Hiking Askom Mountain near Lillooet
Contents
Askom Mountain Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 12.40Km
Elevation Gain: 1,358m
Highest Elevation: 2,553m
Average Gradient: 21.90%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 7 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 6 – 7 Hours
– Fast: 5 – 6 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: ~May – October
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Askom Mountain Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 50°28’49.8″N 121°43’46.1″W
Askom Mountain Overview
Askom Mountain is a summit located on the eastern fringe of the coast mountains, around 35km south of Lilloet, in a broad range of peaks that separates the lush coastal mountains to the west from the arid, central plateau slopes on the other side of the Fraser River to the east.
Askom Mountain is accessed from the gravel Texas Creek Road, before following the Della Creek FSR spur up to around 1,200m where there is a nice spot to camp with excellent views and even seating and a fire pit. There are a couple of standard routes to reach the trailhead, with parties either driving via Lillooet and down Texas Creek Road, or by taking the Lytton Ferry crossing and driving up Texas Creek Road. Both routes usually take a similar amount of time, but if you plan to go via the ferry, make sure it is operating as it can often stop running when the river is fast flowing (usually in the spring). Due to the long drive out, many parties will camp at the trailhead, then complete the hike and return home the next day.
The hike itself is very straightforward, following a trail through the forest before joining the broad eastern ridge. While steep, there is no real scrambling and no exposure. Timing for this hike is best in the spring (May / June) when you can complete the hike with little or no snow, but when temperatures are still reasonable. In the summer it can be scorching hot here, so if you do go then, start early and take plenty of water and sun lotion.
Dogs are welcome on this hike.
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Is Askom Mountain worthwhile?
Askom Mountain offers very nice views from the top and for much of the ridge walk. It is a unique summit that clearly highlights the immediate change from the lush, forested coastal mountains to the west and the dry, desert-like slopes to the east. This is a nice early season objective for parties wanting to avoid snow, as the snow is often fully melted off here by late May/early June, which is certainly not the case closer to Vancouver (especially given this is a 2,500m+ peak).
How difficult is the hike to Askom Mountain?
While obviously quite a steep hike with over 20% average gradient, there is nothing technically challenging about Askom, it’s merely a simple ridge walk. The biggest challenge you might face could be the temperature if you don’t time it well. There is some deadfall lower down in the forest that may make navigation a bit finicky, otherwise the route is very simple to follow, with an obvious footbed the whole way up.
Askom Mountain Route Information
As noted, the hike begins from ~1,200m up Della Creek FSR, which is off of Texas Creek Road. Texas Creek is a main FSR and pretty much always a smooth cruise, and Della Creek is usually straightforward as well, but may be more prone to deterioration. When we visited both roads were in excellent shape and pretty much any vehicle could get to the trailhead without problem. An SUV may be beneficial though, as usual.
From the camp site (which itself has great views) you will begin the hike by continuing along the road. The road passes by some rocky cliffs early on, and at the time we went some of these cliffs had crumbled, which would stop vehicles driving any further. Continuing along the road, at the 2nd switchback (~1,375m) the trail now enters the forest and begins a relatively steep climb. Higher up, you’ll now cross the same road again and re-enter the forest once more.
After crossing this road we found there was a fair bit of deadfall to navigate in the next stretch, but it was fairly short lived and never too bothersome. We did lose the trail briefly, but with a GPX to follow it’s a non-issue. You’ll continue climbing to ~1,800m where the trees will now begin to gradually thin out more and more.
From here on out you will be in the full sun for the rest of the hike, which for us wasn’t an issue as it was a cool spring day, but in the middle of summer you can be sure it’ll be hot. At ~2,000m you will fully break out of the treeline and you’ll see the first prominent bump you’ll need to climb. This is not the summit, but it’s also not that far from the summit either.
The climb up to this bump will be mostly on scree. You should be able to avoid the worst of it by sticking to the edges of the worn trail. On the way down it’s quite nice as a scree descent is easier on the quads/knees than a regular trail. The climb up to the subsummit is a steep one, and once you get to the top you’ll now easily see the rest of the route to the actual summit.
The ridge is now fully exposed to the sun (and wind!) and there isn’t a tree or rock to hide behind. It’s now just a matter of following this broad, barren ridge to the top, which is only ~1.5km away at this point. The ridge walk offers constant views, with the forested coast mountains to your left and the Fraser River with its arid peaks to the east.
Once on the summit the views are of course panoramic, with several impressive peaks now visible, namely Intipam, Stein and Siwhe. Once finished on the summit you retrace your steps back down. Unfortunately much of the descent is on loose footings, with was a bit of a quad burner until you reach the forest where it eases off.
When should I hike Askom Mountain?
Spring is the best time to go for Askom mostly just due to the temperatures. There might also be a bit of snow around on the ridges, which helps keep things cooler. Mid-may to end of June is probably the best timing. The whole summer works fine, keep an eye on the heat and make sure to start early, carry plenty of water and sun protection. Late season (October) before the snow arrives might be a good time to go as well.
Top Tip
While this peak can be scorching hot, it can also be surprisingly cool. Even though it was probably 25C down in Lillooet on the day we went, we ended up wearing 3 layers and even gloves on the summit due to the stiff, cold breeze. Pack accordingly.
Many parties will drive out the night before, camp at the trailhead then hike and return home the next day. This is probably the best way to tackle this, given it’s ~5 hour drive each way for most people coming from the Lower Mainland.
I think driving up the Duffey on the way there and returning via the Fraser Canyon is the best route for accessing this peak. This drive is exceptionally scenic and it avoids having to cross the Lions Gate / Second Narrows (assuming you’re not coming from North Van / S2S) when you return home the next day. The Lytton Ferry works fine too, but it usually doesn’t save much time and avoids some of the best driving views.
We actually saw wild horses several times on the drive in and out of Askom, keep an eye out, it’s a nice sight to see.
