I was happy to summit a short peak after my big day on Grotto. Kate joined me for a slog to Loder Peak. We met at the Jura Creek trailhead, about 1 km east of the Hamlet of Exshaw on Highway 1A.
Before I get into the scramble, let me tell you a little bit about the history of Exshaw.
Exshaw is a hamlet, which means it is smaller than a town or a village. A community can be designated as a hamlet if it has at least five dwellings. According to the 2021 Census, the population of Exshaw is roughly 449 residents, a nine per cent increase from 412 residents in 2016.
Like most mountains, Loder Peak carries a story. Mountain names are typically chosen for a variety of reasons including Indigenous names, historical people, physical features and explorers and colonizers. In this case, Loder Peak was named after Edwin Loder, who emigrated from England and settled in the Exshaw area in the 1880s. He played a big part in the region’s early industry history. Exshaw was built as a company settlement for workers in the mineral extraction industry. Lafarge Exshaw is the largest cement plant in Canada.
Destination Loder Peak
I love this short scramble. It’s perfect for those days when you are pressed for time, and just want some mountain time. The most challenging part is staying on trail. Once upon a time, there were white ribbons on the trail. No matter how many times I’ve done it, Loder always finds a way to reroute me.
Reaching the summit of Doorjam mountain was uneventful, so uneventful that I only remembered to point it out when we were well on our way to Loder Peak.
Luck was on our side because there was little wind at the top. We spent about 10 minutes taking photos and enjoying a snack. The clouds quickly moved in on our descent. Fortunately it did not rain on us. We did get off track slightly, and descended on a different trail.
This was a perfect recovery morning with just the right amount of effort after Grotto.