Category Archives: Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes

Upper Shannon Falls

Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Squamish - Whistler - Pemberton

 

Upper Shannon Falls is the 3rd highest waterfall in British Columbia and the hike to the top is well worth it.  Today, we parked in the Shannon Falls Parking lot, but you can also park in the parking lot for the Sea to Sky Gondola, a short distance to the north. The initial part of the trail is shared with the trail for the Stawamus Chief hike. If you park in the Shannon Falls parking lot, you can see the bottom of the falls before your ascent. The trail is well maintained by BC Parks and there a few bridges to cross. Sections of the trail are steep, with some parts having nicely placed cobbles for steps. We did this hike in March 2016 and the trail was quite busy. I would imagine a summer weekend would be very busy there.

The trail rises steeply and there are a couple of viewpoints before the top. There is also a section of the falls, where you can get very close (but not too close). There is also a nice pool of water in the creek, where you could go in – in the summer, but I would imagine the water is very cold all year.  At the top, you are rewarded with an amazing view of the end of Howe Sound, the Stawamus Chief and Squamish. The bluff at the top is a large area and accommodates many many people.

The stats:

Distance: 7.4 km (return)
Time: 5.5 hours (lots of breaks)
Low point: 3 m
High point: 485 m
Elevation gain: 482 m
Cumulative Elevation gain: 820 m
Trailhead: 49° 40’ 18.6” by  123° 09’ 35.2” (Google Maps and Navigation)

The route with downloadable gpx…

View from the top…

IMG_2997b

The falls from the bottom…

Shannon Falls



Bridge over Olesen Creek…
Bridge over Olesen Creek

Squamish River Estuary…
Squamish RIver Estuary

Another Bridge…
Bridge over Olesen Creek2



Cascading Water…
Cascading water

Junction…
Junction

Many People at the top…
Many people at the top

Olesen Creek…
Olesen Creek



Olesen Creek…
Olesen Creek2

Sea to Sky Gondola…
Sea to Sky Gondola

Pool of water…
Pool of water

Another Bridge…
Bridge

Rope for Assistance…
Rope for assistance



Steep Section…
Steep section

The Chief Overlooking Squamish…
The Chief overlooking Squamish

Trail pic…
Trail

Waterfall…
Waterfalls

Full Flickr photo album of hike here… https://flic.kr/s/aHsktHWSzp

★★★★★★★★★★★

Before heading out on your hike, make sure you are well prepared. This means, having the TEN ESSENTIALS. It is also important to leave a trip plan (route details and estimated return time) with someone you trust.

Bring your smartphone, fully charged and put it in airplane mode while hiking. I always bring back-up battery packs for extra piece of mind. It is highly recommended that you bring a GPS device; I use my smartphone with a GPS app (Backcountry Navigator). The GPS will work in airplane mode. Learn how to use it before your hike.

For anyone new to hiking, there is a rule to which hikers follow; it is called “Leave No Trace” or LNT. The concept is generally to pack out what you pack in and respect nature, so all future visitors can enjoy what you have enjoyed.
To learn more about LNT, please check out this BLOG by a certified LNT Trainer.

★★★★★★★★★★★

Westwood Plateau Hiking

Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Other Metro Vancouver

 

There are some great little hiking trails all around Northeast Coquitlam, specifically Westwood Plateau. One hike I do regularly starts from Bramble Park, goes down to David Avenue and then west on David Avenue – a trail starts just west of Forest Park Way and heads upwards beside West Noons Creek. At the top of the residential development, there are a couple of ways to go. I decided to go down Hickory Drive and start heading up again at the Reservoir at the end of Hickory Drive. From there, you head up many mountain biking trails until you reach the large cell tower at the top. I make my way onto a gravel road and head southeast, eventually reaching Eagle Mountain Drive and then onto the Eagle Mountain Park driveway. Heading north for a bit, I pass the first field and turn right, heading down a path towards Westwood Plateau Golf Course. Eventually reaching Parkway Boulevard and finding the trail again on the other side. There are again many choices for trails in here and I find myself choosing different options each time. Heading down, I eventually reach Panorama Drive and head back towards Bramble Park.

