Mount Slesse Memorial Trail

Mount Slesse Memorial Trail is one of those Chilliwack hikes that feels like a real mountain day: long, steady climbing, big views, and a powerful bit of local history at the memorial and crash site. The route is about 13.2 km out-and-back with roughly 1000 m of gain to around 1577 m, and most hikers are out for 5–7 hours depending on how far beyond the memorial they go. It’s rated difficult, but a lot of locals find it more “moderate-but-relentless” than technically scary, as long as you’re used to longer climbs.

The trail starts in the forest, crosses a bridge, then just keeps grinding uphill, with very few flat breaks. Views build slowly: first glimpses of the valley, then the walls of Mount Slesse closing in, and finally those wide, 360-degree alpine views and the moving memorial area. Past the plaque toward the crash site it gets steeper, rockier, and a bit more technical, with loose rock and exposure in spots, so many people choose the memorial as their turnaround.

Right now the Mount Slesse Memorial Trail is in decent shape but expect sections of heavy overgrowth, especially in the middle and upper parts, with blueberry bushes and brush slapping your legs and arms. The path itself is easy to follow thanks to recent clearing, but you’ll want long sleeves, decent footwear for mud and a steeper rocky section near the top, and lots of water since there aren’t many reliable sources. The FSR in is rough, narrow, and scratchy; high clearance is strongly recommended, and in early season you can still hit lingering snow near the top, with snowshoes needed once winter really settles in.