After reading of this trail in the Thompson-Okanagan Backroads Mapbook, it looked to be an interesting trail and at 40 km too. But there didn’t seem to be much info about it.. So this last weekend of August, I thought I would reconn this Trinity trail. The Outdoor Recreation Map, by the backroads group, provides a better scale than the Backroads book.
snowmobile trail sign-- follow these on Ganzewald
typical trail condition
And according to this map and Google earth, it looked like the trail follows old logging roads. At one end the trail starts/ends at Silver Star and the other end near Ashton Creek by Mabel lake road.. I went to the Ashton Creek as a start point because I didn’t know where to start at Silver Star.But I will give details starting from Silver Star as most people will start there.(going South to North) The trail definately goes downhill from SS to Ashton Creek.
So I loaded up my jeep with supplies for a couple of days. A friend in his jeep was to accompany me but pulled out last minute.
So some details… At SS in the summer the Nordic parking lots are locked but you can walk/ride around them. The start point is at the lot that has the snowmobilers park in the winter. You should see yellow signs with a snowmobiler on it. The name of the trail is called Ganzewald (or Ganzevald or Ganzevolt). It is a fairly defined gravel “roadway” all the way. This part of the trail does climb up. A little ways up , the right fork leads you to the repeater tower. But stay left to remain on Ganzewald. Next feature is the Vernon Snowmobile Club Chalet. The trail climbs up and down. There are a few mud boggy sections too… From SS it is 8 km to the Park Boundary. There you will see a map sign. Again stay on the Ganzewald trail. Trail signs are labelled clearly.
10 km from the Boundary brings you to the Armstrong Snowmobile Chalet and signpost. I stayed overnight there. Super QUIET. Not to bad for bugs. A pit toilet is there.. The next am, a cow moose walked into the clearing, amazing. I even had my camera and got a nice picture of her.
Again watch for signs to stay on Ganzewald. After heading North a few km, you will see painted on mileage in km to the northerly finish. Now the trail is actually the 575 Forest Service Road (FSR). And now pretty much downhill. The end of 575 FSR is on Durnin Rd. 100m to Trinity road, turn right and another 100m to Mabel Lake Road. turning left brings you back to Enderby. Turning right takes you to Mabel Lake..
Notes: Mobile/cell reception is very spotty anywhere along the trail.
So distances: SS parking lot to to Boundary..8 km
Boundary to Armstrong Chalet 10 km
Armstrong Chalet to 575 start 21km
This trail is easily geared for mtn bikers. For hikers, it is on a well defined “ATV” trail.. But clearly a snowmobile trail with lots of other ones for the winter….. I will try to include some pics (Hey Clayton, if I can’t , can you email me and I will send you some pics via webmail)….grant j
trail sign at the Armstrong Chalet
cow moose at Armstrong Chalet
What an awesome post Grant. This kind of information is so good! Often you explore a road like that after seeing it on a map just to find something blocking your way. So it is so nice to have this kind of intel. What an awesome shot of the moose. Wow. Excellent directions!
One more thing, an easy way to load lots of pictures in a post all at once is to:
-click the picture insert button,
-select the option to browse your computer
-highlight all the pics that you want to upload (no larger than 2meg per pic)
-Once they are uploaded, close that screen, then click the picture upload icon in the post again and it will now have a gallery option,
-click that and a gallery of all the pics you just uploaded will show, one more click at the bottom of the screen and they will all be inserted into your post.
I will try to post these directions in another spot with images to illustrate the procedure.
For mtn bikers, instead of going to the Nordic parking lot, if they can find a way from the top of SS down to the Vernon Snowmobile Chalet then that would be easier, esp with the ride to the top on the chairlift. Remember to arrange a return ride from Ashton Creek/Enderby.
hey Clayton, I could take you for a jeep ride on this trail sometime and you can see what it’s like.
This trail article has a whole other part to it..Suffice it to say it invovles mud, lots of walking, waiting and driving home in the dark.. grant
Hey Grant. That sounds awesome! I’ll email you.
Oops.. I gave misinformation about the distance from Durnin Rd to the Mabel lake Rd..Once you are on Trinity Valley Rd, it is 4 KM on a windy rd, including a one lane bridge, to Mabel lake Rd. Not 100m as stated earlier..
As well, the yellow snowmobile signs only go as far as the Armstrong Snowmobile Chalet. After that stay on the main rd, the 575 FSR. The distance in pink numbers indicate the km back to the start of 575 and Durnin Rd..
Baker rd will take you down to Back Enderby road, but there is a locked gate at the bottom. Not a problem for bikers or hikers, just us 4 wheelers.. grant j
i gotta try this trail. maybe 1 for spring though. or snowshoes. i dont know where i’d be without the okanagan backroads map book.