Day 5 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2023 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!
7:58 AM, Aveling Coal Mine Road, SW of Telkwa – Immediately after crossing the bridge over the Telkwa River, sure enough, there was a side road off to the R. Without driving down it, SPHP parked the RAV4.
C’mon, Loopster! Let’s check this out. John Stolk says there are some nice campsites down along the river. Maybe we’ll stay here tonight?
Oh, I hope so, SPHP! The Telkwa River is gorgeous!
Stolk was right – the primitive campsites along the N side of the river were secluded and very scenic. Returning to the RAV4 after a photo from the bridge, the drive along Aveling Coal Mine Road continued. Telkwa Microwave Mountain (6,333 ft.) was way out in the boonies. Even with Stolk’s directions, which were pretty good, it wasn’t always immediately clear where to go.
5 miles past the bridge, a security guard in a white pickup was stationed at the start of Road No. 116, a R turn marked with a bright yellow sign. SPHP inquired. No, this wasn’t it. Microwave Road, also a R turn, was another 3 km, maybe more, according to the guard.
Less than 2 miles beyond Road No. 116, Aveling Coal Mine Road forked at a large flat spot where it would have been easy to turn around. The road curving to the R as it started uphill almost had to be Microwave Road. John Stolk’s 7.5 mile estimate to the microwave tower on this sometimes bumpy, narrow affair was good.
10:05 AM, 51ºF, parked 100 feet from the microwave tower –
Gah! The mosquitoes are terrible, Looper! Stay inside while I get ready. Where the heck did I put the Deet?
Finally remembering where it was after practically tearing the RAV4 apart, SPHP slathered 100% Deet on. Nasty stuff, but the mosquitoes hated it. Before long, the pack was ready.
Alrighty, Loop. Show time! Onward! Puppy, ho!
Going 150 meters back down the spur that led to the tower, a muddy side road headed off into the forest.
Is this the way, SPHP?
Yeah. Supposed to go nearly all the way to Telkwa Microwave Mountain, too, Looper. Should be a long, but relatively easy romp, if we don’t get rained out. According to the topo map, none of it’s all that steep.
Lupe was happy following the old jeep trail beneath a gray sky. The cool, humid air felt like rain. Marching straight through a series of big mud puddles, the American Dingo often paused for a drink of mineral water. Although many of these puddles covered the entire road, SPHP had no difficulty getting around them.
Everything was green and lush. The forest looked extremely healthy. As long as Lupe kept going, mosquitoes really weren’t much of a problem for her. Climbing gradually, the road dipped twice, then began a steeper climb which soon leveled out at a fork. The branch to the L appeared to head right into a swamp.
Naturally, the road to the R seemed the obvious choice. A short, initially steep, trudge on this road got Lupe to a plateau of stunted evergreens mixed in with some open ground. From here, the microwave tower was once again in view again back to the S. Near a lone patch of blue sky to the W, high mountains with snow and even glaciers were in sight on the horizon, their summits hidden in the clouds.
Everywhere else, the sky remained an unbroken gray.
Crossing to the NNE end of this gently rolling plateau, after going around a curve, 3 high ridges were in view off to the NW. Two of them had been visible from back at the microwave tower, but the middle one had not.
Which one is Telkwa Microwave Mountain, SPHP?
Not entirely certain, Loop. The center one, I think.
It’s a long way off, SPHP. Good thing this isn’t very rugged territory.
The road went W from here. Following it, a yellow cabin with a green roof and a vehicle parked nearby promptly appeared directly ahead.
Someone’s in there, SPHP! I see movement by a window.
Yup. I saw someone, too, Looper. This must be the local ski club hut that John Stolk referred to, except that he said it was up a short spur to the R from the way he went. Not sure how we got off track.
Maybe Stolk took the swamp route, SPHP?
That would explain it. You’re probably right, Loop. Must have been a lot drier when John was here, if he went that way. If so, we ought to run into his route again somewhere not too far beyond the cabin. We’re going to have to go right past it, in any case. Act casual, and don’t bark if anyone comes out to ask what we’re doing here.
Whoever was in there apparently didn’t notice the Carolina Dog trot on by. No one appeared. Immediately beyond the hut, the road descended NW into an enormous parklike region. Stands of healthy spruce stood among fields of wildflowers and tundra. Various small tarns decorated the landscape.
