thru Hikes
    • Bears & Cougars +
    • Proper Hiking Footwear
    • Trail Etiquette
  • Blog

COMMUNITY Forest-Gloria Lookout-Mt. Thurston-Elk Mtn

Picture

Community Forest-Gloria Lookout-Mt. Thurston-Elk Mtn

Trail Key:
Difficult, Steep, view, dog friendly, Switchbacks, Two cars
Elevation: 1720 meters/20 km's
Dogs: Yes
Pit Toilet: yes-trail start/end
Hiking Checklist:
poles, 10-essentials, Microspikes, tell someone

I found this route to be the easiest since hiking down Gloria would be tough after a long day. This hike is best done as a summer hike since snow is present far into June. You will need two cars. I would also recommend you study this hike and know your limitations. It is a very difficult hike! Depending on which way you tackle the trek you will decide where to park your car. Keep in mind the gate at Community Forest will close for the night at dusk. I will tell you our route...

We parked one car at Elk Mtn and the other car at Community Forest, where we began our long journey! I found the easiest way to the Gloria Lookout TH was to follow Pi:xtel to Cholqthet to Broken Tree Loop to Gloria trail head start. There are maps in the Community Forest should you find an easier way. 

Once at the trail head start your climb begins on a steep trail that switchbacks and snakes the whole way up. There is not too many flat spots or vacations as we call them. It's relentless and up the entire way. Finally you will reach the top but don't get excited as you will follow the path down 500 metres to the lookout. Once there your eyes will feast the stunning lookout of the Fraser Valley.
Picture
When you are finished enjoying the views, head back up the ridge trail toward the forest where you emerged from. Keep going straight past the sign post that reads Mt. Thurston. The trail is well marked with orange squares and some flagging tape but it will be awhile before you will see another sign post. 

​I found this part the most difficult. Without a topical map in hand and no prior knowledge that the trail would be such a challenge my thoughts faded to us spending the night in the forest. We were well equipped but just missing a couple of essentials and being positive was one I was lacking. The trail descends quite a bit and then climbs up very steeply at times. There are no trail markers indicating you are on your way to Thurston & Elk Mtn however, it is well marked as I mentioned before. 

Finally you will come to a bench with a lookout; keep going and not too long after you will see a sign that says go right to Elk Mtn. You are on the home stretch!
Picture
 (which I have but haven't activated yet)You still have far to go but this is a pretty part as you hike along in and out of the ridge and up & down. Soon you come to a pile of rocks. This is Mt. Thurston's false summit since the true summit is tree'd. Take a moment to enjoy the views. Keep going along and soon you will come to a large wind sock...This is Elk Mtn's true summit. Follow the trail along and back into the forest. You will pop back out at the first lookout and from there it's almost all down; steep at times to the parking lot. This is where we left out car earlier in the day.

