Hiking Mount McGuire in Chilliwack
Contents
Mount McGuire Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 14Km
Elevation Gain: 1,100m
Highest Elevation: 2,019m
Average Gradient: 15.71%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 7 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 6 – 7 Hours
– Fast: 5 – 6 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Summer
4×4 / High Clearance Required? Yes – SUV is often fine.
Scrambling / Exposure: Short scramble at the very end, mostly class 2 but a few steps at low class 3
Mount McGuire Trail
Note: The coordinates below go to the beginning of New Borden FSR. You will need to switch to a different map (AllTrails/Gaia) with backcountry FSR’s and the GPX loaded to navigate to the broken bridge.
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°04’33.6″N 121°43’19.4″W
Mount McGuire Overview
Mount McGuire is a unique summit in the North Cascades thanks to its distinct limestone composition, something not often found in coastal mountains. Accessible from Chilliwack Lake Road, Mount McGuire is a stunning summit offering some of the best views of numerous iconic peaks in the region, such as Slesse Mountain, the Border Peaks, Tomyhoi Peak and Mount Baker.
Featuring prominently in Scrambles in SWBC, accessing Mount McGuire has unfortunately become the biggest challenge of this once easily reached summit. Back in the day hikers could drive up the Borden FSR all the way to 1,400m, leaving a short, steep climb up to the summit. That access has since become impossible due to a bridge being destroyed early on the FSR. A replacement approach along New Borden FSR used to bypass this, but again the bridge over Borden Creek was destroyed higher up. A bypass is possible that drives over the creek, but the road beyond has since been totally destroyed in the atmospheric river of 2021, and will likely never be driveable again. The absolute highest point a driver could get in the most capable off-road vehicle would be around 1,070m, but the vast majority of vehicles will stop at the destroyed bridge at around 930m. The stats above assume you will park at the destroyed bridge as this is where most SUV’s can reach. That being said the FSR up to this point is still somewhat rough and overgrown, with pinstriping on your vehicle a real possibility. If you want to avoid ruined paint on your vehicle you will likely have to park significantly earlier, increasing your stats dramatically. This is why the GPX provided is 23.5km and over 1,500m elevation gain.
Another approach to Mount McGuire has been growing in popularity, with hikers instead driving up Tamihi FSR and approaching from the north rather than the east. The status of this FSR varies also, but it can be very overgrown for long stretches. The hike from here is much less popular, with the “standard” hikers approach still from the New Borden FSR, despite the difficulties.
Thankfully Mount McGuire is such a scenic peak that despite the challenging access this is still a fantastic hike and well worth the effort. Even if you have to park a long way down on New Borden FSR like I did, you will probably feel validated once you reach the summit, the views are that good.
Mount McGuire is a summer only hike for a number of reasons, namely because access would be impossible in winter, and the hike itself would be very steep and cover significant avalanche terrain in snow. It’s best to save this hike for when the snow has completely melted the whole way to the summit, which usually only occurs in July. With snow returning in October or November the season for McGuire isn’t the longest.
This is a pet friendly hike, though dogs may struggle with the final scramble as the ridge is narrow, with some mild exposure, and requires the use of hands.
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Is Mount McGuire worthwhile?
Mount McGuire is one of the many gems down Chilliwack Lake Road for those willing to put in the effort. Many hikes down here either require a very capable 4×4 or a very long hike (or both) to reach the summit. The views from the ridge of Mount McGuire are so good that the effort is absolutely worthwhile, even if you have to begin hiking from low down on the FSR. It’s also a fun hike with a short, exhilarating scramble at the end that should be manageable for most hikers.
How difficult is the hike to Mount McGuire?
The difficulty of Mount McGuire somewhat depends on where you are able to park your car along the FSR. The stats above assume you are able to park at the destroyed bridge over Borden Creek, however many people may not get this far, especially if you care about the paint on your vehicle being scratched. For reference when I completed this hike it was 23.5km and 1,500m elevation gain as I parked really far down the FSR. Either way, the most challenging part of the hike begins when you reach the SE ridge at around 1,600m. From there it is a very steep climb up the ridge for 400 vertical meters.
Technically speaking most of this hike is straightforward. Once you’re on the ridge the terrain becomes very steep with some slippery footing on dirt and rocks. As you ascend the climb gets steeper and steeper until you level out before the final scramble begins. The scramble is very brief, perhaps 50m, and it’s mostly class 2 with a very brief class 3 section involving some exposure to a steep fall for a few steps. Once past this the rest of the scramble is straightforward to the summit. It looks worse than it is, you just need to trust that once you’re beyond the short exposed section the rest is fine. There are very solid holds the whole time, and the footing is also very straightforward. I’m confident most people will be fine doing it, but if not I don’t think you will feel hard pressed anyway, as the views from here are still stunning.
