Destination Hikes: In and Around Southwestern British Columbia

by Stephen Hui, Cecilia Point (Foreword by)

Overview

Towering Waterfalls, ancient forest giants, colourful wildflower meadows, sparkling swimming holes, and exhilarating viewpoints. These are the destinations that take a hike from great to unforgettable. And southwestern British Columbia has all of these within an easy-drive of Vancouver. Stephen Hui, bestselling author of 105 Hikes, shares 55 new day trips that celebrate the region's natural and cultural history, from the panoramic peaks of the Duffey Lake corridor near Whistler to the rocky shores of the Gulf Islands and from gleaming alpine lakes east in the Chilliwack Valley to lush conifer forests in northern Washington. Detailed trail descriptions, colour photographs, topographic maps, and points of interest help you make the most of your destination hike, whether it's a quick ramble or a full-day adventure with the family.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771645300
Publisher:	Greystone Books
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

STEPHEN HUI has been hiking, backpacking, and scrambling for more than twenty-five years and is the author of the bestselling 105 Hikes In and Around Southwestern British Columbia. His outdoor writing and photography have appeared in the Georgia Straight, Toronto Sun, and Wild Coast Magazine. Born and based in Vancouver, Hui works for an environmental organization and serves as a director of the Wanderung Outdoor Recreation Society.

Table of Contents

Foreword Cecilia Point 13

Introduction 17

Safety Matters 20

Outdoor Ethics 23

How to Use This Guide 25

Key to Map Symbols 29

Overview Map 30

Hikes at a Glance 32

Hikes North of Vancouver

North Shore

1 Elsay Lake 38

A secluded swimming hole worth sweating for

2 South Needle 42

Thread your way to solitude on the summit

3 Kennedy Falls 46

First stop: a giant western red cedar

4 Dam Mountain 50

After the Grouse Grind, keep going for superb city views

5 Twin Sisters (The Lions) 54

Get up close and personal with Vancouver's rock stars

Squamish

6 Petgill Lake 58

Swim and soak up the Howe Sound views

7 Slhánay 62

Gain a unique perspective of Stawamus Chief Mountain

8 Echo Lake 66

Chase the best waterfall hike in Sea to Sky Country

9 Crooked Falls 70

Ancient giants, thundering water

Whistler

10 Helm Lake 74

Fire and ice in the shadow of The Black Tusk

11 Cheakamus Lake 78

See the forest for the old-growth trees

12 Singing Pass 82

The hills are alive with a symphony of wildflowers

13 Decker Mountain 86

Get off the beaten path in the Spearhead Range

14 Wedgemount Lake 90

An alpine jewel worth the steep price of admission

Pemberton

15 Semaphore Lakes 94

A little piece of paradise in the Coast Mountains

16 Marriott Basin 98

Fall under the spell of a pair of enchanting lakes

17 Blowdown Pass 102

Swimming is bliss at Slowdown Lake

18 Gotcha Peak 106

Scramble above Blowdown Pass for a panoramic payoff

19 Gott Peak 110

The ridge walk is going to get you

Hikes East of Vancouver

Port Moody and Coquitlam

20 Diez Vistas Trail 114

The case of the hidden viewpoints

21 Dennett Lake 118

Make a splash on Burke Mountain

Maple Ridge to Harrison Hoi Springs

22 East Canyon Trail 122

A trail of two beaches

23 Mount Nutt Viewpoints 126

Admire Golden Ears from afar

24 Statlu Lake 130

Brink up the sparkling mountain views

Abbotsford

25 Chadsey Lake 134

Cool off on Sumas Mountain

26 Taggart Peak 138

Enjoy the silence beyond the Abby Grind

Chilliwack

27 Pierce Lake 142

Lupines, thimbleberries, and big trees, oh my!

28 Greendrop Lake 146

Enter for two chances to swim

29 Flora Pass 150

Catch the subalpine flower show above Chilliwack Lake

30 Radium Lake 154

Old-growth trees are aplenty on this quiet trail

Hope and Fraser Canyon

31 Eaton Lake 158

Conifers, cliffs, and boulder fields ring a remote bowl

32 Hozomeen Lake 162

Tread water beneath the twin towers of Hozomeen Mountain

33 Mount Lincoln 166

History and heights in the Eraser Canyon

Coquihalla Pass

34 Yak Peak 170

A scrambly affair on Zopkios Ridge

35 Zoa Peak 174

Marvel at these meadows

E.C. Manning Provincial Park

36 Ghostpass Lake 178

Explore an ancient forest and historical horse route

37 Punch Bowl Pass 182

Hike into history and the headwaters of the Tulameen River

38 Poland Lake 186

A floral rainbow from start to finish

39 Derek Falls 190

One trail, three waterfalls

Hikes West of Vancouver

Howe Sound and Sunshine Coast

40 Mount Killam 194

Get away to Gambier Island

41 Mount Elphinstone 198

Magical views on the Sunshine Coast

42 Mount Hallowell 202

Survey the Salish Sea from an old fire lookout

Gulf Islands

43 Mount Galiano 206

Top-notch West Coast scenery on Galiano Island

44 Bodega Ridge 210

Arbutus trees and endless views of the Salish Sea

Nanaimo

45 Extension Ridge 214

Step up to The Abyss, an intriguing rock fissure

46 Mount Benson 218

This local favourite pays off with coast and mountain views

Hikes South of Vancouver

Bellingham

47 Lookout Mountain 222

A waterfall and woodland wander

48 Lost Lake 226

Find the heart of Chuckanut Mountain

49 Chuckanut Ridge 230

Sandstone and Salish Sea scenery

50 North Butte 234

Searching for solitude on Blanchard Mountain

Mount Baker Wilderness

51 Welcome Pass 238

Take a ridge walk and say hello to Mount Baker

52 Lake Ann 242

Reflections of Mount Shuksan

Cascade River to Washington Pass

53 Hidden Lake Lookout 246

A dreamy hike to an old fire tower

54 Cascade Pass 250

Dazzling scenery from start to finish

55 Blue Lake 254

Home of the golden larches

Acknowledgements 258

Hikes by the Numbers 260

Stops of Interest 262

Further Reading 264

Index 266

About the Author and Photographer 272