Things I forgot were a phone charger, topical map, better knowledge of the trail, satellite GPS messenger and a faith! If you take on his hike make sure you do it well into the summer since Mt. Thurston has a ton of snow and know it is not an easy hike. Happy & safe hiking.
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  • Trail Information
    • The Hiking Trails & Safety Information >
      • Abby Grind: Abbotsford
      • Alder Flats: Golden Ears
      • Alouette Mtn: Golden Ears Provincial Park
      • Ancient Cedars Trail
      • Al's Habrich Ridge Trail: Sea to Sky Gondola
      • B.C.M.C. Grouse Mountain
      • Bear Mtn: Mission, BC
      • Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls: Mount Fromme
      • Blue Mountain:Coquitlam
      • Bosumarne Falls: Chilliwack, BC
      • Bowen Lookout:Cypress Mountain
      • Bridal Falls Lookout: Chilliwack-Agassiz
      • Brother's Creek: North Vancouver
      • Community Forest: Chilliwack
      • Community Forest-Gloria Lookout-Mt. Thurston-Elk Mtn-Chilliwack
      • Coquitlam Crunch: Coquitlam
      • Cheakamus Lake: Whistler
      • Crystal Falls: Coquitlam, BC
      • Dewdney Grind: Mission
      • Diez Vistas: Buntzen Lake
      • Dragon's Back: Hope, BC
      • East-West Connector Bridge Trail~Golden Ears Provincial Park
      • Eaton Lake: Hope
      • Elfin Lakes: Squamish
      • Elk Mountain: Chilliwack
      • Evan's Creek: Golden Ears Provincial Park
      • First Peak: Seymour Mountain
      • Ford Mtn: Chilliwack
      • Grouse Grind: West Vancouver
      • Garibaldi Lake: Squamish
      • Harrison Grind/Campbell Lake: Fraser Valley
      • Harrison Lookout/Fire Tower
      • Heather Trail: Manning Park
      • High Note Trail: Whistler
      • Hillkeep: Chilliwack
      • Hope Lookout Trail
      • Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park: Vancouver Island
      • Jacobson's Lake to Palmer Pond
      • Joffre Lakes: Pemberton
      • Jug Island: Belcarra Regional Park
      • Ladner Creek Train Trestle: Coquihalla Hwy
      • Killarney Lake: Bowen Island
      • Lake Lovely-Squamish
      • Larch Meadows: Manning Park
      • Levette Lake Loop: Squamish
      • Lewx Qwo:m (luhw KWOM): Chilliwack
      • Lindeman & Greendrop Lakes: Chilliwack
      • Lightning Lakes: Manning Park
      • Lindsay Lake Loop: Buntzen Lake
      • Little Douglas Lake: Coquihalla Summit
      • Lower Falls-East Canyon Parking Lot: Golden Ears
      • Lynn Loop: Lynn Headwaters Regiona Park
      • Lower Hollyburn: Cypress Mtn
      • Lynn Peak: Lynn Headwaters Regional Park
      • McKee Peak-Cliffside Caves
      • Mehatl Falls
      • Menzies: Golden Ears Provincial Park
      • Minnekhada Park: Coquitlam
      • Mount Cheam: Chilliwack
      • Mount Fromme: North Van
      • Mount Sleese to Memorial Plaque: Chiliwack
      • Mount St. Benedict: Mission
      • Mount Strachan: Mount Seymour
      • Mt. Thom: Chilliwack
      • Mt. Gardner: Bowen Island
      • Mt. Woodslide
      • Munro & Denette Lakes: Coquitlam
      • Mystery Lake: Mount Seymour
      • Needle Peak/Flatiron: Coquihalla Highway
      • Norvan Falls: Lynn Headwaters Regional Park
      • Othello Tunnels-Nicola Valley Loop
      • Parkhurst Ghost Town: Whistler
      • Panorama Ridge: Squamish
      • Petgill Lake: Howe Sound
      • Poland Lake-EC Manning Park
      • Quarry Rock: Deep Cove
      • Ravens Bluff-Mission
      • Red Mountain: Mission
      • Salmon Ridge Trail: Chilliwack, BC
      • Sandy Cove Trail: Harrison Hot Springs
      • Sasquatch Caves: Hope
      • Sea to Summit: Sea to Sky Gondola
      • Skyline: Grouse Mountain
      • Skyline 1: Manning Park
      • Spirit Caves-Yale, BC
      • St. Mark's: Cypress Mountain
      • Statlu Lake
      • The Stawamus Chief: Squamish
      • Tikwalus Trail: Spuzzum
      • Trickle Creek Treehouse
      • Thacker Mountain Trail: Hope
      • Tunnel Bluffs: Howe Sound
      • Vedder: Chilliwack
      • Watersprite Lake: Squamish
      • Wedgemont Lake: Whislter
      • Wells Peak
      • Widgeon Falls
      • Williams Peak
      • Windy Joe: Manning Park
      • Woodland Walk to Sawblade Falls
      • Zoa Peak: Coquihallia Hwy
    • The Snowshoe Trails & Safety Info >
      • Artist Point
      • Bowen Lookout
      • Dog Mountain: Day
      • Callaghan Valley
      • Dog Mountain: Night
      • Eagle Bluffs
      • Elfin Lakes to Red Heather Hut >
        • Fat Dog
        • First Pump
        • Hollyburn
        • Lightning Lakes Loop
        • Rainbow Lake
        • Sasquatch Mountain Snowshoe: Hemlock Valley
        • SS Grind
        • Stawberry Flats
        • Zoa
    • The U.S.A. Hikes >
      • Blue Lake: Northern Cascades
      • Chain Lakes
      • Damfino Lakes
      • Deception Pass State Park: Washington, USA
      • Oyster Dome
      • Yellow Aster Butte
    • The Trail Walks >
      • Aldergrove Regional Park: Aldergrove
      • Blue Heron Reserve: Chilliwack
      • Brae Island: Fort Langley
      • Burn's Bog: Delta
      • Burnaby Lake Loop: Burnaby
      • Campbell Valley: Langley
      • Cathederal Grove: MacMillian Provincial Park:
      • Delta Watershed
      • East Sector Lands: Harrison Hot Springs
      • Elgin Park: Surrey, BC
      • Green Timbers: Surrey
      • High Knoll Park: Surrey
      • Houston Trail: Fort Langley
      • Katzie Marsh Loop: Pitt Meadows
      • Lower Falls: Golden Ears: Maple Ridge
      • Lower Seymour Conservation: North Vancouver
      • Lighthouse Park: West Vancouver
      • Mud Bay: Surrey
      • Redwood Park: Surrey
      • Reifel Bird Santuary: Delta
      • Rice Lake: North Vancouver
      • Richmond Nature Park: Richmond
      • Rolley Lake: Mission
      • Ruth Johnson Park: White Rock
      • Sasamat Lake: Port Moody
      • Spirea Trail: Golden Ears
      • Sunnyside Urban Forest: Surrey
      • Serpentine Bird Santuary
      • Shoesmith East Trail Loop: Maple Ridge
      • Spirit Trail: Ladner
      • Stanley Park Seawall: Vancouver
      • Sye'xw Cho'teqw Adventure Park
      • The Jetti: Iona Beach, Richmond
      • Tynehead
      • Yew Lake
  • My Blogging
  • Jorullo Bridge Hiking Tour Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  • Mt. Kilimanjaro
  • In the River Valley Hikes
  • West Coast Trail
  • Peru
  • Hiking Snapshots
    • Thru Hikes
    • Bears & Cougars +
    • Proper Hiking Footwear
    • Trail Etiquette
  • Blog