The Dixon Glacier on the northeast side of Mount Albreda is a hiking destination in the Clemina Creek area south of Valemount. No summer trail exists at present but the route has been included because of its popularity. The entire hike is at subalpine and alpine elevations and includes old subalpine forest, meadows, lakes, and the glacier itself with its moraines. Route-finding, map-reading and/or GPS skills are advisable for parties new to the area. Trailhead grid reference: 680227, zone 11. Immediately behind the snowmobiler's cabin you will find a snowmobile route ascending through the forest. This makes a useful hiking route for a short distance to an old winter road. Like many temporary winter logging spur roads, this one was built of a mixture of earth, snow and woody debris; the spring snowmelt soon turned it into a jumble of boulders, logs and loose dirt, now growing over with vegetation. From this point, it is best to route-find your way uphill through open forests and old logging areas rather than struggle along the remains of the old road which is very long and rough. A direct uphill climb through the woods will bring you to the treeline just to the right of the pass, in a good position from which to enter it. Traverse uphill and left until you enter the pass. Continue through it into the next valley to the southwest of the one you drove up. According to maps, this is the valley of Clemina Creek proper. As you begin to descend and encounter forest again, traverse left and you may find another section of old snowmobile route descending from the pass. Even if you do not locate this, it is advisable to traverse somewhat to the left as you descend into the valley in order to avoid steep country directly below the pass. Cross the valley upstream from a sizeable alpine lake. In a high basin beyond this valley is the Dixon Glacier. Do not try to ascend directly to the glacier by following its outlet stream; the stream tumbles down a rock face which may prove impossible to ascend. Instead, choose a suitable route to ascend to an alpine benchland above the southwest shore of the lake. This benchland is separated from the Dixon Glacier by a rocky ridge that descends from left to right. Scramble up onto the lower (right-hand) end of this ridge and then approach the glacier by ascending the ridge. At the upper end of the ridge, you will have a fine view across an icefield from which two branches of the glacier descend, one on each side of you. Mount Albreda towers high above. For your safety, do not proceed onto the ice without proper knowlege and equipment.

Return by the same route, or if more adventurous, bushwhack directly down Clemina Creek to the Clemina forest road network. The latter exit is best attempted late in a dry summer when marshes on the valley floor have dried up and creeks are low. Spot a vehicle on a spur road or arrange to be picked up if returning this way.

Most of the route is on topo map 83D/10 Ptarmigan Creek but the latter portion of the alternate return route enters map sheet 83D/11 Canoe River (1:50,000).

A reasonably high clearance vehicle may sometimes be necessary depending on the current maintenance situation on the forest road. Drive 32 km south of Valemount and turn left on Clemina Forest Service Road #1360. This road leaves Highway 5 near an overpass over the CN railway. There is a small communications building at the intersection. At 3.2 km stay to the right and at 7.5 km stay to the left. Take the right hand fork at 12.5km and the left fork a little past the 17 km sign. You are now ascending a long tributary of Clemina Creek. Approximately 19 km from the highway, note the red roof of the Clemina snowmobiler's cabin across the creek. Park in any convenient spot once you have located the cabin. Before leaving the road, observe a low pass through the mountain ridge to the southwest, on the far side of the creek and very slightly up-valley from the cabin. This pass will be your access route to the glacier. The first order of the day will be to choose a shallow spot and ford the creek to get to the snowmobiler's cabin.

Allow a full day for this exploration.