Trail Name

Stawamus Chief to first peak

Comment

Icy this time of year

Date

25 February, 2022

Trail Name

Grouse Grind

Comment

Still closed until about the end of May

Date

3 April, 2022

Trail Name

Cheakamus Lake

Comment

Because of concerns for public safety, BC Parks and the BCCOS are closing the Cheakamus Lake, Singing Creek and Helm Creek campgrounds this weekend. The Cheakamus Lake Trailhead will also be closed. The closure took effect at 4 p.m. Saturday, with park rangers evacuating visitors from the Cheakamus Lake area by that time. Rangers expected to finish evacuating park visitors from the Helm Lake area by Sunday.

“The closure will remain in place through Tuesday, June 21 (day use and camping) and may be extended if the bear is not caught within this closure time frame,” the statement reads.
Garibaldi is the second provincial park in the Lower Mainland to be closed by aggressive bear behaviour this month.

Date

20 June, 2022

Trail Name

Mount Seymour Main

Comment

There is still some snow above 1060 m on the trail about 500 m up from ski area base.

Date

28 June, 2022

Trail Name

Elfin Lakes

Comment

Elfin lakes area – lots of slippery wet snow at low elevation. Snow shoes recommend as micro pikes were useless. I was slipping and sliding everywhere in my microspikes and called it quits at the ridge. Those in snowshoes, carried on. Some mosquitoes, but not as bad as Garibaldi.

Date

7 July, 2022

Trail Name

Garibaldi Lake Trail

Comment

Garibaldi Lake – can be done in trail runners and gaiters. Some snow and mud after the 6km mark. Also flooded bridges at the 2 km mark and at the 8 km mark. you can easily walk from rock to rock to keep your feet dry. Bring mosquito suit or repellant. It is really bad at the barrier view point and 6 km rest area.

There were 20 car break-ins overnight in the Rubble Creek parking lot. The park ranger said someone from Whistler is driving up in the middle of the night and stealing whatever they can get.

Report from North Shore Hikers

Date

9 July, 2022

Trail Name

Howe Sound Crest Trail to St. Marks

Comment

Did a rescue on the HSCT tonight and they’re still pockets of snow along the trail especially north and some west facing slopes. Micro spikes or crampons and an ice axe along with proper training on their use is required.

Date

14 July, 2022

Trail Name

Slesse Memorial Trail

Comment

They stopped work on the FSR at the end of June. The first two major/impassable washouts are fixed. The first 4km of the FSR is in good shape and any truck and most all wheel drive SUVs will have no issues driving the first 4 km. The road from 4 to 5 km is in good shape but is overgrown. I expect most vehicles will park here and walk the last 1.5 km to the Slesse trailhead. At the 5km mark is a small washout that no one is driving across. You have to walk the last 500m to the trailhead. Valley Outdoor Association and the Chilliwack Outdoor Club have plans to clearing the road of overgrowth and possibly working on the small washout.

Date

18 July, 2022

Trail Name

Mount Rexford

Comment

They stopped the FSR work at the end of June. The first two major/impassable washouts are fixed. The first 4 km of the FSR is in good shape and any truck and most all wheel drive SUVs will have no issues driving the first 4 km. The road from 4 to 5 km is in good shape but is overgrown. I expect most vehicles will park here and walk the last 1.5 km to the Slesse trailhead. At the 5km mark is a small washout that no one is driving across. You have to walk the last 500m to the trailhead. Valley Outdoor Association and the Chilliwack Outdoor Club have plans to clearing the road of overgrowth and possibly working on the small washout.

Date

18 July, 2022

Trail Name

Tricouni – Berg Lake

Comment

Aggressive Grizzly Bear near Whistler
There is a report of a Grizzly being aggressive with food caches at Berg Lake (Tricouni trail from Chance Creek) south of Whistler:

“On September 4th early morning….woke up to huffing outside my tent. Grizzly Bear who really is not deterred by much. (The bear) Certainly, has his own agenda and does not run away from constant yelling or blowing of a whistle. Had an earlier encounter with other tenters 30 minutes prior – bear approached group, not deterred despite effort, went to where they had their food cache and broke the branch to get it down. Prior group packed up and hiked out and we did a fast pack up and bombed outta there too.“

Steve Jones (a hiker and blogger from North Vancouver) recommends that all hikers carry a Ursack. MEC seems to sell this at a reasonable price considering the list US price. MEC also carries another product: BearVault BV500 Bear Resistant Food Container. Who has experience with it?

There are many other areas near Whistler on the east side of Highway 99 that grizzlies have also been spotted. A Grizzly was even seen in Squamish last year. So, if we want these bears not to be all killed, we will have to do our part to ensure that they don’t continue to get used to eating hiker’s food.

So, if you are going hiking to a campsite that doesn’t have bear proof containers such as Elfin Lakes, then please buy an Ursack or equivalent product.

Date

7 September, 2022