This trail was built by the Valemount Snow-Goers snowmobile club for snowmobile use in winter, but also makes a pleasant summer hike on a high, timbered bench of the Premier Range west of Valemount. The route connects two separate logging roads together atop the West Ridge bench. Considerable brush removal was done along this trail in 2009. This article describes a clockwise loop from the West Ridge end. From the trailhead, cross Hystad Creek on a bridge made from an old railway flatcar, just downstream from a large water intake structure. Walk upstream along the far side of the pond formed by the dam. Turn left onto an old road not far upstream. From here the trail leads across brushy benchland and through an old burn, until views of the Robson Valley below are seen. A log-cabin warming shelter is passed.

Continue on the trail until you reach a logged area that has grown up in considerable brush. The trail follows a fireguard around the perimeter of the logged area, and then goes down the old haul road beyond it. Follow the haul road. It eventually makes a sudden left turn and begins its long descent to the McLennan Forest Road at the foot of the mountain.

Some of the woodland bogs you may find on the West Ridge Bench have considerable populations of two species of insect-eating plants of the sundew family - Drosera rotundifolia and Drosera anglica. These are small red and green plants covered in little blobs of sticky red goo on the ends of hairs. When an insect touches the hairs, they bend over and bring the blobs of goo down on top of the insect, forcing it against the upper surface of the leaves. The leaves then slowly enfold the insect and ooze juices that dissolve it. The leaves then soak up the bug juice and absorb nitrogen from it. D. rotundifolia has round leaves and D. anglica has longer, thinner leaves. Please leave these rare and unique plants undisturbed if you find some.

From March to June, it is common to see grizzly bears, including females with cubs, on or near the West Ridge road and the rest of the West Ridge benchlands. Use caution, especially if bicycling or doing other speedy activities.

1) To West Ridge Forest Road end (high altitude): Try to have a kind, self-sacrificing friend drive you here and then return by car, to avoid a second round trip to the same place later in the day to get the car. From Valemount, travel south to the first lighted intersection on highway 5 south of town, a distance of about 3 km. Here turn right, and follow dirt roads to a BC hydro substation, using the roadside hydro poles and overhead high tension wires as your guide. Continue on past the substation, where a sign indicates that you are now on the West Ridge forest road. Follow this as it switchbacks up onto the West Ridge. Finally you will travel on a nearly level grade for a few miles, with high peaks of the Premier Range on your left. Cross a small bridge, and begin to pay attention to the kilometer signs. A few metres past the Kilometre 13 sign, park at a side road which turns off to the right. Walk along this road past the Hystad Creek Hydroelectric intake dam and across a bridge made from a railway flatcar, just downstream of the dam. Do not go through or around the yellow gate, which is a maintenance access road for the hydroelectric plant. Instead, turn right (upstream) on the far side of the creek and watch for the trail ascending the hillside on your left about 200m upstream of the dam.

2) To McLennan Forest Road end (at valley floor level): Drive across Highway 5 from east to west at the main Valemount intersection (5th Avenue) and turn left along the frontage road parallel to the highway. At the end of the frontage road turn right onto Cranberry Lake Road. Follow this road for a few kilometers, and pass a sign that says, "end of maintained public road". Just past this sign is a "T" intersection with the McLennan Forest Road. Turn right, and follow this road for about 2 km. Just past a fenced field, begin watching for a little-used branch road angling uphill to the left. This is the foot of the trail. Park and proceed to the upper trailhead in another vehicle.

Allow 4 to 6 hours for hiking, and at least three quarters of an hour for vehicle placement and travel to the trailhead.