Hiking for The Scaredy Cat: Hikes in and around Vancouver, B.C. Canada
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My  BlogGing

Picture

Mt. St. Benedict, Mission, BC

3/9/2015

1 Comment

 

To MacKay Lake (Mt.St. Benedict)

Trail Key: M~2~RT~R~H~V~ST


The trail head is on road right side, just before the bridge.


It's up, up, up right from the get go...switchbacking and snaking to a logging road. Go left!

There's a couple of branches, stay left. Follow the steep rocky road up for a good km and there's a trail with red flagging tape to the right. Don't take it. Instead keep going up the logging road which gets a little flatter and skinnier. The logging road starts to get grassy as you look ahead another trail on your right with pink & orange flagging tape. There's 2 sets of 3 sticks, one with a pot on it. Take this trail. You cross a dirt path over a little running creek.

A quick walk up a creek bed then a snaky somewhat hilly trail and into another creek bed. A few creek crossings and back on a rocky & rooty trail.

Soon the trail gets a little muddy and weaves along as you hear a rushing creek on your left and see a debris chute high above on your right.

Keep going and not too much longer McKay Lake emerges in front of you go down the trail and a rushing creek is to your left. Several logs are at the mouth of the creek. Cross them. This can be your destination. The rushing creek and logs far in the water make a nice spot for lunch. You might even have the area to yourself.

If you feel up for the challenge after you cross the logs you'll see a traditional orange square trail marker and a wooden stump, follow this to Mt St. Benedict. It weaves it's way to a crossing and up some roots. Soon you'll see MacKay Lake far below and at this point the trail gets steeper and steeper with a lot more ground to cover. I did not carry on due to daylight hours.

Scaredy Cat says you won't loose any of your nine lives to MacKay Lake. Happy & safe hiking!


Picture
Suspension bridge at Cascade Falls. Not officially open until April 1st, 2015.
Picture
Cascade Falls.
Picture
Very beginning trail from where you park. This trail takes you up to the steep logging road.
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Rocky and steep logging road to the actual trail start.
Picture
Views from the logging road.
Picture
Views while trudging up the steep logging road.
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Wooden sticks indicating the proper trail head from the logging road...DO NOT take the first TH you see going up the logging road. This is the 2nd one and the proper TH for MacKay Lake and Mt. St. Benedict.
Picture
Proper TH to MacKay Lake and Mt. St. Benedict
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Traditional orange trail markers & some pink flagging tape, keep you on the correct path.
Picture
Inside the calming trail to MacKay Lake.
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As you walk along certain things look so cool in nature. It's another reason why I like to meander along, bathing in the beauty of it all. In this tired stump, I see a bull.
Picture
Love this...the colour, the lighting and how it drapes.
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A slightly frozen MacKay Lake. I had this area to myself. Well I shared it with the sounds of the creek and singing birds and perhaps the eyes of a cougar or bear...
Picture
MacKay Lake
Picture
Cross these logs which lie near a creek to go to Mt. St. Benedict's summit.
Picture
After you cross the logs go to your left and this stump is the entrance to an obvious trail leading you to Mt. St. Benedict's summit.
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A rushing creek far away as you start up the trail to your final destinations.
Picture
Not long after MacKay Lake is far below. The trail begins to steepen at this point. This was my summit as I lost my hiking party and daylight hours were nearing the end and I had lots of ground to cover.
Picture
Once down and back at MacKay Lake, take this trail back to the logging road. Once there don't forget you still have one more trail from the logging road back to your car. If you miss that trail you can return to your car but it's a long walk.

A footnote:

From the logging we took the wrong trail, the first one. I might add so did 5 other people after us. This was an old logging area (logging tape is longer with writing on it. It's not your traditional flagging tape you'd see on a trail) and what I'll call, 'The Dead Forest.' Each time I reached out for a hand from a tree it spoke back to me with the words of, "I'm tired." It's once lively presence now was crumbling in my hands and falling to the ground. As I walked on with my party well ahead there came a time while hugging the mountainside when my gut was no longer whispering the sounds of...this is not right to screaming words of ...This is NOT right. This is not a trail! With my hiking party not impressed with me turning back on my own, they understood and let me go. Believing they had steps to go they carried on in search of MacKay Lake and the summit of Mt. St. Benedict. They would never meet either. As I realized while munching on my lunch at the MacKay Lake. I returned to the logging road and walked about 10 minutes and found the proper TH and was excited to see them at the top. It never happened.

They trenched on as the grade became incredibly steeper but with light pouring from in between the trees they still believed they were on route to MacKay Lake.

Here's some words of their journey:

Christine said, "It was lovely & challenging going up. It was horrific, mind numbing and hell on the way down.. A full body workout. Sticks and twigs dangerously close to my insides. My heart was hurting on the way down.


Wendy said, "I think there's twigs in all parts of my body. If a cougar found me I would not resist, take me now I'd tell the wild animal as it will save me from this hell. I didn't realize I was that flexible. I don't like flagging tape anymore. I was up close and personal with trees & rocks. Someone asked me, "Did you bring your crampons..." "No it's a moderate hike." I replied. Moderate if you went up the correct trail.

Redina said..."A gong show. I didn't know I had chest muscles until I woke up this morning in pain. We were literally swinging from the trees...we were spider woman and through it all was Irene the mountain goat, completely happy in her element."

I just want to add how experienced and tough these lady hikers are. I'm grateful they got down safely and hope we can get up there again so I can show them how beautiful this hike truly is. What would have I done different yesterday...maybe tried a little harder to get them to come with me to go and find the proper TH or left a note for them saying I was trying to find the correct TH. I had left notes at MacKay Lake and beyond but not helpful when they never made it there.

We are trying new things, stepping out of our comfort zones and learning more and more together as we grow in nature.

1 Comment
dana chequis
4/8/2018 09:08:16 am

my bf and I hiked this trail when we first met two years ago. I am not an experienced hiker. we still talk and smile about this expirience. The views from the tops are absolutely breath taking. it was a tough hike but well worth every sore muscle. what an amazing expirience. when we went there was still alot of snow 3/4 of the way up but clear and beautiful at the top. thank you for helping us complete a life goal <3

Reply



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    I work for Surrey School District as an Education Assistant. In my free time I enjoy hiking, snowshoeing, going off-road, dragon boating, writing & hanging with my huskies.

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Photos used under Creative Commons from breyeschow, A Chilling Soul, iwona_kellie, CarbonNYC, simonov
  • 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