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Black Rock Mountain |
| Elevation 2462m Height
Gain Time to Reach Summit Degree of Difficulty Scenery Date of Most-recent
Ascent |
Despite of the old saying, getting there is NOT half the fun. The trail head is at the end of a long stretch of rough gravel road, the last section consisting of crossing a creek bed. To get there, take Highway 940 north from Highway 1A to Benchlands/Waiparous. At Richards Road, hang a right and take the first left onto a dirt road (Ghost River Road). There's a cattle gate at the entrance. Don't forget to close the gate behind you. At the bottom of a campground keep right. The road rises quickly up hillside, with Ghost River down to your left. The road ends at a steep hill winding down to the river. This section is not long but loose rocks and boulders will mean off limits to anything except 4X4's. When you reach the bottom of this bumpy grind veer right. Further along the "road" turns left over the embankment across the creek bed. In a few minutes turn right at a sign denoting Black Rock Mountain Lookout. Park at the edge of the creek. The trail begins on the opposite bank of the creek atop some wooden steps. The shaky ride in will probably send you scurrying for the outhouses before you get into any hiking. A brisk 30 minute walk takes you out of forest. From treeline, the trail climbs quickly towards cliffs. The summit block appears to the right of this obstruction. Through squinted eyes, the lookout building can be seen perched atop the summit. At the base of the cliffs the trail snakes left and makes its way to a narrow gully. The gully widens as you top out, eventually opening up to gentle grassy slopes. The final romp to the summit along the south shoulder requires some easy scrambling. Braided paths make their way to the top, but look for the easier paths which zigzag across scree - save the loose stuff for the return trip. There is one brief section with mild exposure just before reaching the summit plateau. Views at the summit are enjoyable but not spectacular. The interesting views are to the west. The distinctive plug shape of Devil's Head is in the foreground. The major peak to the southwest is Mt. Alymer.
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