It’s also home to one of the most classic hikes in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Your knees will thank you! It offers a stunning view of Mt. I’m not going to lie, the beginning doesn’t look promising because you have to climb a lot of stairs but after that, the fun begins! Already tagged. I read somewhere to bypass the 1st peak + head straight to the 2nd. To get there, turn off Highway 99 at either Shannon Falls or Stawamus Chief Provincial Park. We're Cat and Joe, two travel fanatics from the U.K. We both caught the travel bug on solo trips in 2003 and have been hopelessly addicted ever since. Information on how to prepare for your trip and stay safe while on your hike is available from AdventureSmart. Continue along the highway for the next 30-40 minutes until you reach a traffic light at near Shannon Falls. Looking for Meeting Space Tailored to Your Needs? The Chief hike in Squamish: the gnarly descent, The Chief hike in Squamish: The rough path down. From here you can turn back the way you came and brave the chains in reverse, or head onto the third peak or take a different route back. We do not recommend hiking the Chief in wet conditions, what is grippy rock in dry weather can quickly become slick and dangerous. All hail The Chief. You can see the first peak as well as the inlet, it made for a beautiful spot to get our breath back. The stairs were a bit… My belief in it being a rite of passage seemed to be confirmed when we saw a school group of fifth graders hiking the trail on the 2nd day of school! The Chief hike in Squamish: The summit of peak one, Read next: The High Note Trail - hiking on the top of Whistler Mountain, Distance: 2km (from peak one using the official route)Elevation: 215m. The official route and then the unofficial, unmaintained via ferrata style route. Bring plenty of water and some extra clothing as weather in the mountains can change at the drop of a hat. It’s better known as “The Chief,” and the easy access and amazing views make it a must for any outdoor adventurer. Then comes the hardest part of the trail. Squamish Chief Photo Galleries. The classic route for a good half to full day hike is to ascend Second Peak and then continue on, following the orange trail blazes, to Third Peak. The closest of the three in terms of distance from the parking lot, First Peak is both the busiest and the best when it comes to views of Howe Sound. In dry conditions the rock isn’t slippery though and Cat actually found it easier to climb up without the chain just using the tight footing in the gully. The turn-offs for each peak are posted on signposts along the way. Stunning view after hiking the Chief in Squamish BC It’s a steep hike – expect to sweat like a loon – but should only take an average fit person about 2 hours to the top. Graded as an intermediate hike, there are, on First and Second Peak, chains and ladders for some of the more technical parts of the trail to aid you in getting to the top. The Stawamus Chief, officially Stawamus Chief Mountain (often referred to as simply The Chief, or less commonly Squamish Chief), is a granitic dome located adjacent to the town of Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. The Chief hike in Squamish: The ladder on peak 1, Read next: Joffre Lakes Hike - Vancouver’s most instagrammable hike. The Stawamus Chief is named by the primary nations individuals after their village on the Squamish River. Peak two is tougher than peak one and peak three is the easiest of the lot. Are you hiking up the Chief?!”. The peak is an incredible vantage point from which to survey … Are you visiting Squamish? What makes it challenging is the elevation which is a whopping 550m in that distance. On the face of it, the Chief hike doesn’t look too bad. It requires some manoeuvring to get up and it’s harder than it probably looks in the photo! Read next: Beautiful Tofino hikes you need to check out. The hike to all peaks starts from the same path which is about 100-200m from the car park. Already tagged. If you just did the first peak it would come in at around a 6km round trip. Then it’s a gradual uphill climb on rock to the true summit for some great views! Most of the scrambling is not done with great exposure so you won’t constantly feel like you might fall any great height. With sheer cliffs on three sides, it’s a spectacular perch from which to have lunch or a snack. Known locally as the Chief, this massive cliff face is one of North America's largest granite monoliths. The second chain is on a slightly steeper section but again it isn’t too difficult. Back onto the offical route and the second peak is a lot