Mt Albert Edward hike

The hike to Mount Albert Edward is a long-day or a backpack. Make sure you’re prepared.

From the parking lot, hike down and begin on the trail. The first section of trail heading out to Lake Helen MacKenzie is very well maintained, including raised wooden walkways. At the numerous junctions follow the signs for Helen MacKenzie and Mt. Albert Edward.

You will soon arrive at Lake Helen Mackenzie, and your first viewpoint. The rugged face of Mt. Elma and Mt Brooks loom over the opposite side of the lake. Turn right here and continue around the west side of the lake. The path will get much more rugged and less maintained.

After contouring around the lake, you will hike up the Brooks-Elma pass, continuing south as you traverse the plateau. Here you may start to get your first real views of Mt. Castlecrag and Mt. Albert Edward. This section of the Mt Albert Edward hike is truly stunning, not only do you get a view of the mountains, but the ambiance of the ancient forest and dense shrubbery seem to speak to you.

Along this section of the trail you will pass a few more extremely well-signed junctions. You are now following signs for Circlet Lake and Mt. Albert Edward, and will pass the Ranger cabin.

Soon after passing through the beautiful Whiskey Meadows you will arrive at the Circlet Lake junction. After nearly 6.2mi of hiking you will finally start to gain some real elevation as you continue straight to start the climb up to Albert Edward.

BC Parks classifies this section of the hike up Mt Albert Edward as a route, not a trail. The difference between the two starts to become clear as you follow the extremely steep, and at times washed out route ascending to the toe of the Albert Edward ridge. Take your time as this section of the trail is a real leg burner.

Finally, you will start to emerge from the trees, the grade will ease up, and you will find yourself at the beginning of the iconic ‘ramp’ sweeping around to the stunning summit.

At this point in the hike you will finally realize why you put your body through this. The views across the arid plateau, and to the south of Mt. Castlecrag and Mt. Frank will fill you with wonder. Continue heading southwest, following cairns as you traverse the plateau. Finally, you will reach a pass between Frank and Albert Edward where you will veer to the right (north), still following cairns and a faint trail.

Now you will get your first great view west into the heart of Strathcona Provincial Park. The number of peaks is overwhelming, however some of the classic standouts are The Golden Hinde – the tallest on the island – lying to the west, Nine Peaks to the southwest, and the Comox Glacier to the south.

Continue up the last couple kilometres of the plateau, to the final short climb up to the summit. Here you will find the summit register and a bug-infested cairn. It will seem as though the entirety of the Vancouver Island Alps are sprawling out from your feet.

From the summit of Mt Albert Edward hike back the way you came.

2024 Mount Albert Edward hiking advisory

Those who plan on hiking Mount Albert Edward in Strathcona Provincial Park in 2024 can expect a challenging route that starts from the Paradise Meadows trailhead and spans about 32 km round-trip through stunning alpine scenery. It remains crucial to be prepared for rapid weather changes and navigate carefully as visibility can quickly decrease, especially in foggy conditions. Recently the navigation aids have been improved with waymarking posts to guide hikers safely off the ridge on descent. Make sure to check current conditions and plan accordingly for this demanding hike​