We have been going up Chuwhels Mountain in winter for a few years and returned again recently.   It is still one of the best access routes to the high country.

Vehicle Access:

• Go south on the Lac Le Jeune to Stake Lake
• the Chuwhels Mountain Road goes west at this point and crosses under the Coquihalla Highway
• the road is usually plowed all the way to the end of Lodgepole Lake, 3.5km up the road
• there is lots of parking at the end of the plowed road, right next to the Lodgepole Lake Forest Service Recreation Site

Routes:

• for a short outing, snowshoers can go around Lodgepole Lake on a shoreline trail or on the lake itself.
• there is another lake due west that can be combined or the area to the south can be explored
• for a longer route, follow the Chuwhels Mountain Road toward the towers
• it is 7.5 to either of the two towers, the return stomp too far for most snowshoers
• snowshoers can cover about 3km an hour so just climb the road for a set time and return by the same route
• on the day we followed the road, a snowcat had packed down the trail so we were able to hike on the road
• there are numerous branch roads to explore if you are willing to break trail

Chuwhels Mountain Road:

• a good road to get to higher elevations
• very quiet and remote
• with so much logged terrain, you can pick your own route