harder than the first as it requires a lot more scrambling and has a particularly difficult section to climb over. The scramble up the boulders on peak two is in our opinion the most difficult stretch of the hike which you can avoid entirely if you just head for peak one. Whilst most people can definitely do it, you may want to give yourself some time for the scrambling. You can easily hike the second peak in combination with the first peak. It’s a tough hike. Aug 31, 2018 - Are you looking to take your family on The Chief hike in Squamish, BC? The first two sets of chains at the second peak are there to help you get across the narrow paths. We started the hike with stairs at the first part. It’s also home to one of the most classic hikes in the Sea to Sky Corridor. What makes it challenging is the elevation which is a whopping 550m in that distance. Stawamus Chief is an impressive piece of rock. It’s a very popular trail with locals and travellers alike so if you want any kind of solitude avoid weekends and hike very early or later in the day. Whilst some people go up incredibly quickly, we recommend allowing 1 hour 30 to hike to the top of Peak 1 (one-way). Hikers should be prepared with sturdy footwear, clothing, food and water. Yes, the local school gave these kids one day before they had to take on this brutal hike - I assume that 10 is the age where the rite of passage occurs in BC! From the chains it’s a walk up to some trees that you think are near the top, only to realise it’s a false summit! Stawamus Chief Mountain typically simply referred to as The Chief, is Both First Peak and Third Peak are visible from here and even on a busy day, there is plenty of room for everyone. Your introduction to the Chief hike is manicured (there’s some nice sets of wooden stairs to use) but even these aren’t easy going as there are several staircases in a row. Be careful as, like First Peak, there are ledges and drop-offs that should be given a wide berth. Heading back down the way you came you’ll see signs to the second peak which leads up a gap between the peaks which is steep and gets more narrow along the way. The Stawamus Chief is the distinctive towering mountain that overlooks the town of Squamish north of Vancouver. Situated in the Whistler-Squamish region, this mountain group is … Most emails are boring, ours aren’t! To get to the Chief, take Highway #1 westbound towards Horseshoe Bay and continue onto Highway #99 (Sea to Sky Highway). Take your time and tread lightly down the trail. The Squamish Chief Hike The Squamish chief hike, located in Stawamus Chief Provincial Park in the District of Squamish, is one of the most popular spots for hiking and rock climbing. After the staircases, the track becomes rougher (and will continue for virtually the whole time). While not overly technical in nature, the Stawamus Chief is nonetheless a challenging hike, mainly because it doesn’t beat around the bush. Read more to learn what to expect and how to plan for a great trip! :-). I will describe the hike as completing both Peaks 2 and 3, … If you want to take the dodgy route you don’t descend the way you came you use the metal rungs driven into the cliff by the peak summit. If you want to descend then as soon as you hit a route which offers you the option of going up or downhill take the downhill and you’ll eventually end up back at the car park. Hike the Chief on a Tuesday morning, started at around 8am with no one on the trail except for two ladies at the start whom we passed right after the initial stairs. The Chief hike in Squamish: The steps at the start. At first, I have been hearing feed backs from a few friends that The Chief Hike is a challenging one with a breathtaking view on top. Whilst the elevation gain is quite intense for such a short hike it’s totally doable if you take your time even if you aren’t used to steep hikes. I did The Chief! Stunning views of Howe Lake, Garibaldi peaks and Squamish. Then the chains help you through a narrow gully before leading to a ladder. Back to the mountain. This is one of the largest granite monoliths in the world. Sign up below to receive stories and tips from Walk My World. Saying farewell to the Squamish Youth Centre. We didn’t really enjoy this route down and would only suggest it if you don’t want to head down via the chains. The Chief hike is only a five minute drive south of the centre of Squamish along Highway 99. Taking on the Chief hike in Squamish seems to be a rite of passage for anyone in British Columbia. Luckily it’s only about 2km to the chains and it doesn’t take all that long. So, in late Spring, I was able to do the hike with