Fernie’s Best Mountain Running Trail: Mount Proctor

Pep talks and inspirational quotes are a dime a dozen. Live your best life. Seize the day. You only live once. But some days (weeks, months or seasons) life can feel particularly mundane. Sometimes even with the best intentions and solid goals, I don’t quite take the needed steps to achieve what I have plotted and planned.

Fall was a season like that for me this year. We had a long stint of gorgeous weather (which is unusual for this Fernie mountain town!). I love the sun on my skin, light clothes and the freedom of summer, so I mourn the passing of warmth. I know pre-winter is just around the corner and it makes me kind of depressed! It was my full intention to go on lots of fun adventures and take advantage of the beautiful autumn light and colours for photography. I tried to give myself those motivational pep talks, but I just did a ‘few’ adventures instead of a ‘lot’ of adventures like I hoped. It is a busy and challenging season of motherhood having 6 kids homeschooling this year – thanks Covid 🙁

I was soaking up the nice weather while watching the forecast. I could see that our beautiful fall was about to come to an abrupt end with snow and a rapid decline in temperatures. Having the desire to do one last mountain run for the season, I messaged a friend and we made a quick plan for a circuit of the Mt Proctor (2360m) trail!

The first ‘peak’ is about 6km and nearly 1000m of elevation gain from the trailhead at the Fernie Visitor Centre parking lot. The run begins on the shared hike/bike Swine Flu trail, which is runnable to the upper bench. From there it is mainly hiking to the first peak, which also makes a nice out-and-back.

From here it’s 330m of elevation and about 2km through rocky terrain and alpine meadows to another ‘peak’.

From here you continue on the ridge to the north; Mt Proctor peak is close – only about 400m and another 80m or so of elevation.

Summit celebrations, and then you continue on the ridge to the north, to a saddle, before dropping into the valley between Mt Proctor and the 3 Sisters Mountain (Mt Trinity).

Extensive trail work is being carried out on this route, and in the upper part of the valley the trail is significantly diverted away from the old one. It goes through some neat Grizzly Bear country until you are right underneath the 3 Sisters. The new trail adds quite a bit to the original length – perhaps 2-3km. It is well marked with large rock cairns, red dots spray painted on rocks and triangle trail markers on trees.

The descent in the lower part of the valley is steep and loose, and then levels out once joined into the Fairy Creek Trail. From here it is an easy contoured 5km track back to the visitor centre with Fairy Creek Falls about halfway along

Total distance: 20km

Elevation gain: 1400m

Cheers to one last mountain adventure 🙂