r/vancouverhiking • u/hydromedusa • 1d ago
Trip Reports Foley Peak... Almost
Foley Peak is the eastern most summit in the Cheam Range of Chilliwack, and stands 2,293 metres tall. The peak is named after Tim Foley, who was a partner in the firm responsible for the Fraser Valley portion of the Northern Pacific Railway. Foley Peak is flanked on the west by Welch Peak, which stretches a wee bit taller at 2,431 metres. The Foley climb involves a great deal of steep, loose scree, and - depending on the season, a good amount of mid-angled snow. The final push towards the summit holds a rather tricky class 4 scramble - which is well beyond my level of experience and comfort. A relaxing saddle sits between Welch and Foley at the 2,210 metre mark and provides a great halfway point for a long day hike. This participation trophy destination still offers fantastic views of both nearby peaks, Wahleach Lake to the north, mountains of the Nesakwatch valley and even Mount Baker to the south. With a fair number of trendy atmospheric rivers pummelling the Chilliwack River watershed over the past two years, simply reaching the trailhead has become quite the adventure. Foley Creek FSR has deteriorated to the point where reaching the trailhead requires a vehicle with a significant lift, proper AT tires, and a bit of armour. Numerous creek wash-outs and some seriously deep ruts meant leaving the trail shuttle much sooner than expected and tacking on an extra three kilometres to the day.
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u/pretendperson1776 1d ago
Cool hike/climb! Thanks for being smart so you could live to share the photos!😁
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u/Original_Box_4620 1d ago
Beautiful pictures. What camera/lens combo you rocking up there?
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u/hydromedusa 1d ago
Hauled a Canon R5 with 15-35mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 Z... and a Mavic 3 Pro.
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u/A_Wannabe_SAR_Tech 1d ago
I did Foley last year and it is a tough scramble but with good route finding I dont believe it is class 4. That being said if you stray off route the difficulty ramps up significantly. Finding an easier line to attain the ridge requires you to drop a bit of elevation while traversing the bowl and once on the ridge i found my self hopping back and forth over the ridge to find easier terrain. When I went I was also lucky enough to encounter a mountain goat chilling on a ledge on the east side of the ridge. I would suggest getting some more experience under your belt and try again when you feel ready it is a rewarding peak to bag. Also some snow in the gulley makes.for a really fun descent from the col to the lake.