Mount Edziza Park

Special Notes

• Motorized vehicles are not permitted within this park for the protection of the very sensitive landscapes, plants and animals of the area.
• Any visitors wishing to fish/angle in BC Parks on the Highway 37 corridor should strongly consider obtaining a BC Freshwater Fishing Licence while they have access to internet and a printer, there are very limited opportunities to obtain a fishing licence on the Highway 37 corridor.

Stay Safe

• Carry proper equipment

Satellite communication devices are recommended when backcountry recreating. A communication device will allow you to alert others to an emergency situation or if you are overdue at your destination. This equipment is an essential part of your survival kit and should be compatible with your activities and location.

Bear-proof containers are recommended for the safe storage of food above the tree line. There are bear-proof metal caches available for public use located at Mowdade and Buckley Lakes. Bear deterrents such as bear spray and or bear bangers should be carried on your person at all times in case an encounter does occur.

• Park access

Access trails into Mount Edziza Park are not maintained and are overgrown in sections. Creek crossings may not have bridges, so use caution.

• Conditions

Summer is short at Mount Edziza Provincial Park, where snow lingers year-round on Mount Edziza itself. Although temperatures may hit the 30°C range in mid-summer during the day, it can drop below freezing that same night. Snow and freezing rain are possible any day of the year. Generally, weather suitable for backpacking occurs between July 1 and September 15. Be prepared for adverse weather conditions that can include white-outs and high winds. Be sure to factor weather into your trip plans.

Snow packs can obscure the trail on the plateau and cause the creeks to rise suddenly on warm days. Always use extreme caution when crossing creeks.

This is an isolated wilderness area with no facilities and visitors are very much on their own. Suitable clothing offering protection from wind, cold and rain are essential, as well as equipment for outdoor living. Travelers should be equipped with a compass and topographic maps (see above) for the routes they plan to travel. It should be noted, however, that on the plateau, magnetic properties in the rocks may affect the accuracy of your compass.

If you have questions or can provide information about current conditions or hazards within the Stikine Area, please contact the BC Parks Stikine Area office, at 250 771-4591. Thank you for your cooperation.

Stay on the trail

• Hiking or taking shortcuts through the lava fields is not recommended because it is very difficult and potentially unsafe.
• The volcanic cinder cones on Edziza Plateau are delicate and subject to surface scarring from foot traffic. If you must climb Eve’s Cone or other cinder cones, please stay on established routes. A designated route has been established on the north-east ridge of Eve’s Cone. 
   

Stay safe in bear country

• Store all food and attractants in a personal bear-proof container or in a bear-cache if provided. (Caches currently only exist at Mowdade and Buckley Lakes)
• Food/attractants must be stored properly anytime you are away from your campsite and during the night
• Cook meals and store food/attractants at least 50m away from your tent
• Carry and know how to properly use bear deterrents, such as bear spray and bear bangers
• Never approach or feed bears – stay at least 200m away at all times
• Report ALL bear sightings and encounters to BC Parks Stikine Area (250-771-4591) or via the RAPP Line (1-877-952-7277)

Aircraft

• Please reference Section 27 (1) and (2) as well as Schedule A of the Park, Conservancy and Recreation Area Regulations.
• Private aircraft are permitted to land within the park, with the exception of the lava flows (on the Kitsu Plateau situated south-southwest of Raspberry Pass) at Mount Edziza Park, from an elevation of 5,500 feet or higher. A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required for landing on Buckley Lake, Mowchilla Lake, Little Ball Lake and Little Arctic Lake. To obtain an LOA, please contact the BC Parks Stikine Senior Park Ranger at 250 771-4591 ext.2 or Michael.Janzen@gov.bc.ca
  • Mount Edziza prohibited aircraft take off and landing zone [JPG]
  • Mount Edziza prohibited aircraft take off and landing zone [KMZ]
• Any commercial air charter must hold a valid Park Use Permit to land (on water or grounds) within BC Parks.
• Only permitted air charter companies are authorized to fly into Mount Edziza Provincial Park.
  • Alpine Lakes Air Ltd.
  • BC Yukon Air
• BC Parks requests that extreme care be taken to preserve the extraordinary landscape and ecosystem within Mt. Edziza. In an effort to minimize disturbance to wildlife, please maintain a distance of more than 1,500m line of sight/500m vertical from all wildlife and use terrain masking techniques where the weather conditions make this impossible. Take offs/landings are not permitted on sensitive areas (i.e. lava flows, calcite deposits, hot springs etc.) and volcanic cones/features throughout the Park. Park visitors should report any obvious signs of aircraft disregard or damage (i.e. tire tracks, skid tracks, rotor wash damage etc.) to sensitive areas and volcanic cones/features. Observations and/or photos can be submitted to the BC Parks Stikine Area office on Telegraph Creek Road, or via telephone at 250 771-4591.

