McBride & Robson Valley / Full trip pack
Kristi Glacier
- Round trip
- 22 km
- Elevation gain
- Not established The source lists 660 m with the destination approach. The stored distance includes a calculated return, but climbing on that return has not been separately established.
- Walking time
- 8 - 10 hours
- Difficulty
- Hard There and Back
calculated return from removed bridge; published leg is 11 km to glacier
Access and trail reports
Dore River road access: closed bridge; reopening not verified
The provincial page updated October 8, 2026 still lists the Dore River Branch 1 bridge at kilometre 2.1 as closed with a zero-tonne load rating. The same page announced replacement work for the week of August 17 and expected two to three weeks of construction, but does not confirm reopening. These overlapping notices leave the current outcome unresolved. Confirm reopening with the road authority before relying on access beyond this bridge.
Reported 2024-08-06 · checked 2026-10-17 · Province of British Columbia
Reports describe the cited dates. An expected reopening date does not establish reopened access.
Valley route follows the south fork toward Cariboo Pass, with waterfall, alpine terrain and camping pads farther on.
1. Getting there and parking
Access alert: the Dore River bridge at road kilometre 2.1 is listed as closed, and a reopening has not been verified. Confirm the road authority’s current status before using the approach below. From Highway 16 about 5 km west of McBride, turn onto Dore River Road. Follow the forest road to the first main junction at approximately 6.5 km and keep right onto Centre Dore. At the next junction, around kilometre 14, stay left on Centre Dore and continue another 7–8 km to parking before the stream. The described crossing is a footbridge rather than a vehicle bridge. The tourism guide notes porcupines near parked vehicles, so confirm the available parking protection and leave room for road users.
- The Dore River bridge at road kilometre 2.1 remains listed as closed; the road authority has not confirmed reopening. These approach instructions are conditional on lawful, passable road access.
- Turn onto Dore River Road about 5 km west of McBride. At the junction around road kilometre 6.5, keep right on Centre Dore.
- At the junction near kilometre 14, remain on Centre Dore, described as the left branch by McBride Tourism. Continue another 7–8 km to the stream-side parking. The older club directions give a conflicting right turn at this junction; use the road name and confirm the branch locally.
Parking: The published approach ends before a stream crossing that has no vehicle bridge. The tourism guide describes a footbridge and recommends protection for parked vehicles against porcupines. The Dore River bridge at road kilometre 2.1 remains listed as closed; the road authority has not confirmed reopening. These approach instructions are conditional on lawful, passable road access.
2. Walking the route
Walk the old logging-road approach for roughly 3 km; the local tourism description warns that this initial section is becoming brushy. Continue up the valley toward the headwall, where the route turns south and climbs through more open terrain and meadows toward Cariboo Pass. The tourism page describes about 8 km to the alpine, while the historical guide gives a longer distance to the glacier itself; select the intended turnaround before applying a distance estimate. Views of the pass and glaciated surroundings do not require treating the glacier as ordinary hiking terrain. Return along the same valley approach.
- Follow the old logging-road approach for approximately 3 km; brush may obscure parts of it.
- Continue up the valley to the headwall, then turn south with the route toward Cariboo Pass.
- Choose the pass or a higher viewpoint as the turnaround before setting out. The club describes tent pads roughly 3 km beyond the pass, at the end of its 11 km approach; that description does not establish a route across glacier ice.
The return
Return through Cariboo Pass and down the same valley. The 11 km published approach gives a calculated 22 km return to its far endpoint; a pass-only trip is shorter.
3. Route map
Mapped named trail
© OpenStreetMap contributors. Route geometry is available under the Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0. · Line source · Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 · Source-line database: https://hikingprincegeorge.com/data/osm-route-lines.geojson
Partial elevation profile
Partial elevation profile
This chart covers only part of the route. It does not establish the full hike or a return journey.
8.42 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
Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 via Open-Meteo. Linework source: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/197278125. Sampled and rounded for display.
Source: https://open-meteo.com/en/licence
Licence: CC BY4.0 elevation data; Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 linework · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Profile source checked: 2026-10-18
Published locations
Numbered points match the map. Use the role beside each point. A summit or park reference point is not a parking location.
| Place and role | Coordinates | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kristi Glacier recreation project location | 53.224558 -120.409100 | Source-published recreation project point; not verified parking or trailhead. https://delivery.maps.gov.bc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/mpcm/bcgwpub/MapServer/404 |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Camping and tenting
The club guide identifies tent pads at the trail end about 3 km past Cariboo Pass. No toilet, food-storage installation or reservation requirement is established in that description.
Season and access
The route enters open alpine terrain and its brushy lower approach can be harder to follow than a maintained frontcountry trail. No separate marked winter route or current bridge inspection was verified by the cited descriptions.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
Measurement notes
11 km from bridge to glacier
660 m
Alpine approach: 8 km; one-way to alpine; gain not assigned. The complete outing is represented in the named route options.
Glacier from bridge: 11 km; bridge to glacier; 660 m source gain. The complete outing is represented in the named route options.
Source comparison: Farther glacier-view / tent-pad outing; 22 km; 660 m ascent; 8–10 hours duration; calculated return; source gives 11 km from bridge to glacier each way scope. This is another description of the main outing, a duplicate endpoint, an unscoped source claim, or a related facility.
Kristi Glacier access conflict: the Caledonia Ramblers page says right at the approximately 14 km fork; the Ozalenka Alpine Club operator and McBride Tourism say left. Directions use the operator’s left turn.
Your trip notes
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