Synopsis: Hiking doesn't get any better than this. A well-constructed approach up a beautiful creek, a brisk climb to a ridge, with unlimited views and a lot of room to roam up top.
Access: From the lights in Golden, drive south on Highway 95 for 63.0 km to the hamlet of Spillimacheen. Turn right on the Westside Road and cross the Columbia River valley. After 2.3 kilometres, turn left on the Westside Road. Do not take the Giant Mine Road. Follow the Westside Road for another 7.5 km through the forest to a Y, where there is a hayfield. Take the right hand fork for another 2.3 km, when you reach a four way intersection. Turn right and set your odometer to zero.
You are now on the Bugaboo FSR. At 11.5 km, stay right. Do not take the left fork to Cartwright Lake. At 36.5 km, bear left and do not enter Bugaboo Provincial Park. At 37.2 km, turn left and cross Bugaboo Creek on a bridge. Take the right hand road at the Y just after the bridge. Drive for 1.0 km to where the road splits.
If you have an old high clearance vehicle, continue on the left hand road, which is marked with a Chalice Creek trail sign. If you have a low clearance vehicle or value your paint job, park off the road to the right. There is space there for a few cars.
Drive or walk the next 1.9 km on the left hand road. It is getting very overgrown and has some moderate water bars. At 1.9 km, you reach an opening in the bush with room for a few vehicles. Park so others can turn around! There is a stash of chicken wire here to wrap your car if you are overnighting it. See below for an explanation.
Alternative approach: From the lights in Golden, drive 75.8 km south on Highway 95 to Brisco. Turn right on Brisco Road and follow it across the valley. In 5 km, you leave the valley and the pavement. Once you enter the forest, look for a left hand turn that goes up the hill. The road here is steep and sometimes rough, but it will get you to the four way intersection described above. The intersection is 7.1 km from the highway. Now follow the above instructions.
About that chicken wire: Visitors never believe this, but it's true. The local porcupines will eat the rubber parts of your car to get the road salt. This could very well make your car undriveable. The solution? Wrap your car in chicken wire, and anchor it with rocks and pieces of wood. (For day trippers, this precaution might not be necessary.)
Trailhead: On the south side of the clearing is an old Forestry Rec sign. I have no idea what it once said. You'll know what I mean when you see it. The trail starts to the left of the sign.
Trail: The trail heads south along an old skid road for 200 metres until it reaches Chalice Creek. The trail then climbs up the north, or near side, of the creek. (It used to cross the creek here; it no longer does. Don't worry when you see half the footbridge lying in the creek.)
The trail gains 100 metres on the north side of the creek. Stop and check out the creek itself in this section; it really is impressive. After about 700 metres, the trail makes an abrupt right turn and crosses the creek on two spruce logs. Fifty metres after the crossing, you meet up with the old trail. Make a note of this point for your return trip, although all the brush scattered on the old trail will probably alert you.
The next section of the trail is easy, although parts may be muddy. Follow this old logging road up the valley for 1.3 km. Note how the entire forest on the north side was wiped out by disease, and how the new forest is slowing establishing itself.Eventually, the logging road runs out and the trail turns right, moves up into the cutblock for about 25 metres, and then turns left and enters the forest. Expect both rock and mud in this section. At one point, you skirt some large timber which was probably whacked by an avalanche off the opposite slope years ago. Then the creek, and the trail, turns south and continues through forest. Note how abruptly the diseased forest on the opposite side ends and turns into healthy trees.
Just before reaching the marshy area in the top bowl of Chalice Creek, the trail splits. You want to take the left fork which drops down to the creek. (The right fork continues along the valley floor. It is blocked by a large downed spruce, which makes a great bench.) Cross the creek by rock jumping, and pick up the trail on the far side.
The trail enters the forest and switchbacks up to the ridge. There is a bit of windfall on this section, but otherwise it is in excellent shape. You will gain 300 metres in the next little while, until you break into the subalpine and gain the ridge. It's a workout.
The view of the Bugaboos from the flat area up top is overwhelming. Take a moment and note where the trail emerges, so you can find it when you head down. There are several bits of flagging tape there.
After catching your breath, you need to decide which direction to explore first. If you head straight across the meadow (there is a faint footpath which does NOT start at the point where the trail climbs the hill) you go over a number of rolls before reaching a rib above a small lake, where you get a great view of the Septet Range.
If you head north, you can see where it is possible to gain the Bugaboo-Septet Ridge to the north.
But I recommend heading south, which (sorry about this) involves some more climbing right away. From where you entered the meadow on the trail, turn 45 degrees to your right and grind your way up that grassy slope. This is the easiest route up.
It is possible to wander south for more than a kilometre, and there are too many mountain ranges in view to name. There are actually several ridges here, so you can head south on one and return on the other, if you want. You will reach a col above the south end of Septet Creek. It is possible to continue south along the ridge to a minor peak.
Cautions: