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northward.NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Hikes · Valemount & Mount Robson · Valemount / Mount Robson

Swift Mountain summit

Fireguard approach becomes flagged steep summit route.

Sources reviewed . This is a research date, not a trail inspection.

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Distance
12.1 kmRound trip
Elevation gain
800 mPublished route measurement
Walking time
6–8 hours return, plus about 35 minutes driving each way from Valemount
Difficulty
HardOut and back

Map & elevation

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Partial elevation profile

Mapped portion · walking direction unconfirmed · 1.59 km

This chart covers only part of the route. It does not establish the full hike or a return journey.

Elevation along one mapped source section; direction is not an established walking itinerary1900 m2150 m2400 m0 km0.4 km0.8 km1.2 km1.6 km
Explore the elevation with the chart or slider.
Coverage and elevation sources

1.59 km along source section 1 of 1, in its mapped direction. Approximate 90 m terrain model along this mapped section. Separate sections are not joined. This chart does not measure total trail ascent or establish current access; use the guide’s published outing measurements.

Copernicus GLO-90 terrain elevations via Open-Meteo (CC BY4.0); linework: Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 · checked 2026-10-18 · CC BY4.0 elevation data; Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 linework. Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 via Open-Meteo. Linework source: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/643227332. Sampled and rounded for display.

Mapped named trail. Shows the named upper mountain footpath. Lower road or bike-park access is not included in this line. Line source (opens original source).

Getting there & parking

From Valemount Visitor Centre, travel north on Highway 5 and take the first right onto Loseth Road at the Irvin’s RV turnoff. Follow the road as it bends left, then take the first right across the railway. Continue about 11.5 km on the rough road to the hiking sign and parking area, using the steward’s access map and the yellow/orange flagging at forks. High-clearance four-wheel drive is required; the upper road is not fully shown on ordinary street maps.

Estimated drive from Prince George: 4 hr 37 min · 303.3 km. Modeled one-way driving time from Prince George City Hall, using mapped road speeds. Forest-road sections can take substantially longer: surface, clearance, radio procedures, gates, washouts, plowing, and legal access are not verified by the router. No live traffic or invented forest-road multiplier is included. Allow extra time and check the dated access notes.

Open driving directions →

Map position: 52.87956, -119.24834 · trailhead. source-published; not field-verified

On the trail

Begin on the old fireguard road above the high parking area. When the road fades, continue on the marked climbing route, looking ahead for the next ribbon before leaving a clear section. The ascent becomes direct and steep, with large rocks to negotiate before the open alpine. Follow the summit approach and ridge for views across Valemount, Kinbasket Lake and the surrounding ranges, then reverse the same route. The guide gives about 12.1 km return with 800 m of gain from this higher start; it does not include the rough drive or any extra road walking caused by parking lower.

Terrain: very steep ascent · large rocks · ridge route.

Conditions & seasons

The usual hiking season is late June through late September. High-elevation snow and cloud can make ribbon-following and rocky ridge travel harder. The upper road and summit route need separate condition checks; the guide does not provide an ordinary winter vehicle approach.

These are dated research notes. Open the trip planner for current available weather and advisory feeds; no alert found does not establish that a trail or road is open.

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Camping & overnight plans

On-route camping permission has not been established for this outing. Check the relevant land manager before planning an overnight stay; a mapped lake, cabin or previous tent location does not confirm permission.

Photos of Swift Mountain summit

A photograph with confirmed reuse permission has not yet been added to this guide.

Original photo galleries

These galleries stay on their photographers’ original websites.

Take this guide with you

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Full trip packDirections, planning notes & available mapsTopographic mapSource lines and published locationsPartial elevation sheetMapped portion only; not a complete outingSave offline guideDownload a copy to your device
Sources, dates & research notes

Descriptions are written for this guide from the linked evidence. Source review dates, published reports and field observations can differ. Photographs and route lines retain their own attribution and reuse terms.

  1. https://hikevalemount.com/swift-mountain-summit/ (opens original source)
  2. https://routing.openstreetmap.de/about.html (opens original source)
OpenStreetMap line references (1)

These contributor-mapped features support the map geometry. They are separate from the written access and route sources.

  1. https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/643227332 (opens original source)

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