Stawamus Chief

March 30 - Stats: 10.2 km / 846m gain / 730m high / 5:20 hours MT

Not a long hike -- so why did it take us so long? My photos should explain that.

Stawamus Chief is the great rock mass that towers over the Sea to Sky Hwy. south of Squamish. This provincial park is managed by BC Parks + the Squamish Rock-Climbers Association.

Wood stairs, stone stairs, car-sized rocks, pockets of hale from the previous day's storm, smooth slippery roots and far fetching views were all features of this trail.

We first summited the second peak by way of the south gully. Most hikers do the shorter version to the first peak.

The first 50m of uphill were on wood steps, following alongside Olesen Creek.

Not long after we left the creek, we passed two junctions. One to the First Peak and the second one going right to the Shannon Falls on the Sea to Sky trail.

A hop & a skip to the right and we were at the big bolder overlooking the south valley.

Back on the trail.

Leaving the south gully.

pic 2) It was a challenge to get a good footing here and hoist ourselves up on that first rock.

Some tight squeezes.

Ahh. The ladder and then we were out in the open.

Looking down on the First Peak from the Second Peak -- south.

The Tantalus Mts -- west.

The town of Squamish -- north.

And Mamquam Mt -- east.

We dropped down off of the second peak. At the gap in cliffs with a view of Garabaldi Mt, the trail started to climb again.

Views of the Tantalus Range from the summit of the Third Peak -- west.

Garabaldi remained in hiding for the day -- north.

Mamquam Mt -- east.

Mamquam.

Southeast.

The peak to the left towers over Watersprite Lake. I've been there twice. The cabin is only a few years old, built by the FMCBC. The small picturesque lake is turquoise and a campsite is located on the opposite side of the lake. There's many opportunies to explore the ridge and peaks up there.

Looking down on the second and third peaks (foreground).

A team of two.

Heading back.

We backtracked a bit to a junction with a sign and descended the north gully.

It amazes me how these giants manage to grow in this deep dark gully.

We had to choose our steps carefully, picking our steep way between rocks, creeks and slippery roots.

pic 2) a weeping wall

I don't feel my knees often but we were both beginning to feel ours as we neared the bottom.

Close to this climbing wall was a junction to Slhaney trail that we have yet to try.

Back at the final stretch along the creek.

We did the loop clockwise. Dry weather is a must.

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