Living in the Armstrong/Spallumcheen area we’re lucky enough to have a mountain in our very own backyard.
Rose Swanson is easy to get to, has incredible vistas and has a trail net work to suit most people’s hiking abilities. There is a pamphlet available at the Armstrong/Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce which includes maps of how to get there and of the trail network.
Until our recent windstorm the trails were in very good shape. This is thanks to the hard work of a few individuals and clubs. Suzy Sims, David Maw, Wally Brodie, Walter Edwards and the Vernon Outdoor Club are some of the volunteers who take their saws when they go for a hike and clear the trail for others or, who clean up the parking lot. At the moment there are trees down over some of the paths but according to Wally Brodie they can be circumvented.
There is also a pamphlet for Thomas Hayes Ecological Reserve at the Chamber. The hike here is easier and shorter than any in the Rose Swanson trail network. It’s easy to access and is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon or morning. There is a picnic table (donated and installed by the Lion’s Club) indicated on the map. Bobby and Richard Wallace, David and Ruth Maw and their daughters are some of the volunteers who maintain this trail.
Jill de la Salle
Armstrong