my boyfriend. We saw quite a few people struggle at this point, but everyone got past it. The Stawamus Chief hike outside the village Squamish in British Columbia, Canada is one of the most popular hikes near the city of Vancouver, only about an hours drive away. Note from Robin : The Grind is certainly not for everybody. This is a fool-proof trail and the route is well marked by aluminum signs on trees and red painted arrows on the rocks all the way up. If you just did the first peak it would come in at around a 6km round trip. Jul 28, 2018 - Are you looking for a challenging yet fun family hike? The Chief hike in Squamish: The last push to the summit, Read next: Things to do in Vancouver Island for a trip of a lifetime. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Keep an eye out for the reflectors that mark the trail as it can be easy to lose track of where to go. The Chief hike in Squamish: The pink ribbons which guide the way, Read next: The best Revelstoke hikes you must do, Distance: 2.9km from peak twoElevation: negligible. The Chief: Head from Vancouver towards Squamish/Whistler on Highway 99. The Chief hike in Squamish: The chain on peak one, The Chief hike in Squamish: The second ladder on peak one. If you think that this hike is too advanced for your family, we encourage you to explore shorter hikes until you can build everyone up to tackle this one! There’s also a second ladder which is quite narrow but very stable. They also might produce the odd rock climber topping out on their adventure. Within a minute or two you’re feeling the effects of what locals named “the stair master” - the incline has begun and it won’t stop until you reach the top of peak one! The Chief is located on Highway 99 just south of Squamish and just North of Shannon Falls. Would you take on the Chief hike? It feels endless up here and if you are coming from Second Peak, you will pass over the North Gully. The round-trip distance from the parking lot is 4km, but due to the steep nature of the trail, allow yourself 2-3 hours for the hike. While the trail begins near the Chief Campground, access from Shannon Falls and the Sea to Sky Gondola is well marked and only takes a few minutes. The trail has a lot of rock and rubble underfoot and the serious gradient makes the hike slow going. It rises 541 metres (1,774 feet) above the Howe Sound waters and stands like a sentinel above the town of Squamish. The largest of the three summits, Second Peak, even on busy days, is a worthy objective. It is considered an intermediate hike, and takes about 90 minutes to reach Peak 1, and slightly longer if you choose to ascend one of the other two peaks. After buying a one way ticket to Istanbul we spent a year making our way through Asia before arriving in Australia, where we have been living ever since. And at only 5.6 km, hiking Peak 1 and 2 together definitely gives you the most views in the shortest distance. There are a couple of options for getting to the second peak. It towers over 700 m (2,297 ft) above the waters of nearby Howe Sound. Already tagged. The Stawamus Chief hike outdoors the village Squamish in British Columbia, Canada is likely one of the hottest hikes close to town of Vancouver, solely about an hours drive away. Hiking "The Chief" is something that every hiker should have on their bucket list. Be careful as the drops here are considerable. First Peak is a 4km round trip from the Chief parking lot and will take an average group around 3 to 4 hours. The hike has a roughly 500 m elevation gain to peak 1, and 590 m and 630 m gains to Peaks 2 and 3. What a challenging feat of a climb. Goodbye old Squamish boathouse. Known locally as the Chief, this massive cliff face is one of North America's largest granite monoliths. If you want to continue onto Peak 2 and 3, allow 4-5 hours for the total trip - this will allow you to get your breath back and enjoy the views! I hiked straight to … Hiking the Chief is a challenge. To get to peak three or the alternate route down you do not start descending towards the chains but continue further along the peak until you pick up the pink ribbons tied to the trees, these will lead you to peak three. Only 5km, by heart pumping all the way straight up 2149 feet. You still probably won’t be alone but it also shouldn’t be too crowded. Like just about everyone else, the kids loved the hike. © 2020 - Walk My World. The Chief hike in Squamish: The first chains at Peak two. Ending at the top of a large granite slab sits the treed summit of Third Peak. That happen able to do the hike slow going, but we ’ d asked... 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