Peak 545

Posted by Derek on May 10, 2022

Height: 1788 feet / 545 meters
GPS recorded height: 1785 feet / 544 meters
Lat/Lon: N45.64952 W79.01674
Date Summited: May 8, 2022

Directions / Trip Report:

After completing my ascent of Peak 556, I returned back to Hwy 11 and made my way to Kearney where I turned onto Rain Lake Road. Rain Lake Road is a gravel road, but well graded and in good condition so I didn’t have any difficulties driving on it with a normal car. I followed the road east for 17.7 km and parked at the intersection of a narrower, rougher bush road.

I began the trek on bike, proceeding north along the bush road. I found the road a little too rough with too much loose rock and soft sand for biking so I stashed the bike in the woods and continued on foot. The bush road eventually turned east, and 5.8 km from Rain Lake Road intersected with a rough quad trail. I decided to follow this trail and headed north. The quad trail had many large muddy areas which I had to dodge around. After 1.3 km on the quad trail, I reached the edge of a large sand pit/dune.

I left the quad trail and decided to check out the sand pit and afterwards to avoid backtracking, I cut through the woods and traversed down a hill to another quad trail. I followed this trail southeast while looking for a way to cross the creek/marsh which impeded my route to Peak 545. As luck would have it, near an old cabin along the trail, I spotted a wooden plank set up as a makeshift bridge across the creek. I carefully crossed the plank bridge, and soon began a steep bushwhack up to the summit of Peak 545.

On my way to the summit, I crossed another quad trail (travelling east-west) which in retrospect might be a better route to the start of the bushwhack.

Soon afterwards, I arrived at the summit. In my judgement, the highest point appears to be atop large boulder at N45.64952 W79.01674.

I descended the way I came, back to the makeshift plank bridge, made the crossing, and then returned back to the quad trail near the old cabin. Although not marked on my maps, the quad trail continued on southeast so I decided to follow it to see if it would be an easier route back to the main bush road. This turned out to be a correct assessment, as the quad trail made a gradual ascent up a large hill, headed south and then reconnected with the main bush road at N45.63799 W79.01708. I followed the bush road back to my parked van, completing a 17.1 km round trip to Peak 545.

In retrospect, crossing the creek/marsh bottom of Peak 545 is the biggest obstacle of the hike. In the future, the plank bridge crossing might be unreliable. After reviewing Google Satellite Maps, there appears to be an easier creek crossing. Instead of turning off on the quad trail (that goes to the old cabin) near the sand pit, continue north along the quad trail and cross at N45.65110 W79.03043. Afterwards turn right onto the quad path that roughly parallels the north side of the creek/marsh until reaching a suitable point to bushwhack to the summit.

If utilizing the makeshift plank bridge route, I would skip my ascent route and just follow my descent route to the summit.

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Trip Summary:

00.0 km – Turned onto Rain Lake Road at Kearney (12:41 PM)
17.7 km – Parked at bush road intersection (1:02 PM)

00.0 km – Departed parking spot, heading north on bush road (1:12 PM)
02.8 km – Right turn at fork (1:40 PM)
05.9 km – Turned left (north) onto quad trail (2:20 PM)
07.2 km – Turn right at sand pit (2:43 PM)
08.0 km – Start at bushwhack near cabin (2:56 PM)
08.1 km – Crossed makeshift plank bridge (3:00 PM)
09.0 km – Arrived at summit of Peak 545 (3:26 PM)

09.0 km – Departed summit of Peak 545 (3:33 PM)
09.8 km – Arrived back at quad trail near cabin (3:54 PM)
10.6 km – Arrived back at bush road (4:09 PM)
17.1 km – Arrived back at parking spot on Rain Lake Road (5:20 PM)

00.0 km – Started drive back to Kearney along Rain Lake Road (5:26 PM)
17.6 km – Arrived back at Kearney (5:52 PM)

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