NOTE: I have been told that, under the Golden Backcountry Recreation Access Plan, the Holt Creek FSR is closed to motorized traffic during the summer. The valley is used by both mountain goats and female grizzlies with cubs during the summer. Technically, this means that motorized vehicles are not permitted past the gate just after the turnoff from the main FSR. This ban does not apply to industrial traffic.
There is no means of enforcing this ban currently. The gate is not closed.
If you choose to abide by the ban, it will add 6.8 km of walking or biking to your trip, each way. All references to driving on the road have been removed from the following description.
Synopsis: A short but steep hike on a well-built trail to a panoramic overview of the Columbia and Blaeberry valleys.
Access: From the lights in Golden, drive north on Highway 95 (10th Ave), cross the Kicking Horse River, and drive three blocks to 7th St. North. Turn left and follow the signs for the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and the Golden Golf and Country Club. Once it reaches the dikes, 7th St. turns into Kicking Horse Drive and eventually crosses the Columbia River on a single lane bridge. Drive 700 metres past the bridge and turn right on the golf course road. Follow it for 2.1 kilometres. Just past the first bridge turn left onto the gravel Dogtooth FSR. Set your odometer to "0" here. (If you reach the golf course parking lot, you've missed the turn.).
For the first 1.5 kilometres, you need to watch for golfers crossing the road in three spots. The entrances are hidden by bushes, so be careful. Once you start climbing the hill, watch for heavy machinery and trucks at the gravel operation.
At 3.7 km, stay left at the Y. The road has been declared a wilderness road past this point. Traffic uses both roads, so pay attention and don't miss this turn. Ignore all minor side roads until 10.0 km, when you reach a 4 way intersection. Turn left, cross the bridge and drive to the gate. At this point, please see the note above about motorized traffic on the Holt Creek FSR.
Follow the Holt Creek FSR for another 6.8 km. Most of the spur roads have been deactivated, so just stay on the main road. When you emerge into a cutblock with a panoramic view, the road switches back to the south and then heads west and climbs into the Holt Creek drainage. After you pass a large rock field, watch for cross ditches. The road crosses Holt Creek, heads back up the valley, and then switchbacks to the left. Watch for a decommissioned road on your right at 20.7 km. This is the trailhead.
Trailhead: The trail begins at the decommissioned road at 16.8 km.
Trail: Head up the decommissioned road, following the (mostly) obvious footpath. After 500 metres, you come to a junction. For the Repeater, turn left. (The right fork will take you to the back of the drainage and Holt Lakes.) In another 500 metres, the road rounds a corner to the right and heads further back into the south fork of the drainage. In another 700 metres, you will reach a creek crossing. If you look up, you can see the repeater directly above you.
Cross the creek and climb the rock slope. Just before you get to the bushes, you will find a well defined trail. This trail climbs up through the slide area, and then turns left into the forest. There are several branches, and if you lose the trail and end up in the flat bowl at the top of the slide area, you need to turn left and head into the forest for 50 metres or so. You will find the trail easily in the forest. (If you don't turn left into the forest, you will find yourself at the bottom of a hidiously steep headwall.)
The trail through the forest is steep but well constructed. When it braids, it doesn't matter which branch you take, as they all come back together. When you emerge from the trees, you will cross the steep slope to the ridge just below the repeater. Once you gain the ridge, the repeater is visisble about 200 metres to the left. Before you turn left, though, look around at your surroundings so you can find the trail on the way down.
Cautions: