Wakefield Trail – Idaho Peak

Do you think driving to the top of mountains is overrated? Do you really want to earn it? The Wakefield Trail gets you up to Idaho Peak using your own two feet. It’s a hard, steady climb that traces old mining routes to the top of Silver Ridge.

Summary

Trailhead: Silverton Creek FSR,
Distance, round trip: 14km
Elevation: +1000m
Time: 5-7 hours (out and back)
Season: late June to late September
Difficulty:  Difficult

Background

The Wakefield Trail follows an old pack trail used by miners to access Silver Ridge. As the trail climbs higher, it crosses old mine tailings and the remnants of rail tracks.

Parking Below the Trailhead

From Highway 6 in Silverton, turn onto 4th Street and then left onto Alpha Street. Follow Alpha Street as it turns into the Four Mile Creek Road and then Silverton Creek Forest Service Road on gravel. Reset your odometer at the start of Silverton Creek FSR.

• At 4.6 km (2.9 mi), turn left up a road signed ‘Wakefield’.
• At 5.1 km (3.2 mi), reach a junction of two roads. Fork right (signed for bikers) and ascend an old road on switchbacks.
• At 8.3 km (5.2 mi), reach the trailhead parking area.

In recent years, careful 2WD low clearance vehicles can make it up.

The Official Trailhead

Up to the Ridge

The trail begins switching back through the forest at a steady climb, with glimpses of the Valhallas through the trees. The forest was lush and shaded from the morning sun, but it was hard work and a hot climb!

After 3km, the forest starts to break up with avalanche paths and mine tailings. The views are spectacular and the wildflowers really start to show!

One annoying thing: Idaho Peak continuously pops into view as you hike along the trail. The fire tower is always higher and never closer. It tends to remind you that despite how high and far you’ve come, it is so much higher and farther to go before the final ascent to the ridge!

Idaho Peak and Silver Ridge

At long last! The Wakefield trail climbs to the parking lot at Idaho Peak at 5.6km! Now there are panoramic mountain views all around!

We were bagged by the time we reached Silver Ridge and so we began a slow shamble to Idaho Peak.

The views on Idaho Peak were spectacular! Reach the lookout after 7.2km and at 2273m high. Early July had meadows of Yellow Glacier Lily and anemone appearing where the snow retreated. Yellow Ragwort also dotted the slopes with Indian Paintbrush just starting to appear.

Looking North-West over New Denver

Looking South-West over Silverton

Yellow Glacier Lillies

Walking Silver Ridge

Ragwort along the Slopes

The Descent

What goes up must come down, and sadly that is true for tired hikers out in the summer heat. We took the descent slowly, watching our step on the loose gravel of the mine tailings.