Trail BC - BC's Number 1 Sports Town offers many beautiful hiking trails

Photos

Trail BC area Gyro Park to Sunningdale

see larger image

uploaded by randymac

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

• 

  uploaded by randymac | add comment

Spectacular views from Upper Sunningdale Sandhill Viewpoint


When people think of Trail B.C., Canada, usually the first thing that comes to mind is it's claim to fame as BC's Number 1 Sports Town for pumping out so many hockey and baseball stars over the years. Few people think of Greater Trail as a good place to find hiking trails and being out in the beautiful outdoors with nature. In fact, despite some earlier reports, this area of soutwestern British Columbia offers considerable beauty and surroundings that are attracting new residents from all over North America and many foreign countries. And to top it off, besides being a great community to reture or raise a family, Trail BC offers longer and shorter hiking or walking trails that can be reached within 10 to 15 minutes of the downtown area.

In the past month, I have been hiking a trail that I have known about since I was a kid growing up in Sunningdale, a subdivision of Trail. And if you decide to take a hike up the Upper Sunningdale Sandhill Viewpoint trail, you’ll see the remnants of a cabin that my childhood friends Bernie, Pat, Donald and I built back in the 1960s. If you look hard enough in this area you might even find some old tools most likely missing in action from one of our father’s tool chests for the past 40 years. Even though Xbox and Sony Wii are the normal distraction for younger boys of today instead of building cabins, the secret is now out why most fathers in this area pad lock their tool boxes! They might just start building cabins.

The Sunningdale sub-division is just a short ten minute drive from downtown Trail, along Charles Lake Drive past Gyro Park in East Trail. When you get to the entrance to Sunningdale, follow the Hillside Drive to Marianna Cresent until you reach the Upper Sunningdale Park entrance. This is the best place to park to make this hike. The Upper Sunningdale park lane off Marianna has ample parking for 10 or more cars. There is also a change room and washroom fascilities available in the park.

View slideshow: Hike, Gyro Park, Teck Cominco river bank project, Sunningdale click slideshow

You can access the trailhead by walking out of the park lane, and turn right down Marianna until you get to the water tower hill. Turn right, and walk up past the water runoff fence until you see the granite rocks in the ditch. Look at the bank on the right and you will see the trailhead. I have cleared the trail in this area in the past few weeks to make it easier to get up the steepest part before you get to the ridge line to head up to the sandhill viewpoint.

Once you get near the top, on the sandhill plateau there are two ways to get to the lookout viewpoint. I usually take the upper trail to the very top of the plateau through the trees and then I hike back around until I am in front of the poplar trees. This provides you with a spectacular view of the Greater Trail area and the Columbia River. And contrary to blatantly wrong reports in a Lonely Planet Guide written a few years ago, Trail BC does not at all resemble some stark looking moon landscape. Yes, at one time, the area was scorched, but Teck Cominco, the area's mainstay employer for the past 105 or so years has been very diligent at cleaning up their past mistakes, and Trail can now be boastful of being one of the most beautiful and green communities in BC, if not Canada.

In the past 35 years, Teck Cominco has done a number of things to manage its operations to avoid
environmental harm and minimize environmental impact as protecting the environment is fundamental to long-term viability of their business. One such project that Teck is conducting right now, is on the banks overlooking the Columbia River below the smelter, where they are spending approximately $7 million to plant tress and shrubs that will help minimize environmental disturbance and clean up issues or concerns from past practices. And many residents in the area are pleased to see the company is continuing to take these steps to address the environment through their practice of research aimed at improving the environmental performance of it's smelting activities.

In 2003, the City of Trail entered the provincial Communities in Bloom competition and were awarded 4 out of a possible five blooms. In 2004 the City was awarded five blooms in the provincial competition, and in 2006 in the 5,000 to 10,000 population category for the Canada wide Communities in Bloom competition, Trail BC took the Top 5 Bloom honours. So, it is no wonder why more people are deciding to make Trail a place to call home and a part of their stop over when they travel through the Kootenays and the BC Interior during the winter and summer travel seasons.

If you decide to visit the area, the Upper Sunningdale Sandhill hike is just a 40 minute short hike, and the first leg of a longer hike to the Canadian Flag viewpoint above Sunningdale. Besides the views, it will get your heart rate up a bit, and you'll burn up those calories as some parts of the trail are steep as you will have to make your way around some of the bushes and trees along the trail. To make the hike more enjoyable, you might want to pack a lunch, or some fruit and an adequate water supply of one to two litres. I have also placed some Canadian flag lawn-chairs at the viewpoint so it is more relaxing once you get to the top. You'll find these in their canvas bags hidden back in the trees to the left of the small dog gravestone at the top of the viewpoint. I'll add two more after I go to Canadian Tire next week to get rid of some more of my Canadian Tire money.

When you finally make it to the top, and sit in one of the chairs, you’ll understand more why this is becoming a popular hiking trail for residents and area visitors. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of Sunningdale, and will soon learn why houses in Sunningdale don’t stay on the market too long. It’s a real joy to sit and watch the Columbia River flowing past Sunningdale, Rivervale, Tadanac and even the rather clean looking Teck Cominco Lead and Zinc Smelter properties across the river. I've travelled extensively in the past 20 years and if you live in an industry town, you might think that the surroundings might not be that appealing, but they are. People are out walking and hiking all the time in the Trail area. And the flowers haven't even started blooming yet. You can also see Warfield, up to Rossland and you’ll get a wonderful view of Granite Mountain and Red Mountain ski hills from this vantage point.

The Upper Sunningdale Sandhill Viewpoint gives hikers a different perspective of greater Trail. If you make this hike at least once a week like I have been doing for the past month, you’ll improve and maintain your health, burn up 60 per cent more calories per hour than walking. I checked some facts about the benefits of hiking on the Internet, and most hiking related sites say that hiking at least once a week will help to decrease the bad cholesterol levels, a common cause of heart disease.

One of the questions I get asked often about this trail is if there are any bears or cougars to worry about if someone takes this short hike. My answer is hike aware. Be prepared just-in-case you surprise a bear. Yes, a cougar has been spotted up on the rocks above the Upper Sunningdale Park. Even though it is probably safe to hike this short trail alone, it is always best to hike with a partner or in groups. If you are concerned of any noises in the bush along the trail, make a good deal of noise, bring a whistle or sport air horn like I carry and watch for bear signs. Also, to avoid blisters choose a properly sized and fitted shoe or hiking boots. Try wearing synthetic socks because they reduce friction and draw moisture away from the skin.

This hike is the first leg of the Upper Sunningdale Canadian Flag Viewpoint, where the big Canadian flag waves constantly in the wind above Sunningdale. It was placed there in 2006 by our finest and bravest protectors from the 44th Field Engineering Squadron.

Note: Watch out for poison ivy. Wear long sleeved shirt and sweatpants.

Hiking Trail Rating: 5 out of 5 bears - an easy to moderate hike

Randy McCallum is writing about hiking in the Trail BC area while regular hiking columnist for the Trail Rossland News, Layla Baird, is on vacation.

Links to Trail area sites and hiking guides:

For more photos available in slideshow format, check out this hiking story link on www.kootenayunplugged.com

To visit the City of Trail website to find out more about the Greater Trail and community area & services: City of Trail BC Website

The original hiking story available in May 16 edition of the Trail Rossland News can be viewed here: http://www.trailrosslandnews.com

Another hiking story on the Canadian Flag above Sunningdale: Sunningdale Flag Hike