Wells, Barkerville & Bowron / Full trip pack
Mount Tinsdale
- Published distance
- 3 km One way only
- Elevation gain
- Not established The source lists 600 m with the outward route. Any climbing on the return is not established; this is not a verified complete-return total.
- Walking time
- Unconfirmed
- Difficulty
- Unconfirmed
one way from the km 4 parking described by the source
Access and trail reports
Historical road-access observation
The source described SUV access to km 2 and increasingly restrictive cross-ditches higher up; the road above km 4 was soft and waterlogged. Parking position changes the walking distance.
Reported 2026-07-07 · checked 2026-10-17 · Wells and Area Trails Society
Reports describe the cited dates. An expected reopening date does not establish reopened access.
Tinsdale is a high, isolated summit in the Wells area, approached by logging roads and a very steep unformed mountain route. From the kilometre-4 road parking used in the trail society’s description, it is about 3 km one way with 600 m of gain. Lower parking adds road distance; this is not a short maintained trail despite the compact headline length.
1. Getting there and parking
Follow the 3100 FSR to roughly 3107.5 and turn left onto the 1600 Road at marker 1608. Continue approximately 26.5 km to the 1634.5 area, where two uphill block-road entrances merge around 300 m in. A July 7, 2026 inspection found ordinary SUV access to about kilometre 2, a ditch shortly beyond and increasingly frequent cross-ditches after kilometre 3. The road forks at kilometre 4 with a broad parking area; the next kilometre was wet, soft clay with rough ditches. Choose parking according to current conditions and do not damage drainage works to force a vehicle farther uphill.
2. Walking the route
From the kilometre-4 parking area, walk the remaining road for about 1 km to a small rough cutblock. Climb around the arc of the block and leave through its upper-left corner. Beyond this point, navigate an unformed route up very steep forested slopes, using meadow openings where possible. The first roughly 400 m of steep ground includes wet footing and logs, followed by a knoll that provides a brief easing of the grade. Continue up the final steep rise to the summit. Retrace the ascent line to the cutblock; the longer links toward Patchett and Cossette are separate traverses requiring their own route planning.
3. Route map
Published locations only. A complete route line is still needed.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Tinsdale source map reference | 53.039116 -121.251732 | Individual published start waypoint in the steward-linked map. The point is location context; vehicle access was not checked. Full third-party linework is not republished. https://drive.google.com/file/d/13OamEvkscoj0xs21izJsBBtSVvScPSAa/view |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Camping and tenting
Camping is prohibited inside Mount Tinsdale Ecological Reserve.
Season and access
The vehicle-access description is specifically from July 7, 2026. Wet clay and cross-ditches can change the practical trail start. Snow-covered forest, poor visibility or icy summit slopes require a different assessment from the summer route.
Dogs
No route-specific dog rule was established.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
Additional source maps
Map 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13OamEvkscoj0xs21izJsBBtSVvScPSAa/view
Your trip notes
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