Horses

• A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required for visitors who wish to use horses within Mount Edziza Provincial Park. There is a mandatory “weed-free feed” requirement for any horses entering the northern parks, meaning that horses must be fed certified weed-free pellets for 72 hours prior to entering the park and throughout the duration of their stay within the park. The primary reason for the weed-free feed requirement is the growing concern of introducing invasive plant species (either through non-permitted feed or horse droppings) into a natural and pristine ecosystem in the park. To obtain an LOA, please contact the BC Parks Stikine Senior Park Ranger at 250 771-4591 ext.2. If there is no answer, please leave a detailed message stating your request for an LOA, your name, contact information and the date you wish to visit the park.

• History: On the east bank of Mess Creek and through Raspberry Pass are the remnants of the Yukon Telegraph line which was constructed to provide a communications link as far north as Dawson City during the Klondike Gold Rush. The telegraph line was in use until 1936 when it was replaced by radio.All that remains are a few poles and collapsed line cabins which once stood every 32 kilometres along the route. The trail is overgrown and no longer passable.
• Cultural Heritage: Since time immemorial, the area was heavily used by Indigenous peoples, who manufactured obsidian cutting blades and projectile points and traded them throughout northwest America. The area is still culturally significant for the Tahltan Nation today. Archaeological finds (including obsidian, tools, and other artifacts) are to be left in place and reported to the local BC Parks or Tahltan Central Government office.
• Conservation: Along the park’s western boundary, Mess Creek flows north to enter the Stikine River three kilometres below the community of Telegraph Creek. Eleven kilometres upstream from this confluence, Mess Creek plunges into a gorge nearly 800 metres deep. To the north of the park boundary, the Stikine River, which means "Great River" in the language of the Tlingit, has carved a tremendous, Grand Canyon-style passage through eons of volcanic and sedimentary rock deposits. Tree types and vegetation will change with elevations. Telegraph Creek to Buckley Lake area is characterized by a mosaic of shrub fields, wet grasslands and peat meadows. This zone has long, severe winters with deeply frozen soils and short growing seasons. The forests in the lower elevation valleys, Mess Creek and the Kakiddi/Klastline drainage are composed of white spruce as the dominant conifer with an intermixing of lodgepole pine and trembling aspen on the drier sites. On the wetter sites, balsam poplar is also found, often adjacent to creeks, lakes and on delta soils. At elevation between 900 and 1800 metres, the winters are cold and snowy, the summers are short and warm. The soils in this area are commonly frozen before snowfall.
• Wildlife: Moose populate the area, and small herds of Osborn caribou may be seen in the alpine and sub-alpine vegetation zones on the west side of the plateau between Mount Edziza and the western escarpment. Mountain goats and Stone’s sheep can often be viewed on the south, east and west slopes of Mount Edziza, particularly on the western escarpment and in the Spectrum Range. Visitors may encounter black and grizzly bears. Grizzlies are occasionally seen above timberline where Arctic ground squirrels are abundant. Wolves are sometimes seen or heard. Buckley Lake supports a large waterfowl and shorebird population, which are but a portion of the wide variety of bird species that can be seen in the park. The more conspicuous birds in Mount Edziza include the raven, owl, gyrfalcon, ptarmigan (willow and rock), grouse and migratory songbirds. Typical waterfowl species include goldeneye, grebe, white winged scooter and scaup.
  • Learn more about wildlife safety

BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.