NOTE from June 2010: The Blaeberry FSR has had a number of washouts this spring, the largest being at 29 km, just before the Mummery turnoff. This hike is inaccessible to vehicles until the road gets fixed.
Synopsis: This hike leads to a beautiful spot underneath the seracs on the toe of the glacier, with a spectacular vista on three sides.
Access: From the junction of Highway 95 and Highway 1, drive west on the Trans Canada Highway for 11.6 km to Moberly Branch Road. Go up the hill 1.9 km to a T, and turn left on Golden Donald Upper Road. After 0.9 km, bear right on to Oberg Johnson Road, and follow it 1.9 km to the end, where it forms a T. Turn left on Moberly School Road and follow it for 0.5 km until it curves to the right and becomes Blaeberry Road. Follow Blaeberry Road for 6.5 km, until you see a sign on the right that says Blaeberry River FSR. Set your odometer to 0 here, and it will match the FSR signs. Turn left 0.2 km past the sign, and cross the Blaeberry River on a bridge. Follow the Blaeberry FSR to 500 metres past the 32 km marker. A dirt road leads off the FSR to the left. A vertical post marked Mummery Glacier Trail stands at this spot. Turn onto the dirt road and drive 1.5 kilometers up the old logging road. The road is getting quite rough but has been recently brushed out, so you have some wiggle room. At 1.5 km, there is a turnaround. Park here.
Trailhead: The trailhead is on the northwest corner of the parking area.
Trail: The first part of the trail cuts through a cedar-hemlock forest with some big trees. It loses 40 metres in elevation as it approaches the creek. Just before you start climbing the rib above the creek, there is a new trail that heads uphill on the right. In about five metres, it turns right again. You have basically just done a 180 degree turn. It then turns back left, and easy to follow as it heads up the hill, skirting a few enormous glacial erratics (really big rocks) on the way. Inside ten minutes, you will come to a spot where two logs are blocking the way ahead. That's because the new bridge is on your left. Cross the bridge, go past another erratic that leans out over your head, and then turn right and head up the creek bed for about 50 metres. When the trees (and rib) on your left come to an end, you need to turn left, move across the rocks about 10 metres, and climb back down to the lower debris field. There is a whole mess of orange flagging tape hanging from some bushes; the new route links up with the old trail at that spot.
Predictably, over the past couple of years, any number of people have blazed their own trails around here, and the entire rib and debris field is a mess of flagging, cairns, and faint trails. Clean-up will probably have to wait until spring.
Once you reach the beginning of the old trail, follow it around to the left of the ridge and then up the gully to the forefield of the glacier. You now have two options.
Take a look up to your right. You will see the ridge of a lateral moraine. There is a trail on that ridge. There are a couple of spots where it is fairly easy to gain the ridge, and many more spots where it is foolhardy. You are sort of on your own here. The bad news is, there is one hideously steep stretch near the top of the moraine. You will be grabbing rocks and roots to pull yourself up. Coming down is even more fun.
It is worth persevering, though, especially if the weather is cooperating. The view up top is spectacular. One you get above the trees, you can walk north along the rock to a spot where you can look into two valleys. Great lunch spot.
Head up the glacier forefield towards a distinctive rock that, in size and shape, resembles a three story apartment block. As you get closer, you will see a series of ledges in front of the big rock. Before reaching the first ledge, head to your left, drop down into a shallow gully, and walk up the rock on the other side. Soon, you will find you can cut back to your right to a position above that big rock. Head up the slope to where it narrows.
Just when it looks like you might have to do a bit of scrambling, look to your left again. (There might be a cairn there.) There is a level ledge you can move to the left on, and then once again cut back to your right and gain the top of the hill.
If at any time you get close to that really deep ravine, you are too far left (and exposed to possible ice and rock fall.)
The two trails merge on a rocky ridge past the treeline. You can continue north a bit and get a good view of a small lake below, some large seracs above, and a couple tongues of the Freshfield Icefield.
Cautions: