Missing Link Mountain Hike, Sheep River Provincial Park

tracigrossi@gmail.com | November 24, 2020 | Hiking | No Comments

Missing Link Mountain Hike

Missing Link Mountain is one hike any hiker should add to their list of must-do hikes. The panoramic views of the foothills and chiseled mountain range are so picturesque.

Missing Link Mountain is a 4.5 km moderate hike off Gorge Creek Trail on HWY 546. Follow the 6km windy road up to the Gorge Creek parking lot.

Our hike began on Sept 22nd at 10:45 AM. To my surprise this hike turned out to be one of my favorites of all 50 hikes we have been fortunate to explore and endure.

The morning was a bit gloomy with the temperature expected to be above 0°C with partly sunny skies. I love sunshine so I hoped for the skies to clear and we would have a sunny day as the mountains look magical with the sun gleaming over the snow capped peaks.

As I looked up to the sky a unique cloud formation caught my attention. To me, it looks angelic with a halo, wings, and a prominent face structure. A feeling swept over me as the sun broke through and the skies were blue the duration of our day.

The hike

Once at the parking lot at gorge Creek many trails jut out from this base area. Missing Link starts on the road just North at an opening as shown above.

The trail can be easy to go off track but if you follow the ribbons laid out and stay along the creek chances are you’ll stay on track.

As soon as we hit the tree line we were welcomed by a few Whiskey Jack birds flying about and came close to landing on us, I’m sure if we had some bird seed they would have as they seemed pretty fearlessly curious.

The first km is a walk through the trees which leads to a path edging along the creek. Up ahead you will come to the skull tree where someone decided to make it a landmark by hanging skeletal bones from some dead animal on a tree. Now it has become a mark for the halfway point and a well-photographed tree.

Just past the skeleton tree, the trail begins to steepen as you go in which with the snow and ice crampons/cleats and/or trekking poles are recommended. Just makes the hike so much easier and safer, no one wants to fall and break something in the back-country. Always carry back-country essentials with you at all times.

The trail opens to a clearing with a breathtaking view surrounded by the forest. I said that this would make for a great resting place for me as I found the scenery so surreal. Once we approached a larger clearing we were astonished at the beauty around us. The deadfall made for some great shots as well as a great spot to sit under the warmth of the sun and catch a breather.

Trekking onward we could see the top just ahead and the rock formations protruding from the mountainside. The chinook winds were picking up nearing the summit, a bit nippy but with the sun beaming down kept the temp to a mild +4.

The trail surprisingly was not busy as we saw 10 people max the whole hike. We often offer to take photos of people together as a kind gesture even during COVID still keeping with social distancing. We find most hikers are very cautious and aware of our pandemic by moving off the trail to pass and not crowding people taking turns at points of interest.

The summit

At the summit the panoramic view is phenomenal. The snow-capped mountains arise from the foothills seamlessly almost puzzle-like with the colors so vivid and magical. There are two places where people have set up rock piles for you to add your rock.

Sit on the edge of one of the extending rock formations and have lunch or just take in the beauty the surrounds you. I really felt like I was in a dreamland, like I said earlier this whole hike just seemed magical to me and one of my favorites for its beauty. Maybe it was meant to be for me to find this hike.

The trek down was a bit slick but seemingly fast. Sad to see it come to an end as the feeling on most hikes. Loving the outdoors it is always hard to head back home. Until next weekend when I plan a new hike where every hike has its own unique beauty, not one the same.