Mount Cokely/Arrowsmith Hiking Trails System
Vancouver Island, BC. Canada

the city of nanaimo with Curiseship sitting in the harbor Mount Cokely and Mount Arrowsmith

Mount Arrowsmith  "Kulth-ka-choolth",( meaning "jagged face") is the tallest mountain on the southern Vancouver island below the #4 highway to Port Alberni & long Beach on the west coast.
The two mountains has hiking for everyone from beginner to experienced mountaineer.3d cokely

There are 5 way to hike up or down  to or from the summit of Mount Cokely, some easier then others.

The easiest way is straight up the ski run (pink line)of the old Arrowsmith ski lodge, You have about an 1 to 1.5 hours from hiking to reach the summit, a bit less coming down. so give yourselves about 4 hours so you can stay a while and enjoy the view.

  Rosseau Chute (dark blue line) I did last spring and it was still covered with snow so more of the trail/route isnt recorded, or what it is like to hike up when clear of snow.

 Rosseau Ridge(dark purple line(top)) is a great hike but can be strenuous to the harden to mountain hiking

The Saddle Route (Blue line(top)). is a good route to do, it was the one started with years ago. creek down the middle so water is available.

up hill section going to cokelynow for those who like a real hike. you'll prefer to hike up from the lowest possible starting point. So you want to start at Cameron lake trail head.

you start at 228m and hike up 772m to the ridge view point and if you continue you on, you will hike 3km over to the lodge site and up the last up 622m to Mt. cokely summit.

bring trail mix, normally at the ridge view and on other spots heading to the summit, the whiskey jacks will stop by looking for a hand out of trail mix. if you dont freak out, they will landed on you hand, head, etc while you have mix to feed them. always cool to have them stop by for a for my lunch.

the trail up the the ridge switch-backs numerous times as it climbs to the ridge. there is to spots to get water if you need to, one at the bridge and another up at the falls on McBey Creek.
in the spring and early spring you will find a creek flowing  about half way to the lodge.
New Clear-Cut covering the judges route, un-judged and the lost gulley has logged on the western slopes of Mount Arrowsmith .(2008) looks like we now have to hike up the edge of the clear-cut for the next 20 years before we can re-establish the  original trails/routes again.

Mt. Arrowmith& Mt. Cokely
Quick facts

Mount Arrowsmith is: 1819m
Mount Cokely is: 1,619m

Starting Elevation: depends

Elevation gained: depends?

Mt. Arrowsmith is the highest mountain south of highway 4 to Port Alberni and to Long Beach

Trail to Cokely's summit via Cameron lake trailhead is 10.1km one way. to Arrowsmith Summit from the lake12.6km one way. is does not including the short trail 166m (one way)to lookout point. at the top

the old Judge's route (1000m), now referred to as un-judged is longer and steeper then the Grouse Grind(856m). If you do the new judge's route it is only 800m(personally, wimps route)

the true summit have no view, it is cover with trees. you find a old tower site, with wood piled up. a. log book can be found here at this summit. other log book at the lower view points. The Wesley Ridge trail is in good condition. The trail does become kind of hard to follow in spots, just look for the remains of the old making tape and you should have no problem.
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The judge's will be a dry hike with maybe a chance of getting snow near the summit but only early in the season, the last few years there hasn't been any snow left on the western slopes

Yellow dashed line are un-GPS mapped, The red and green were GPS mapped but older GPS * poor satellite reception

arrowsmith and cokely mountains trail system map
cokely summit trail section3D arrowsmitharrowsmith's west slope