Kindersley-Sinclair Loop

The Kindersley-Sinclair route links the Sinclair Creek and Kindersley Pass day hikes across Kindersley-Sinclair Col. Though often called a loop, the walk is a 16.2 km (10.1 mi) one-way traverse, not a closed circuit. The trailheads are about a kilometre apart along Hwy 93S, and the road is busy, narrow and short on shoulder. Set a second car at the finish or arrange a pickup. Start at Sinclair Creek; that lot sits higher and saves a little climbing. Allow about eight hours. The linked route climbs roughly 1,250 m overall before a long descent, so plan for a hard full-day hike.

Begin at the north-side Sinclair Creek parking lot and follow the creek into its valley. A bridge crosses the creek at about 1.8 km. Around 3.8 km, wildflower meadows open around the route. The trail keeps climbing through a hanging valley and open glades; near 5.8 km, at tree line, the views spread across the surrounding slopes. This is the longer, more open half of the walk, with the stream and meadow below as you gain height.

The col is a high saddle, not a summit. The reward is the open view across the two valleys and back down the creek route you just climbed. Turn around here for a photo with the meadow and stream in the foreground; they show the scale of the basin. A small unnamed peak south of the col is an optional scramble, separate from the mapped traverse. It adds climbing and rougher footing, so leave it out if you're sticking to the through-route.

From the col, continue about 1.4 km to Kindersley Pass. The pass itself is wooded, so don't expect another summit lookout there. The route then drops about 8.7 km through mostly forest to the south-side Kindersley Pass parking lot. Forested stretches alternate with open avalanche paths; the broadest views on this side are between the pass and the col, so take them in before descending into the trees.

If you can't arrange a shuttle, do one component as an out-and-back rather than walking Hwy 93S: Sinclair Creek is 6.2 km each way (about six hours return), while Kindersley Pass is 10 km each way (about eight hours return). Neither is a short substitute. Parks Canada lists a minimum group of four on both routes because of grizzly bears. Seasonal bear notices can also set spacing and bear-spray rules, so check the current trail report. Dogs are allowed on leash. Cell service is unavailable on most park trails, and winter trails are not maintained.