BOU AVENUE
Mount Hawthorne
Zosia Zgolak and I hiked up Mount Hawthorne in British Columbia's White Lake Grasslands Protected Area (WLGPA) on 22 April 2025.  We got our inspiration for this hike from Brandon Boulier.  A good trail runs almost all the way to the top of the mountain which makes this a very pleasant, low-stress outing.

Starting from a pullout (49.29288, -119.57857) which is big enough for about half a dozen cars, Zosia and I crossed Green Lake Road to a locked gate marking the start of White Lake Trail East.  We followed this trail past the north end of Mahoney Lake before winding past an information sign board near a fen.  The trail then turns north, and we soon passed a small tarn before going over a low forested pass.  After climbing out of a dip beyond the pass, we reached a junction marked by an obvious cairn.  Turning right, we followed a narrower but still distinct trail which runs more or less along the west side of an unnamed ridge south of our objective.  With the exception of one short eroded section which required some caution, this second trail was very pleasant to hike and occasionally offered far-reaching views to the northwest.  The trail eventually turns eastward into a forested draw, and we reached another trail junction here.  Keeping left, we turned northward again and soon were climbing increasingly open slopes for the final approach to the summit.  Although the trail is less distinct here, the terrain is easy to navigate, and there are plenty of cairns to help point the way.  Upon tagging the summit, we ventured a bit to the south for a better view of Vaseux Lake before stopping for a break.

For our descent, Zosia and I simply backed out the way we came.  The entire trail was just as pleasant to hike a second time around as we returned to the pullout without incident.
This road is actually busier than you might think--look both ways before crossing! Zosia crosses Green Lake Road to the start of White Lake Trail East.
Lotsa waterfowl here too! Zosia pauses to reflect on the beauty of Mahoney Lake.
This tarn is kinda ugly... Zosia passes a small unnamed tarn.
Bright flagging tape would also help greatly here! This cairn marks an important turnoff to a second trail that leads to the top of Mount Hawthorne.
Still mostly easy hiking though! The second trail traverses a fairly steep slope with occasional cliff bands.
We also saw a few Indian paintbrushes. Balsamroots help brighten up the trail.
Lotsa superfluous cairns here! The forest begins to thin out as Zosia ascends the final slope before the summit.
Another summit with rather disappointing views! Sonny and Zosia stand on the summit of Mount Hawthorne (919 metres).
Excellent spot for a break! Zosia takes a break a short distance south of the summit.  Part of Vaseux Lake can be seen in the valley.
The sparsely-treed ridge at right might be worth exploring in the future... Zosia descends from the top of Mount Hawthorne.  Visible on the far right horizon is Orofino Mountain.

The observatory still looks deserted even though it's a work day!

Visible to the west at the foot of Mount Parker is Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (centre).

 

The hazy look of the photo is proabably due to a smudge on my cel phone camera lens! Zosia again passes the small unnamed tarn on her way out.
Perhaps one of the best hikes in the White Lake Grasslands Protected Area. Total Distance:  11.1 kilometres
Round-Trip Time:  4 hours 50 minutes
Cumulative Elevation Gain:  442 metres

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