The Strathcona Wilderness Institute guided hike to Battleship Lake found snow still on the trail past the boardwalk junction on the way up to Battleship. Campers at Lake Helen MacKenzie reported three tent platforms are cleared - they camped on snow, and had insulation in the form of ground sheets so were comfortable. Hiking past the lake requires knowledge of the terrain and route-finding skills, map & compass or GPS.
Once at the Kwai Lake campsite, the area is south-facing and therefore clears earlier than the other campsites, according to the Parks Facility Operator.
Campers at Circlet Lake reported the lake is frozen, with a couple of feet of the top of the Parks directional signs visible - meaning 6'-7' of snow cover over the campsite. Getting to Circlet Lake required good route-finding skills with map & compass. They scrambled up the shoulder of Mt Albert Edward in the soft snow of the afternoon, though cautioned that in the mornings the steep part would likely be ice.
A pair of hikers from Sweden arrived at the Centre after taking four days to traverse from Wood Mountain (the old Forbidden ski hill). They reported lots of snow with difficulty finding the route in many cases - although with map & compass they had a successful trip. As a bonus, they were able to find a ride back down the hill into Courtenay with another hiker - having taken a taxi up to the Forbidden end to start their trip! A summer shuttle bus to & from Paradise Meadows would be a great idea...
From the Forbidden side of the Plateau, the snow reportedly starts at the Parks sign at the entry to Strathcona Park - so at about 1040 m elevation. The route up Mt Becher is snow-covered and familiarity with the terrain is required in order to find the correct route up.
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