It’s been three months since we’ve set foot on Baldy Mountain Resort. Those beautiful snowy days seem so long ago. Whenever I walk past my skis, waiting there so patiently, I have this strange longing for snow! But summertime is pretty awesome too, so instead of waiting for winter to get back up to Mount Baldy we packed our hiking gear and up we went.
We were a group of 24 (8 adults and 16 kids) for our first hike up Mount Baldy! Hiking in big groups can be a bit tricky, especially if there is a wide range of hiking abilities, but it’s super fun to explore with friends. Also, Mount Baldy is a good spot for hiking with big groups because it’s quite easy to keep track of everyone.
I should mention that the trails at Mount Baldy are in development. There are some trails near the village but there are no specific hiking trails to the top. However, all the ski runs are well cleared so you can hop onto any run and hike up. We opted to take on a smaller climb and hiked to the top of SugarLump. We started below the chairlift and then looped down. The hike was a grind getting up (it’s a ski hill after all) but the views make it more than worth it. It took our group about two hours to hike up and down again.
Mount Baldy is quite a bit cooler than down in the valley, so it’s a good spot to explore if you want to escape the summer’s heat. The wildflowers are just starting to bloom and we noticed a lot of wild blueberry bushes and strawberry plants on the slopes. In just a short while there will be berries galore up there! The kids enjoyed spotting wild critters and searching for treasures (coins and other goodies left behind by skiers and snowboarders). There’s so much to explore at Mount Baldy I’m sure we could go back several times this summer and still have more to see.
I know that there are plans to develop Baldy Mountain Resort as a summer adventure destination and you follow the discussion over on their Facebook page. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for this special mountain. For now, however, you can enjoy exploring this beautiful place to your hearts content.
Directions: Mount Baldy is located 37 km east of Oliver, BC. If coming from Oliver, BC turn onto Fairview Road which turns in McKinney Road. Follow McKinney Road all the way up. Mount Baldy can also be accessed by coming up Mount Baldy Road from Highway 3 (Crowsnest Hwy). The turn off is 37 km east of Osoyoos, BC and then it’s another 18 km up Mount Baldy Road to the resort.