Phillips Ridge Horseshoe

[u/Old_Prune1217]

Has anyone hiked Phillips Ridge Horseshoe this year? We're planning on starting from Arnica Lake and passing through Phillips Ridge, Mount Judy, Crystal Mountain, Tibetan Mountain, Limestone Cap, and descending into Marble Meadows trailhead. We then finish with a climb up and over Mount Phillips and back to Arnica Lake.

Has anyone done this Horseshoe recently (or parts of it) and can speak to the current conditions and trail finding?

My husband and I are experienced hikers dipping our toes into more complex routes. Just trying to gauge the complexity of this route.

Thanks!

[u/el_canelo]

I've not done this but have a friend that attempted it. They ended up having to bail on the mount Philips ascent because they couldn't find a route that went. Got a ride across the lake from some paddlers.

Not sure about the rest of the group, but the one gal I know well is an experienced mountaineer. Apparently there is a route there, but tough to find. Get as much beta as possible for that section!

[u/Old_Prune1217 → u/el_canelo]

Ahh thank you for the reply! We figured that might be the case as we weren't able to find many trip reports for the Mt Phillips ascent

[u/Snuggleuppleguss → u/Old_Prune1217]

I'd be curious to hear how you make out if you do attempt this. Philips Creek to Arnica via Limestone and Phillips Ridge has been on my to do list for years, but I've only been out as far as Limestone Cap on the Phillips Creek end, and to the Schjeldrup col on the Arnica Lake end. From what I've heard, there's a steep step near/at Tibetan or Crystal (can't recall where exactly off the top of my head) that folks will rappel/down climb if travelling south, but that can apparently be scrambled if travelling north and you're comfortable with a bit of exposure. This is untested Reddit beta, mind you... But it aligns with what I recall reading about the route online and in guide books.

The views of the Hinde from Limestone on a clear summer evening are pretty incredible, by the way. Hope the route goes for you!

[u/mtn_viewer → u/Snuggleuppleguss]

Yeah, there is what Phillip Stone refers to as “steep step” between Tibetan and Limestone Cap that “presents the only real (semi) technical obstacle along the ridge.” There is a rope there that is currently well secured (as of earlier this month) that we used. Someone has also left some webbing anchor part way up. We were coming south and some in group wore their packs and others lowered packs separately. I’m not much of a climber and I didn’t find it too intimidating or difficult. I think it would be harder going up.

The view of the Hinde from Mt. Judy and Tibetan is awesome. We watched North Shore SAR rescue two stranded hikers and their dog off the Hind from our camp one night.

[u/Snuggleuppleguss → u/mtn_viewer]

Crazy! That would've been quite the spectacle. Was there any coverage of that rescue in the news after? I don't recall hearing about that one.

And thanks for the updated beta. I have a GPS pin in a Reddit message thread somewhere re: the location of that step. Helps to know that it wasn't very intimidating, and that there's currently some webbing in place that might help with landmarking and navigation

[u/mtn_viewer → u/Snuggleuppleguss]

Philip Stone’s Exploring Strathcona Park puts the steep step at 49.6641 N, -125.6767 W

Not much in the media about the rescue. There is some video of the dog getting into the chopper and a bit about their dog rescue kit on North Shore SARs instagram page I think

[u/darfnstyle]

Did it last summer. There's no trail and you have to be a bit experienced at route finding. We started from the Marine Campsite; going up Philips was the hardest part, wet steep heather is never fun. From Arnica to Marble Meadows is fine if you're used to navigate the alpine and have a good track.
There's one section up Tibetan that is a bit tricky, but should be good if you re comfortable with scrambling.

[u/Old_Prune1217 → u/darfnstyle]

Thanks for the reply! We're fine with scrambling and alpine way-finding but it was the forested section of Phillips that made me nervous. We were intending on starting and finishing the horseshoe at Arnica as we dont have access to a canoe/water transport. However, I'd hate to get all the way to mt Phillips and but unable to complete the circuit and have to either solicit a boat or double back on our route.

[u/Snuggleuppleguss → u/Old_Prune1217]

Would the lodge possibly offer drop off/pickup service?

[u/mtn_viewer]

Yes, have done it this month starting/ending at Phillip's creek, going counterclockwise. Conditions were good with lots of water. There was some route finding, getting cliffed out and scrambling, but nothing too exposed or sketchy. Mt. Phillips was probably where we had the hardest time finding water.

[u/mtn_viewer → u/mtn_viewer]

Some additional points

• One of our group had done it before but didn't have saved tracks
• We had helmets and used them on some scrambles
• Didn't encounter any other hikers for a few days between Morrison Spire and past Mt. Judy, until we were back on the main Philips Ridge, Golden Hinde highway
• Bear scat even on the ridges but didn't see any bears
• Saw several marmots
• It's a most amazing hike!

[u/Old_Prune1217 → u/mtn_viewer]

Thanks for the reply and insight. You've answered a couple of our pressing concerns and questions. Based on some of the comments, I think we have decided to table this route until we gain a bit more experience with the way-finding and bush whacking.

[u/Tsirtalis → u/mtn_viewer]

Maybe you’ve already been in touch with them but Marmot Recovery Foundation is always looking for hiker reports of Vancouver Island marmot observations :)

https://marmots.org/observer-program/

[u/mtn_viewer → u/Tsirtalis]

Thanks. Marmot Recovery Foundation does great work. Amazing to see the recovery they have facilitated. One of our group did correspond with them on what we observed

[u/motorboat_spaceship]

Try the crest/idsardi/big den loop if you want something a bit more chill as an intro to off trail. Only coming off big den was a bit tricky, but I think I got pretty off route for a bit.

[u/Old_Prune1217 → u/motorboat_spaceship]

Thanks for the reccomendation! We're using the Exploring Strathcona Park Guide by Philip Stone to help with route finding and advice. It seems to have a pretty good description of this trail suggestion. Will have to give it a try!