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 The Driscoll
Ridge Trail
The Driscoll Ridge Trail has two
portals, designated East and West. The East Driscoll Ridge Trail starts on the
south side of Highway 16, 113 km east of
 the Fraser River bridge in
Prince George, sharing the same trailhead as the Ancient
Forest Trail. After a short walk from the parking lot (an old quarry), the
trail enters an old growth forest stand and starts climbing towards the top of
Driscoll Ridge. After reaching the ridge crest the trail continues in a
westerly direction along the ridge for 7 ½ kilometers. It then descends
from a beautiful subalpine lake down a series of small drainages to the western
trailhead on Highway 16 (5.2 km down the road from the eastern
trailhead).
On a fine day the trail provides
unparalleled views north across the Rocky Mountain Trench to the Bearpaw Ridge
and to the McGregor and Rocky Mountains beyond, and to the surrounding Cariboo
Mountains on the south side of the Trench. For the naturalist, the trail
provides a unique opportunity to observe changes in vegetation that occurs with
elevation in the northern Columbia Mountains. The vegetation slowly transitions
from the interior cedar-hemlock forests that are found between the trail heads
and the mid-elevations; engelman spruce and subalpine fir forests replete with
devil's club, rhododendron and slide alder brush at mid to higher elevations;
and subalpine fir with open meadows along the ridge crest. Wildlife that might
be encountered on Driscoll Ridge include moose, deer, black bear, grizzly bear,
mountain caribou, and wolverine.
At its start the Driscoll Ridge trail
climbs rapidly through Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) dominated
forests on rocky hill slopes. Soils alongside the trail are thin, with
understory vegetation dominated by oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris)
and feather moss mats (predominantly Hylocomium splendens and
Pleurozium schreberi). Bright patches of bunchberry (Cornus
canadensis) are common on old logs and woody debris. Watch for grouse
feeding on the bunchberry seeds in the fall. The trail climbs over several moss
draped escarpments where hemlocks struggle to survive on rocky outcrops. Many,
if not most, of the hemlocks show the presence of decay agents such as
Echinodontium conks. Although the hemlocks on these rocky outcrops do not
attain the size of trees found on the moist toes-slope benches below, they may
nonetheless be quite old, much as a bonsai tree grows slowly when little soil
is available.
Interestingly, in several locations
the trail descends into small drainages or benches, where Western Redcedars
(Thuja plicata) of exceptional stature can be found. Although these
mid-elevation benches are small, the trees growing on them have been protected
from past fires on the surrounding hill slopes, and consequently represent an
interesting variant of the Antique Rain Forest. A close look at sheltered bark
surfaces on these Western Redcedars can reveal abundant Pin Lichen communities
(Calicium spp.). Several of the Pin Lichens on Western Redcedars have
been found to be reliable indicators of site continuity in Antique Forest
Stands.
 Foliose cyanolichens, such as
Lobaria pulmonaria, are also abundant on many of the hemlock and cedar along
the the trail at lower elevations. The blue-green algae (or
cyanobacteria) contained within these lichens are capable of fixing
atmospheric nitrogen. Hence, these lichens play an important part in
fertilizing the very trees on which they grow.
As you near the ridgecrest subalpine
fir (Abies lasiocarpa) and hybrid white spruce (Picea engelmannii x
glauca) become common elements of the forest canopy. Hybrid white spruce
attains impressive stature in some of the wet draws below the ridge, with
individual trees reaching 50 m in height. Spruce and fir snags are an important
wildlife habitat in the area, both for cavity nesting birds and for bats. Bats
will often roost under the large flakes of peeling bark on subalpine fir snags.
Cyanolichens, which were common at the trailhead, are largely replaced by Hair
lichens on the spruce and fir at the ridge crest.
 The Horsehair (Bryoria spp..)
and Witch's Hair (Alectoria sarmentosa) lichens are a major winter
forage source for mountain caribou, who can reach surprisingly high into the
canopy from on top of late winter snowpack. Interestingly, the accumulation of
sugars by Hair lichens, which helps them survive desiccation and freezing in
the harsh mountain environment, is a major reason caribou prefer them as a food
source in winter. However, don't count on them for a trail side snack. First
Nations groups from the inland rainforest historically steamed Horsehair
lichens in pits for many days before eating them.
The Driscoll Ridge trail provides a
rare opportunity to view the inland rainforest in winter. The settled snowpack,
which can exceed 2 meters depth by late winter, provides ready access over
fallen trees and patches of Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus). Winter
hikers must take normal precautions against avalanches on steep slopes and
gully crossings on the trail. The late spring and early summer melt of snow
pack on Driscoll Ridge also plays an important role in the sustaining growth of
Ancient cedars on lower-elevation toe-slope positions.
Several deeply rutted wildlife trails
transect the Driscoll Ridge area. The Rocky Mountain Trench functions as a
major travel corridor for wildlife between the Rocky Mountain and Columbia
Mountain ecosystems, including Mountain Caribou and Grizzly Bear. The many
hollow cedars on the lower part of Driscoll Ridge provide important denning
habitat for Black Bears. Smaller cavities higher in the canopy are utilized by
birds such as the Pileated Woodpecker and Northern Sawwhet Owl.
Taken together with the area
represented by the Ancient Forest Trail at its base the Driscoll Ridge Trails
provides unparalleled hiking and winter recreational opportunities within BC's
inland rainforest.
A preliminary map of the Driscoll
Ridge trail can be obtained at:
http://www.ancientcedar.ca
We would like to thank Mike Nash (http://www3.telus.net/pgoutdoors/ ) for use of photographs
from the Driscoll Ridge Trail and for assistance with the development of this
web page.
Please note that trail
conditions may change by season and that ongoing trail upgrades may require
closures or detours on some sections. All hikers should be aware that
conditions on mountain trails can change quickly and that wildlife may be
encountered. |
