Wettin Peak


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What:  1538m.  A bushwhack with a partial view.

Where:  Wettin Peak is located toward the northern end of the Howe Sound Crest Trail near Porteau Cove, BC.

Difficulty: 4/5  Some bushwhacking and some serious scrambling
Runnability: 2/5 Popular lower section of trail offers a good warm-up.  Bushwhacking and some scrambling in the alpine
Peak view: 3/5
Partially-obstructed views of surrounding peaks and valleys
Scenery: 4/5 Old growth, second growth forests.  Creeks. Beautiful alpine lakes. Great views.
Children: 1/5 Not appropriate.
Dogs: 3/5 Some sharp rocks and steep bits in alpine.

Route overview:  The trail to Wettin Peak can be broken down into 5 sections:  Highway #1 to trailhead, trailhead to Deeks Lake, Deeks Lake to the ridge, the ridge to Hat and Hat to the peak. The first section can be driven with a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  The second and third sections are on the popular Howe Sound Crest Trail (HSCT) and are very well marked.  The section to Hat Peak is marked with the occasional bit of flagging and there is a thin trail.  The final section is very infrequently traveled and not flagged.

Trip distance:  From the parking lot at Highway #1, roughly 20 km. 

Trip time:  From the parking lot at Highway #1, roughly 5-7 hours.  Subtract 1-2 hours if you drive to the trailhead. This assumes a moderate running pace and some contingency for getting lost.

Safety: 

  • Cellular coverage is poor to non-existent.
  • GPS spotty under tree cover
  • Emergency shelter at Brunswick Lake.
  • Recommend you bring your Baggers Companion and lots of water

Name Origin: Named after the House of Wettin, a German royal dynasty.  Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, belonged to this family. 

Headwaters for:  Some small streams.

Getting there:  Drive to the Porteau Road exit off Highway #1. There is a parking area for users of the Howe Sound Crest Trail.  If your vehicle has 4-wheel drive, you may want to continue approximately 4 kilometers up the dirt road to the trailhead.

Route Details:  The trail to the Brunswick shelter is relatively well traveled.  The remaining section is far less traveled and not flagged.

Highway to Trailhead (1-2 hours)

  • From the parking lot, go right and uphill on a gravel road past a yellow gate.
  • Follow dirt and gravel road approximately 4 km uphill to a small clearing with a smaller dirt road to the left with HSCT marker.  If you are driving, best to park vehicle here

Trailhead to Deeks Lake (1-2 hours)

  • trail continues on a dirt road for about 1 km, then narrows.  Pass a lookout of the valley on your right
  • well traveled singletrack trail continues steeply uphill with waterfall to the right
  • pause to soak in the view of surrounding peaks at Deeks Lake

Deeks Lake to Brunswick ridge (30-min - 1- hour)

  • follow well-marked HSCT trail to the right along south end of the lake, then around west side of Deeks Lake. 
  • cross the creek and continue on east side of small lake.  Trail winds uphill to a red-roofed shelter just above the magnificent Brunswick Lake
  • continue on HSCT steeply uphill past a little tarn.  Watch for small trail and orange flagging to the right

Ridge to Hat Peak (1/2 - 1 hour)

  • thin trail to Hat passes a smaller peak (called Fat Ass for the Bagger Challenge).  Look for tape on western side of Fat Ass and a short scramble down to saddle
  • Hat is characterized by tall, green cell tower.  Stop to sign the guest book!

Hat to Peak (1-2 hours)

  • bushwhack down the north face of Hat and down a steep bit, then across an open ridge of heather.
  • climb up and over the first, lower peak along the ridge
  • Wettin peak offers partial views of Anvil Island
  • return via same route

Neighboring peaks:

  • Bagger Challenge peaks Brunswick Mountain, Fat Ass Peak, Hat Peak are en route or relatively close.  Several other Howe Sound peaks are baggable within same day by a strong runner

Submitted by:  Ean Jackson and David Crerar

More information: 


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