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IDAHO PEAK AND SANDON
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Idaho Peak [220 Kb]
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The road to Idaho Peak is accessed from the 1890's era ghost town Sandon,
itself well worth a visit. This is the town that made the Silvery Slocan
famous, here in the heart of the Selkirk Mountains.
A number of the buildings that still remain are currently being restored,
and there is a good museum which showcases the history of the area.
The oldest hydro power generation station in the province is still operating
in Sandon and is open for visits.
Numerous old mining sites can be seen by walking the old Kaslo and Slocan
railbed which leads from Sandon toward Payne Bluffs, a few kilometers northwest.
The narrow dirt forest service road which climbs from Sandon
to the Idaho Peak trail head is steep but in good condition. This is one
of the easiest ways in British Columbia to access the alpine meadows by
automobile. We did this walk in August 1998 and again in August 2002.
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Old mine near Sandon [120 Kb]
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From either of the small parking lots at the end of the road, it's just a short walk
to the summit of Idaho Peak, elevation 2280 meters. The display of wildflowers here
during the summer is
magnificent, as are the views of the mountains of Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park to
the south, the Goat Range to the north, the Valhallas to the west, and Slocan Lake below.
This is an excellent vantage from which to contemplate and plan more ambitious
outings in the vicinity.
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