Plumbob Mountain

BOU AVENUE
Plumbob Mountain

On 18 February 2023, Zosia Zgolak and I skied up Plumbob Mountain located about sixteen kilometres southwest of Jaffray, British Columbia. An active fire lookout sits atop Plumbob Mountain and is easily accessed via a road as described in Mike Potter's Fire Lookout Hikes in the Canadian Rockies. Before this trip, I was most concerned about whether I could even drive to the base of the mountain along the maze of backroads in the area especially in winter. At the same time, I wondered if there would be sufficient snow coverage for skiing since there had been so little fresh snowfall in recent weeks. Zosia and I actually did a scouting drive the previous evening and found that the relevant backroads were all conveniently plowed albeit icy. However, we did not drive all the way to the start of the lookout access road and would have to wait until we returned the next morning to find out if it would be skiable.

From the intersection with Highway 3 in the town of Jaffray, drive south along Jaffray-Baynes Lake Road for 16.0 kilometres to the intersection with Kikomun Road (this intersection can also be reached via the Kikomun Road turnoff from Highway 3 about 3.3 kilometres west of Elko). Turn west onto Kikomun Road and drive across the bridge over Kootenay River. Kikomun Road ultimately becomes Teepee Creek Forest Service Road (FSR) where the pavement ends at a T-intersection with Waldo-Gold Creek FSR about 1.6 kilometres past the river crossing. Continue straight at this intersection and drive 11.5 kilometres to another T-intersection with Plumbob Creek FSR. Turn left (south) and drive 7.0 kilometres to the signed start of the lookout access road. We parked in a plowed pullout a little further south, but in summer, it may be possible to drive much of the way up the lookout access road.

Before setting off, Zosia and I briefly inspected the start of the lookout access road, and although the snow was old and crusty, the coverage was surprisingly good. We subsequently strapped climbing skins to our light touring skis and began the long but uncomplicated trudge up the road. The crusty snow at the beginning was supportive enough to ski on, and a little later, we came across snowmobile tracks which joined in from a branching road. These tracks ran all the way to the top which saved us the trouble of breaking trail and route-finding. The entire ascent went without a hitch, and we stopped for a short lunch break after taking our requisite summit photographs.

In contrast to the problem-free ascent, the descent proved to be challenging for Zosia and me. After removing our climbing skins, we zigzagged a bit of an open slope just below the summit before regaining the snowmobile tracks we had come up. The tracks were always just a bit too narrow to do a proper snow plow, and the packed snow proved to be terrifyingly slick especially for our skinny skis. In general, it was very difficult to control our speed especially on some of the steeper inclines (I even walked one short but steep section), and partway down, we decided to put our climbing skins back on. Sure, this killed our glide on flatter sections, but overall, we descended the road more efficiently by not having to continually put on the brakes. With our skins attached for the remainder of the trip, we made it back to our starting point without further drama.

	Zosia begins skiing up the lookout access road.
	Despite the poor quality of the snow, coverage on the lookout access road is excellent.
	The forest begins to open up as Zosia climbs higher up the road.
	Zosia climbs up a long rising switchback in the road.
	A clearing near the south end of the summit ridge grants some far-reaching views to the west of mostly unnamed hills.
	Zosia resumes skiing up the road along the summit ridge.

An outhouse with a view even!

Zosia approaches the top of Plumbob Mountain which is also the site of Casey fire lookout. Note the outhouse at far right.

	According to Mike Potter, this is the third lookout structure to be built on Plumbob Mountain.
	Zosia and Sonny reach the summit of Plumbob Mountain (1670 metres).
	Visible to the northwest about 28 kilometres away is Mount Baker (right of centre).
	Sonny makes a few "turns" just below the summit. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia tries to use the untracked snow beside the snowmobile tracks to help control her descent of the summit ridge.
	Sonny finds snow plowing a bit awkward on the narrow snowmobile tracks. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Parts of Lake Koocanusa can be seen in the distance as Zosia carefully negotiates a bend in the road.
	Total Distance: 12.6 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 4 hours 39 minutes Net Elevation Gain: 617 metres GPX Data