Flute Summit

Aug. 28 - Stats: 9.85 km / 494m gain / 2182m high / 3 hours MT

Right from the start, this hike offers amazing views from Whistler Mt. Of course taking a gondola up helps. The Peak Express lift is only open Friday - Sunday.

We drove the evening before, and boon-docked with our Sprinter in the usual spot by the recycle depot. Here we're passing the city of Vancouver at sunset.

Whistler village has a beautifully landscaped with flowers.

Unlike a few days prior, when we hiked Podunk Creek on the HBC trail and saw not a soul + had no views outside of the forest, this day was quite the contrast. It's a short walk to the last Peak Express lift, but it doesn't open till 11:00am while the 25-minute Whistler Village gondola ride to the Roundhouse lodge opens at 9:30am. So we were all waiting at the gate. We didn't get on the first ride till 10:00am as I was waiting in line to buy tickets for half an hour.

Raven's Eye is a cantilever structure that extends 12.5m from the cliff face above Whistler Bowl.

The Cloudraker skybridge consists of 101 steel modules, each weighing 500 lbs. It was closed.

The Black Tusk -- southwest.

Southwest to northwest.

We left the crowd behind as we set out on the Mathew's Traverse trail, heading east.

Cheakamus Glacier, Castle Towers & Mt. Garabaldi in the Fitzsimmons Range.

Alpine Fireweed.

The Saddle was just a hop & a skip to the left of this sign. We turned right, onto Burnt Stew Trail.

The trail (more like an FSR) descended. Looking east at Whirlwind & Fissile Mts with Overlord Glacier.

Cheakamus Glacier - south.

Decorative signposts. Here we're crossing over the Half Note trail.

We turned right at the T-junction, heading south and skirting Piccolo Mt. A cautious squirrel.

east

Almost at the junction with the map sign at the Flute-Piccolo col. Left goes to Flute summit.

Looking back -- southwest & west.

West.

Just a few minutes walk from this sign is a kiosk with an even better views.

The Piccolo summit which we'd walked around the north & east slopes of. Notice the trail below.

Blackcomb Mt & then Decker to the left in the Spearhead Range.

The above 6 pics start from Blackcomb, east to Cheakamus Glacier & Castle Peaks in the south.

Back at the T-juntion but this time we turned right onto the High Note trail.

The Burnst Stew trail came down along that ridge to the left.

Blackcomb & Decker -- northeast.

Symphony Lake.

The trail ascended to Harmony Ridge and then dropped down again to Harmony Lake.

Flute summit is on the orange ridge to the right.

Harmony Lake.

The Roundhouse lodge is just behind the centre trees.

Driving home over the Iron Man bridge.

The Port Mann bridge.