Category Archives: Squamish – Whistler – Pemberton

Cheakamus Lake

July 7, 2017Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Squamish - Whistler - Pembertonadmin

Cheakamus Lake is a emerald-green, glacial-fed alpine lake, located in Whistler. The hike follows the Cheakamus River for about 3.5 kms and then follows the north side of the lake ending at Singing Creek, after another 4 kms. At this point the official trail ends. To go beyond, you will have to walk across a fallen tree over Singing Creek and do some bush-whacking (according to Park Rangers).

The emerald-green colour along with the back drop of snow-covered peaks, really makes for some nice scenery. The hike is not too strenuous, as it is mostly flat with some small ups and downs.

For directions, click on Trailhead and parking below.
NOTE: There is a 7 km pot-holed gravel road to travel. My 2-wheel drive car made it with no difficulty, but I would imagine, it would be a challenge in snow or in wet conditions. Even during the best weather, take it slow due to the large number of pot holes.
Tip: shut off fresh air, so you don’t get dust in your car.

Distance: 15 km (return)
Time: 3-6 hours
Low point: 832 m
High point: 899 m
Elevation gain: 67 m
Cumulative Elevation gain: 360 m
Trailhead and parking: 50° 02’ 31” by 122° 59’ 23” (Google Maps and navigation)

The route with downloadable gpx…

The photos…

The fishing was great…

Western Columbine…

So many wildflowers in bloom…

This is the bridge to cross Singing Creek…

★★★★★★★★★★★

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.

★★★★★★★★★★★

Squamish – Whistler – Pemberton Hikes

May 6, 2016Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Squamish - Whistler - Pembertonadmin

Here is where you’ll find all of my
Squamish – Whistler – Pemberton hikes. Enjoy…

Alice Lake

April 30, 2016Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Squamish - Whistler - Pembertonadmin

This post is for the 4 Lakes Trail at Alice Lake Provincial Park, just north of Squamish. This hike is fairly flat and quite easy. The trail meanders through a forest and around 4 lakes. Although the highlight for me was a stop on the Cheekeye River with an amazing view of Mt. Alpha.

Distance: 8.4 km (loop)
Time: 3 hours (lots of breaks)
Low point: 192 m
High point: 317 m
Elevation gain: 125 m
Cumulative Elevation gain: 280 m
Trailhead: 49° 47’ 1.3” by 123° 7’ 17.1” (Google Map)

The route…

The photos…

Here’s a link to all my photos on the hike… https://flic.kr/s/aHskvLTXcc

★★★★★★★★★★★

Crater Rim Trail

April 19, 2016Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Squamish - Whistler - Pembertonadmin

Before heading out to this place, I never knew a Whistler had its own crater lake ! It’s pretty cool to explore these new trails and learn new stuff ! The Crater Rim Trail is in Whistler Interpretive Forest and the trailhead is on the opposite side of the highway from Function Junction. The lake is named Logger’s Lake. The trail takes you through a boulder field and up to the crater rim and along the ridge. Eventually the trail makes its way down towards the lake. There are a number of viewpoints along the way.

The stats:

Distance: 11.2 km
Time: 4 hours
Low point: 611 m
High point: 925 m
Elevation gain: 314 m
Cumulative Elevation gain: 438 m
Trailhead: 50° 05’ 11.3” by 123° 02’ 9.8” (Google Map)

The route…

Here are some photos…

Logger's Lake Area Trails — Logger’s Lake Area Trails

First view of Logger's Lake — First view of Logger’s Lake

★★★★★★★★★★★

Upper Shannon Falls

March 25, 2016Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Squamish - Whistler - Pembertonadmin

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…