If you’re going to ask anyone’s opinion on a hike in Whistler, The Expeditioners would not be a bad place to start. Bella and Roberto traverse the world documenting their travels and inspire millions of people to get out and explore. You’d be hard pressed to find a part of Whistler they haven’t camped, paddled, ski toured, or hiked.
We regularly have the pleasure of having The Expeditioners stay with us for a few days while they are in between trips, and we couldn’t miss an opportunity to pick their adventurous brains for some hiking recommendations.
Here are the top 3 hikes in Whistler for all abilities, as recommended by The Expeditioners.
1. Wedgemount Lake (advanced)
“This particular hike is definitely our favourite. It’s the most difficult of our mini list, but also the most rewarding. A beautiful alpine lake sits at the top— crowned by mountains all around. In fall, Whistler’s valley can be getting copious quantities of rain—but that often means a sprinkling of snow in the alpine. And with Wedgemount Lake- -that’s more than often the case.” – Bella
A photo posted by Roberto Gibbons Gomez (@theexpeditioners) on
“While the lake is beautiful in summer, in fall it’s absolutely stunning for the simple reason that the surrounding landscape is often covered with a white blanket of snow. And that makes for a surreal setting. Only a few kilometres from Whistler, the access is just a skip away from town. But be prepared for 1200m of elevation gain to the top and be ready that once you break into the alpine, the weather can change very very quickly. The night before the last time we went, there was hail and lightning— and that was in summer. Choose between big ample platforms to pitch your tent, or designated spots all around the lake.” – Roberto
2. Cheakamus Lake (easy)
A photo posted by Roberto Gibbons Gomez (@theexpeditioners) on
“We love lakes. The ocean. Water in general. Aside from having easy access to H20 for drinking or cooking, it’s the special feeling that being next to a body of water. Which I guess is why our favourite hikes either lead to a lake or are in the general vicinity of one. Cheakamus lake is another beautiful mountain lake in the Whistler area. And it seems that with every visit, the mountains and the lake are dressed differently. Not only did the extremely easy (7km) hike become our most frequented one in the past year, but we also camped there and biked there more times than I can count.” – Bella
“Watch for the beautiful colour the ferns turn to in fall— and it only lasts until the first couple of freezing nights. An added bonus of this wonderful hike and camp spot is that it is a superb places to watch speckled skies (stars) as they reflect on the ultra-still lake.” – Roberto
A photo posted by Roberto Gibbons Gomez (@theexpeditioners) on
3. Joffre Lakes (easy to intermediate)
“Bring your brother, bring your dad, bring your sister’s mother’s brother’s friends. This is a hike the whole family will relish. We rarely venture to Joffre lakes in the summer time— but love to do so in fall and winter. For one, there’s barely anyone there in the shoulder season of fall, but you also get to capture the lake before it freezes over. The trail has been flattened and widened to make it a very easy hike to the three lakes: Lower, Middle, and Upper Joffre.” – Roberto
A photo posted by Roberto Gibbons Gomez (@theexpeditioners) on
“Crowds of people swarm here on weekends in summer, so try and avoid them— and get out/and up here during the week if possible. Fall temperatures will also bring some cold wind- so make sure to be ready with the right apparel for this hike.” – Bella
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