Slhanay Peak might count as a hidden gem in Squamish. It is a fabulous hike through gorgeous forest below a towering granite monolith. It is popular with climbers, and mountain bikers but less well famous for hikers. This trail is listed in two local hiking books, Destination Hikes and Squamish Hiking, but hasn’t made it onto the bucket list of the instagram-loving hiking crowds yet. We only saw one other hiker on a gorgeous Saturday in June, when the parking…
Leading Peak is the super steep pinnacle of a summit on the north side of Anvil Island. This was my favourite peak bagging adventure of the year. The island is delightful and it is really cool to see the expansive views from the peak with new views of mountains we know well. There are a few barriers to hiking in this area; You need to ask permission the the landowners and either book a water taxi or kayak over from…
Hiking up the Stawamus Chief in Squamish is one of the most popular hikes near Vancouver. “The Chief” is the second largest granite monolith in the world, after the Rock in Gibraltar. It is made up of three peaks. The first two are the most popular with hundreds of hikers climbing up to see the amazing views. The third peak is the quietest, and the most full of chipmunks. The first time we visited, we hiked up the second and…
This post follows on from our beautiful hike to Elfin Lakes in BC, Canada. We arrived at the lakes quite early, and after looking at my map, and chatting to other hikers, we decided we should try to hike up to the Gargoyles on Diamond Head. From down at the Elfin Lakes campground, this looks like a huge climb, and not really something you should attempt in addition to the 22 km hike to the lakes. At the same time, it…