Alouette Mountain via West Canyon, Evan's Creek, and Fly's Gully

Alouette Mountain via West Canyon, Evan's Creek, and Fly's Gully is one of the roughest grinds in Golden Ears Provincial Park near Maple Ridge, and it doesn’t try to hide it. At 10.8 km with about 1175 m of gain to around 1355 m, this out-and-back route feels steeper and deeper than the stats suggest. Expect a long, committing day that usually lands around the 6-hour mark for strong hikers, and longer if route-finding slows you down.

The approach along West Canyon Trail lulls you into thinking this might be a standard Golden Ears grind, but once you leave for the unmarked Evan's Creek turnoff, things get serious. The trail quickly turns into a rough, taped route and then into Fly’s Gully, which is basically a long boulder and creek bed climb with shifting rock, loose footing, and awkward scrambling. Views open up to rugged ridges and the surrounding Golden Ears peaks as you gain height, but you’ll be spending more time watching your feet than taking photos.

Recent hikers report that storms and atmospheric river events have chewed up the creek and gully, making the route even looser and more unstable than older descriptions suggest. In dry season, the gully can feel like a moving pile of rock with random falls and small slides, so many locals actually prefer tackling Alouette Mountain via Fly’s Gully in consolidated snow, trading rockfall for managed avalanche risk. If you go, research current Golden Ears road and park closures, download a GPX track, do not rely on flagging alone, and be prepared to back off if the creek or gully feels sketchier than you’re comfortable with.