On a cool and sunny morning the hike for the day was up to the top of Ridge Mountain, an open ridge between Lac le Jeune and the Ridge Lakes. Access to the trail is the Ridge Mountain Forest Service Road. Take the Lac le Jeune West Road and then turn onto the signed gravel road and continue up for 3.25 km. There is lots of room for parking. Two roads/tracks start from the clearing. The northern one is sometimes called the Fire Break. It created an open area from the FSR to Ross Moore Lake, but it has grown in now with self-seeded trees and shrubs. A sign at the start includes restrictions for 4WD’s, allowing snowmobiles, hikers, and snowshoers. It is a double track which is narrowing because of the new growth. The main part of the hike is up the track to the northeast corner of Ridge Mountain.
There was a bit of frost on the ground on the way up. Mature lodgepole pines line the sides of the Fire Break, but young lodgepole pines are filling in the space.
The track climbs to a pass between the hills. At about 1.25 km, a hard-to-spot single track bears south (right) up through the forest to an open ridge. The top of Ridge Mountain is a short hike up. There are open views in three directions from the top. To the west is the Meadow Creek Valley extending toward Logan Lake. Highland Valley is visible in the distance, 37 km away. To the south the forested hills continue to rise to 1634 m (5 360 ft.). The Ridge Lakes are south and southeast of Ridge Mountain. Ridge Mountain is surrounded by lodgepole pine forest. It stands above, a quiet spot in the backcountry.
A few photos of the hike are shared here in a Google Photos slideshow:
- Click on any photo (top right) to go to the album which has captions.
- Start of the firebreak track – N 50 27.539 W120 31.418
- Start of the single track up Ridge Mountain – N 50 27.439 W 120 31.258
- Ridge Lakes Hike (YouTube)
- Ridge Mountain and Ridge Lakes Hike (YouTube)
- Ridge Lakes on Snowshoes (YouTube)
- Ridge Mtn Hike (new – YouTube)