Mount McGuire Route Information
The beginning of this hike depends on where you manage to park. An SUV should manage to get to the destroyed bridge over Borden Creek if pinstriping is not a concern (the FSR is often overgrown). If pinstriping is a concern you will have to park somewhere earlier along the FSR and hike to the destroyed bridge, which could feasibly add a significant distance to your day, so keep that in mind for planning purposes. Some vehicles can drive beyond the destroyed bridge via a bypass road over the creek if conditions permit. The FSR beyond the bridge is extremely overgrown, though the road is actually in reasonable condition. There is a good place to park at 1,070m where two FSR’s converge, this is where you should park as the road beyond is impassable for any vehicle.
Assuming you begin hiking at the destroyed bridge over Borden Creek, your first challenge is simply getting over this bridge. At the time of writing (summer 2022), getting over the bridge/creek was still possible on foot by climbing down the destroyed structure and up the other side. This may not always be possible if the bridge remnants continue to deteriorate.
Once over the bridge the next 2km or so is simple FSR walking, but extremely overgrown. You will probably need to push aside some bushes, which likely will get you pretty damp in the morning dew. The trail continues to climb to around 1,070m, where you’ll reach a junction of FSR’s. Turning right the road now narrows as it continues to climb adjacent to a creek. The FSR here used to be driveable in a capable vehicle, but was totally devastated in the 2021 atmospheric river. The FSR is strewn with deep ruts and what can only be described as trenches 3 feet deep criss crossing the road for over a kilometer. Even hiking up this was challenging, there is no chance a vehicle will get up unless it somehow gets graded, which likely will never happen.
At 1,230m the trail takes a turn and crosses a small creek, and thankfully this is where the destroyed FSR returns back to a normal gravel road. You’ll continue hiking along the FSR all the way to 1,400m, which is where you used to be able to park back in the day when the road was in better shape. By now you’ll have had your first sighting of Mount McGuire, which will look challenging from down here.
While the formerly driveable road ends here, the hike will continue along an old FSR. You’ll cross over a creek and at 1,480m you’ll reach a junction where you’ll want to keep left. Shortly ahead, at around 1,500m, the walkable FSR ends around a creek. Keep an eye out for markers here as the entry into the forest isn’t easy to spot. If in doubt, reference your map. You may have to cross an overflowing creek here depending on time of year.
There should be a narrow trail leading into the forest here. Once you’ve located it it should be very easy to follow as it’s well traveled enough to be obvious. There should also be sporadic markers around, so keep an eye out. The trail climbs through the forest briefly before reaching some open meadows. In the early summer these meadows will be blooming with wildflowers.
The trail will gradually begin to steepen as you continue climbing through meadows, and once you reach around 1,700m you’ll be on the SE ridge of Mount McGuire. The views behind you will now be breathtaking, with the striking Slesse Mountain, the Border Peaks and Tomyhoi Peak on display.
The remainder of the hike is now a very steep climb up the SE ridge, with an easy to follow trail the whole way. Be careful with your footing as, at times, it can be quite loose and slippery with a combination of dirt and rocks. As you climb the gradient just seems to get steeper and steeper, you’ll briefly enter some trees on the way up the ridge, but for the most part it’s open ridge walking.
As you near the summit the ridge narrows and the final 50m becomes a scramble. It’s easy to stop here to assess the scramble from a comfortable point, and the views are already staggering. The scramble might look a little daunting to some but if you take your time and break it down it’s actually more manageable than it looks. There is one short section near the beginning which could be considered class 3, with some exposure, but it is very brief and the holds are very solid, just take your time. It is really only a few steps like this, and once you’re past this section the rest of the scramble is straightforward and mostly just hiking to the summit.
The views have already been incredible and obviously the summit offers a 360 degree panorama of all the nearby peaks. The most iconic peaks are Slesse Mountain, Tomyhoi Peak, the Border Peaks, Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker, but you can also see the entire Cheam range in the distance, and countless other Fraser Valley peaks all around. These are some of the best views anywhere in the valley.
The summit has a fair amount of space for moving around, having lunch and soaking in the views. There should be a summit register you can sign as well should you want to.
When you’re ready to begin the descent, just take your time working your way back along the scramble and descend the steep ridge. This descent could be quite slow as it’s so steep, and combined with the uncertain footing you’ll want to take care. Poles are very useful for this section. Once you’re back in the forest it’s just a case of following the trail back to the FSR, where you’re in for a long plod back to the car.
When should I hike Mount McGuire?
As noted Mount McGuire is a summer only hike that should be saved for when the snow has fully melted along the ridge. This usually means a July – October season, but it can vary somewhat depending on the year.
Top Tip
Ideally you can find someone with a vehicle that they don’t mind getting scratched on the drive to the bridge, as it’s quite likely the FSR will be overgrown. This will save a lot of boring FSR hiking if you can make it this far.
Poles will be very useful for this hike due to the steepness of the ridge, especially on the descent.