Near the bottom of the hill, Lupe rejoined what must have been the road from the swamp route. A few drops of rain had fallen. Forewarned, SPHP paused to don the red rain jacket. Following the jeep trail N from this junction, Lupe crossed a broad flat region before the road turned W. A climb into thicker forest ensued as a steady light rain began to fall.
The road leveled out again on another small plateau, then curved rather steeply down into a densely forested saddle. Near the low point, a huge, black turd was right in the middle of the road.
Bear scat, SPHP!
Looks mighty fresh, too, Loop. You’ve been kinda quiet. Bark a little now and then, would you, please?
Oh, I don’t know. No squirrels here, and the mist doesn’t really make me feel like barking.
You’ll feel like it when this monstrous bear shows up! I’m sort of hoping to avoid all that kind of excitement.
The road turned NW again as it resumed a long climb with minor dips along the way. Lupe made great progress. As she gained elevation, the forest thinned out, becoming stunted again as it gave way to tundra.
After reaching 5,200 feet, the American Dingo came to a long stretch where a series of dips between minor climbs resulted in little, if any, net elevation gain. One of the big ridges Lupe had seen from near the ski club hut was in sight almost straight ahead, its summit now hidden in the clouds.
12:08 PM – At one of the last high points in the 5,200+ foot region, Lupe was ready for a break. This was a particularly scenic spot. Clusters of pink wildflowers bloomed on the side of this little hill, and several tarns were visible in a shallow valley to the SW.
Unfortunately, while sharing a chocolate coconut bar, the quiet, general sullenness of the day turned to a deeper gloom. Fog swept in. Lupe’s world shrank to a only a few hundred feet, dimly seen, in all directions. Light rain continued to fall. It had been raining for quite a while now.
Well, shucks, Loopster. This is gorgeous territory, but doesn’t look like we’re going to get to see much of it today. You’re all wet. Are you cold?
I’m fine, but is it still a long way to Telkwa Microwave Mountain, SPHP?
Sort of. A few miles yet to the summit. We’re more than halfway there.
Hoping for the best, despite the disappointing weather, the American Dingo resumed her trek. Lupe soon came to a junction with another road coming up from the S. Turning N here, she started seeing bigger tarns. One of them was so full of water that it extended right over the road, spilling into a small stream. SPHP searched 50 feet downstream before finding a soggy spot narrow enough to leap over.
Climbing again as the road wound N, before too long, an unexpected and welcome development occurred. The fog was lifting! Coming around a curve, a wide valley was in sight. Ahead, a gradually descending stretch of road crossed this valley before climbing back into the fog.
What’s that black dot in the distance, SPHP? Do you see it?
You mean the black dot on the road, Loop? I do see it.
Close to the road, but not quite on it, SPHP. Maybe that’s the bear!
Could be. Doesn’t seem to be moving, though. There’s another possibility. John Stolk mentions a unique large standing rock where he left the ATV track to head more directly for the Telkwa Microwave Mountain summit. That black dot might easily be his rock.
As Lupe got closer, it became clear that the black dot was not a bear, and actually well off the road. It was unmistakably the rock Stolk must have been referring to. No other rock remotely like it was anywhere around.
That rock’s quite a landmark, SPHP. Let’s go take a look at it. It’s such a spiffy rock that we really ought to give it a name, too!
How about the Tablet of Doom, or Devil’s Thumb, Looper?
My, my! A little rain and fog, and aren’t you the cheery one, SPHP? How do you ever manage to complete any adventures at all? How about calling it the Tablet of Hope? After all, the fog is lifting. Maybe the sun is going to come out?
It’s black, Loopster. That’s why I suggested gloomy names. Who knows what the weather will be like the next time someone sees it? Tablet of Hope might not fit at all.
Oh, alright. We could call it Stolk Rock. John Stolk made it famous!
Not sure I’d call it famous, Loop, but yeah, he’s probably the first one in the history of the world to ever mention it on the internet.
Stolk Rock was 6 feet thick, 17 feet high, and stood magnificently upright according to SPHP’s very precisely calibrated eye. It’s color came from the black lichens adorning it.
From Stolk Rock, the road headed NW, climbing yet again. Lupe stayed on it since the tundra was so wet. However, she did not make it back up into the fog. Tablet of Hope was a fitting name today! The rain quit, and the sky brightened as the clouds continued to rise.