Here are the stats for this route:

Distance: 10 km (return)
Time: 2 hours
Low point: 177 m
High point: 459 m
Elevation gain: 282 m
Cumulative Elevation gain: 518 m

Here’s a PDF of Coquitlam trails from the City HERE

The route:

Some photos on the hike:

Viewpoints…

Looking south towards Lafarge Lake…
IMG_3485

Looking East towards the Pitt River…
IMG_3479

Westwood Plateau Golf Course…
Westwood Plateau Golf Course

The inside of a burnt tree…
IMG_3466

Wetland Area at top of Eagle Mountain Drive…
wetland

Trail…
Trail

Trail along West Noons Creek…
Trail along West Noons Creek

Trail…
Trail 2

Towards Eagle Mountain Park…
Towards Eagle Mountain Park

Mountain Biking Trails…
Mountain Biking trails

See Mt. Baker from Gravel Road…
Looking down gravel road

Hole in a tree…
Hole in tree

Fork in Trail…
Fork in trail

Forest…
Forest

Creek Crossing…
Creel crossing

Cell Tower…
Cell tower

★★★★★★★★★★★

Before heading out on your hike, make sure you are well prepared. This means, having the TEN ESSENTIALS. It is also important to leave a trip plan (route details and estimated return time) with someone you trust.

Bring your smartphone, fully charged and put it in airplane mode while hiking. I always bring back-up battery packs for extra piece of mind. It is highly recommended that you bring a GPS device; I use my smartphone with a GPS app (Backcountry Navigator). The GPS will work in airplane mode. Learn how to use it before your hike.

For anyone new to hiking, there is a rule to which hikers follow; it is called “Leave No Trace” or LNT. The concept is generally to pack out what you pack in and respect nature, so all future visitors can enjoy what you have enjoyed.
To learn more about LNT, please check out this BLOG by a certified LNT Trainer.

★★★★★★★★★★★

Sumas Mountain

Fraser Valley & Beyond, Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes

 

This is the Canadian Sumas Mountain – not the US one ! Sumas Mountain is located in North Abbotsford. The route starts on Upper Sumas Mountain Road and enters the forest to the east. The trail starts out with a gentle descent across a ravine and then it rises from there to Chadsey Lake. Near the 2km mark, you enter onto a forest service road, where you take a right, follow the road for a short distance and join the trail again on your left. As an addition, there is a great view northwards down the FSR (this can be done on the way up or way down). Once entering the forest again, you head up the trail again for another 2.3 km where you’ll reach Chadsey Lake. Follow the lake trail to the left and keep hugging the lake until you see trail markers where you go left up the mountain; it is easy to miss, as the trail continues around the lake. After the turnoff, another 2 km will get you to the summit, where there is a splendid view of the Fraser Valley.

Distance: 14 km
Time: 5.5 hours
Low point: 139 m
High point: 905 m
Elevation gain: 766 m
Cumulative Elevation gain: 1,300 m
Trailhead: 49° 07’ 19.8” by  122° 11’ 18.6” (Google Map)

Here is the route…

Photos from Nov 2015 and May 2017…

Beautiful view of Sumas Prairie…
Enjoying the view

Chadsey Lake…
Chadsey Lake



Little waterfall…
Little waterfall

Stream…
Stream

Crossing a Bridge…
Crossing a bridge (2)

Pink Trillium…
Pink Trillium



View a short distance north from Chadsey Lake…
View just north of Lake

Crossing a Bridge again…
crossing a bridge (3)

Another bridge crossing…
crossing a bridge



Relaxing at the summit…
Relaxing at the summit

Walk through the trees…
Through the trees

View from clearcut area (down FSR)…
View from Clearcut area



Walking through the ferns…
Walking through the ferns

★★★★★★★★★★★

Before heading out on your hike, make sure you are well prepared. This means, having the TEN ESSENTIALS. It is also important to leave a trip plan (route details and estimated return time) with someone you trust.

Bring your smartphone, fully charged and put it in airplane mode while hiking. I always bring back-up battery packs for extra piece of mind. It is highly recommended that you bring a GPS device; I use my smartphone with a GPS app (Backcountry Navigator). The GPS will work in airplane mode. Learn how to use it before your hike.

For anyone new to hiking, there is a rule to which hikers follow; it is called “Leave No Trace” or LNT. The concept is generally to pack out what you pack in and respect nature, so all future visitors can enjoy what you have enjoyed.
To learn more about LNT, please check out this BLOG by a certified LNT Trainer.