Tiny streams trickled down the sometimes mushy road. Frequent small stream crossings were never more than a few inches deep. Climbing out of the valley at an easy pace, the road turned N. The Carolina Dog was well above treeline now. Even the tundra was getting sparse. The big mountains on the horizon remained hidden among the clouds, but nearby ridges were in view. Lupe was already above most of them.
Eventually a scenic level stretch led to a view of a very deep valley to the NNW and the barren highlands of another mountain beyond. Resuming its climb, the road turned NE. Soon another tall, dark figure loomed in the distance ahead.
Look, SPHP! It’s one of those giant bowling pins!
Oh, not too much farther now, Loopster! That’s the summit tower.
Beyond the tower lurked a couple of gnarly knobs that appeared to be higher. After nearly 7 miles of easy terrain, SPHP immediately felt a pang of trepidation. Could Lupe actually get to the true summit? Stolk had mentioned those high points. Supposedly no sweat. Class 2 at most.
Continuing on, the summit region disappeared from view due to the lay of the land. Lupe soon came to the edge of a big ravine cutting E/W clear across the mountain. From here, the road vanished under a snowbank as it turned sharply WNW and descended to a tarn nestled in the ravine. Reappearing from beneath the snow before it got there, after circling the tarn, it angled NE up the other side of the ravine.
Closer, and a little farther E, another snowbank filled the bottom of a higher part of the ravine.
Shoot, let’s skip the tarn and go that way, Looper. Won’t have to lose as much elevation.
Glad to see the snow, Lupe had no objections either way.
The snow was strong, holding even SPHP’s weight, which made crossing the ravine a cinch. After reaching the upper rim of the far side, the rest was easy. Lupe quickly reached the road again, which was fading, but went all the way to the bowling pin. Or obelisk, as John Stolk called it.
2:23 PM, 44ºF, Telkwa Microwave Mountain (6,333 ft.) – Beneath the gray sky, Lupe stood in a 10-15 mph SE breeze on a small, conical hill just E of the obelisk, wisps of fog sailing by as clouds scraped the summit.
A pity we don’t have a clear day, Loop. Hudson Bay Mountain is only 13 km NE. I’m sure we must have seen Telkwa Microwave Mountain from there last year. We ought to be seeing it, plus a line of glacier-clad peaks all along the W horizon, too.
Hudson Bay Mountain was spectacular, SPHP, even if we couldn’t get anywhere near the true summit. You have to admit, though, we’re lucky to have any views at all today. Be thankful!
Yes, I know it. I am thankful, Loopster. For a while there, I thought we’d be totally socked in up here.
Getting socked in was still a distinct possibility, and the American Dingo hadn’t reached the true summit yet. The two gnarly knobs previously seen from afar were now back in sight again strung out along Telkwa Microwave Mountain’s N ridge. The closest one appeared to be at least a little higher than the conical hill near the obelisk.
The drops on both sides of the skinny N ridge were fearsome enough to cause concern as Lupe started toward an apparent drop-off leading to the closest knob. Happily, this drop was quickly revealed as an illusion. A minor dip, and a faint path on perfectly safe ground went right to the top of the S knob. An easy traipse, and Lupe was there!
So far, so good, but gazing N toward the next knob, SPHP was uncertain.
Well, shoot! It’s just like Stolk said, Loopster. Both of these high points are so close to the same elevation, I can’t tell which is highest. Let’s creep a little closer, and see if there’s a safe way over there.
Don’t do anything stupid, SPHP!
Oh, you know me, Looper. I do lots of stupid things. The trick is not being too stupid. C’mon!
From the N end of the S knob, the news was good. The faint path went all the way to the S high point of the N knob, which hopefully would be far enough. Hard to say for certain, though. The N knob actually had at least a couple of high points along it.
OK, Loopster. We can do this. Onward! Puppy, ho! Be careful, though. That W edge is really steep.
2:30 PM, Telkwa Microwave Mountain, N summit – Upon reaching the first high point of the N knob, SPHP felt instant relief. No need to go any farther. Clearly nothing any higher beyond this point. Good thing, too! This was it. The rest was beyond SPHP’s comfort zone.
As things stood, joyfulness reigned! SPHP shook Lupe’s paw.
Whew, a little more exciting here at the end than I would have ever thought, Loop! Anyway, congratulations on your successful ascent of Telkwa Microwave Mountain!
Nothing to it, SPHP! A simple stroll along a skinny ridge. So what? Oh, wait. Yes, it was terrifying! A 2 chocolate coconut bar mountain at least!
Ha! You already had one a while ago, crafty Dingo, and are going to have to wait for the next one. So little room up here that I don’t dare take off the pack. One accidental bump, and it will be 500 feet below us.
Is this the true summit, SPHP?
Hard to say, but you’ve been to it somewhere along the way. Actually tend to agree with Stolk. The S knob along this ridge is most likely the true summit. Glad we tagged this N high point, too, though!
Laying down, Lupe waited as SPHP took a few photos. Due to the cramped quarters, SPHP couldn’t get her in any of them.
5 minutes sitting together in the breeze while relaxing and enjoying the views was it before SPHP started back S, leaving the Carolina Dog alone in splendid isolation atop her remote, lofty, northernmost perch.
That’s good, Loopster! C’mon!
Returning to the true summit – the S knob of the N ridge in both Stolk’s and SPHP’s opinions, or the middle high point, if you counted the conical hill near the obelisk – Lupe lingered surveying the views. SPHP shook her gently offered paw once more.
The Carolina Dog’s traditional summit hour was already waning as she returned to the conical hill near the obelisk, but SPHP decided the wind was too cold up there. Retreating S a little way, a soft patch of tundra was a better choice.
After having some Taste of the Wild, and sharing the second chocolate coconut bar of the day, Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap. At first, the views of the way she’d come up and the big, barren ridges nearby were clear, but as time ticked away, intermittent fog began obscuring the scene.
By the time summit hour was up, the views were gone. Waiting a little longer produced no improvement.
Fiddlesticks! Thought we’d return to the true summit one more time, Loopster.
Not much point in it now, SPHP.
No, there wasn’t. A final glance back at the obelisk and the conical hill, and the American Dingo was on her way.
The fog and threat of rain ruined other plans as well. Would have been fun to explore the S ridge on the way back to Stolk Rock, but Lupe stuck to the road again under the circumstances. She wasn’t anywhere near the S ridge by the time she lost enough elevation to get below the clouds.
Even the road route was incredibly scenic! Lupe displayed great energy and enthusiasm, often abandoning the road to race freely across the wet tundra before returning to check on SPHP’s progress.
Don’t suppose we’ll ever see the Scottish Moors, SPHP, but this is what I’d image them to be like!
The sky brightened. Spirits soared! Reaching Stolk Rock, it seemed like the sun might break through the clouds at any moment.
It never did. Lupe had a blast, anyway!
7:04 PM, 53ºF, back at the microwave tower off Microwave Road – Well, it was over. Tired, Lupe hopped up onto her pink blanket in the RAV4. Her Telkwa Microwave Mountain (6,333 ft.) adventure was complete. A slow, bumpy ride back to Aveling Coal Mine Road ensued.
A little sunshine wouldn’t have hurt a thing, but still an awesome day, Looper! How does beef stew and Fritos sound for dinner back at one of the campsites Stolk recommended along the beautiful Telkwa River?
Fabulous, SPHP! I’m famished!
Links:
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John Stolk’s Trip Report (9-6-17)
Directions: At the village of Telkwa turn W off Yellowhead Hwy No. 16 onto Harkin Road. Harkin Road goes 1 block, makes a 90º L turn running straight into Coal Mine Road, which immediately crosses a bridge over the Bulkley River.
Proceed SW on paved Coal Mine Road for 4 miles to a fork. Take the R branch of the fork. You are now on Aveling Coal Mine Road. There is a green and white street sign in the bushes on the R after making this turn, but it parallels the road and is not visible before making the turn.
The pavement ends 100 meters beyond this turn. After 6 miles, Aveling Coal Mine Road crosses the Telkwa River. (Campsites on the R.) 5 miles beyond this bridge, Road No. 116 appears on the R.
Do not take No. 116. Continue straight 2 miles to another fork at a flat spot with plenty of room to turn around. The road curving uphill to the R is Microwave Road. At various points Microwave Road becomes steep, narrow, rocky, full of potholes, switchbacks, etc. As per Stolk’s TR, any 2WD vehicle with decent clearance can make it. Follow Microwave Road 7.5 miles to a short spur on the L leading to the microwave tower.
Welcome to your trailhead! Distances given are +/- one mile.
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