★★★★★★★★★★★

Jug Island

Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Other Metro Vancouver

 

The Jug Island hike is a route on the Belcarra Peninsula that takes you to a beach on Indian Arm, with a close up view of Jug Island.  Jug Island is a tiny island, with an area of 6,500m2  (1.6 acres) and a diameter of 90 m.  The trail starts on Bedwell Bay Road, near Midden Road. The trail is well established and ok marked – route finding might be difficult with a heavy snow cover. But overall, it’s a great little hike.  The beach at the end is a real treat and I’m sure it’s very refreshing on hot summer days. There is a small bluff on the route with tree-obstructed views of Bedwell Bay.

Distance: 5 km (return)
Time: 1 hour (with no breaks)
Low point: 0 m
High point: 88 m
Elevation gain: 88 m
Cumulative Elevation gain: 300 m
Trailhead: 49° 18’ 48.3” by  122° 55’ 22.7” (Google Map)

The route…

This is the Belcarra Peninsula and Jug Island as seen from Diez Vistas Trail…
Jug Island

Here is the Beach…
Beach



A nice view up Indian Arm…
Indian Arm

A small lake along the hike…
Small lake

Stairs on a section of the trail…
Stairs

A trail pic…
Trail pic



Another trail pic…
Trail

Trail head sign…
Trailhead sign

★★★★★★★★★★★

Before heading out on your hike, make sure you are well prepared. This means, having the TEN ESSENTIALS. It is also important to leave a trip plan (route details and estimated return time) with someone you trust.

Bring your smartphone, fully charged and put it in airplane mode while hiking. I always bring back-up battery packs for extra piece of mind. It is highly recommended that you bring a GPS device; I use my smartphone with a GPS app (Backcountry Navigator). The GPS will work in airplane mode. Learn how to use it before your hike.

For anyone new to hiking, there is a rule to which hikers follow; it is called “Leave No Trace” or LNT. The concept is generally to pack out what you pack in and respect nature, so all future visitors can enjoy what you have enjoyed.
To learn more about LNT, please check out this BLOG by a certified LNT Trainer.

★★★★★★★★★★★

Lynn Peak

Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, North Shore

 

This is my second post for a hike in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. The first was for a hike to Norvan Falls. Lynn Peak is a much different hike than the Norvan Falls hike. The Lynn Peak hike is uphill pretty much all the way – it’s more of a workout. I found the trail well marked with some bits quite rocky, but overall the trail was very manageable. Compared to the nearby Grouse Grind, this trail is much easier and much less crowded. The trail offers the occasional flat area to catch your breath. Once at the top, there is a large rock bluff at which to have a snack and take in the views looking south. Today, it was overcast, but Mt. Baker was still visible !

NOTE: The access road for vehicles is now closed indefinitely. You will have to hike park on the street somewhere and hike into the park.

Here are the stats starting from the second parking lot…

Distance: 9.1 km (return)
Time: 3 hours moving time
Low point: 192 m
High point: 942 m
Elevation gain: 750 m
Trailhead: 49° 21’ 40” by  123° 01’ 41.5” (Google Map)

Here is the route…

Photos…

Great view from the top…
View 1

Another view…
View 2

View of Mt. Baker…
View of Mt. Baker



Sun fighting through the trees…
Sun fighting through trees

Mushrooms…
Mushrooms

Notch in blow down…
Notch in blow down



Rocky section…
Rocky trail

Steam on dead tree…
Steam on blow down

Trail pic…
Trail 2

Trail pic…
Trail

Wooden stumps at a sometimes swampy section…
Wooden Stumps on trail

★★★★★★★★★★★

Before heading out on your hike, make sure you are well prepared. This means, having the TEN ESSENTIALS. It is also important to leave a trip plan (route details and estimated return time) with someone you trust.

Bring your smartphone, fully charged and put it in airplane mode while hiking. I always bring back-up battery packs for extra piece of mind. It is highly recommended that you bring a GPS device; I use my smartphone with a GPS app (Backcountry Navigator). The GPS will work in airplane mode. Learn how to use it before your hike.

For anyone new to hiking, there is a rule to which hikers follow; it is called “Leave No Trace” or LNT. The concept is generally to pack out what you pack in and respect nature, so all future visitors can enjoy what you have enjoyed.
To learn more about LNT, please check out this BLOG by a certified LNT Trainer.

★★★★★★★★★★★