Garibaldi Park Whistler A to Z: NunatukThe Pacific yew or western yew is a coniferous tree that grows in Whistler and along the coast from Alaska to California. The Pacific yew’s unique appearance stands out among other more numerous and commonly known trees. The trunk is often contorted in angular directions toward gaps in the forest canopy and the branches are extremely long and sinewy. Branches tend to stretch toward the light and needles tend to only grow near the ends where light is found.

Whistler & Garibaldi Hiking

Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerAlexander Falls  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyAncient Cedars  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerBlack Tusk  Pay Use Hiking Trail WhistlerBlackcomb Mountain  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerBrandywine Falls  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyBrandywine Meadows  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyBrew Lake  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerCallaghan Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerCheakamus Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyCheakamus River  Whistler Hiking Trail HardCirque Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyFlank Trail  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerGaribaldi Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerGaribaldi Park  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerHelm Creek  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyJane Lakes  Joffre Lakes Hike in Whistler in SeptemberJoffre Lakes  Moderate Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyKeyhole Hot Springs  Hiking Trail Hard Dog FriendlyLogger’s Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyMadeley Lake  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyMeager Hot Springs Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerNairn Falls  Whistler Hiking Trail HardNewt Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerPanorama Ridge  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyParkhurst Ghost Town  Hiking Trail Hard Dog FriendlyRainbow Falls  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerRainbow Lake  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyRing Lake  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerRusset Lake  Whistler Hiking Trail EasySea to Sky Trail  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerSkookumchuck Hot Springs  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerSloquet Hot Springs  Sproatt East  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerSproatt West  Moderate Hiking Trail WhistlerTaylor Meadows  Whistler Hiking Trail EasyTrain Wreck  Hiking Trail Hard - Whistler TrailsWedgemount Lake  Pay Use Hiking Trail WhistlerWhistler Mountain

  Winter Hiking WhistlerJanuary  Winter Hiking WhistlerFebruary  Spring Hiking WhistlerMarch  Spring Hiking WhistlerApril  Spring Hiking WhistlerMay  Summer Hiking WhistlerJune  Summer Hiking WhistlerJuly  Summer Hiking WhistlerAugust  Fall Hiking WhistlerSeptember  Fall Hiking WhistlerOctober  Fall Hiking WhistlerNovember  Winter Hiking WhistlerDecember

The Pacific yew a wonderfully exotic, jungle-like quality that contrasts to the uniformly vertical stands of western redcedarsDouglas-firs and western hemlocks that tend to grow nearby. Not only do Pacific yew trees tend to have powerfully elongated snake-like branches, but often have a trunk that appears to be several trees fused together. This feature is called fluting and is not unusual in Pacific yew trees as well as other rainforest trees adapting to unstable forests prone to flooding. The brightly coloured, crimson red bark on Pacific yew trees is yet another characteristic that catches your attention on many of Whistler’s beautiful hiking trails. Depending on time of day or weather will determine which colours you will see on a Pacific yew’s thin, peeling bark. Usually a variation of deep red, but other times you will see brown, purple, or even bright orange, vaguely comparable to arbutus trees! The range of colour is also due to the layer visible. The outer layer will be a duller purple or brown colour, while the inner layer of bark will be a much more vibrant, shiny and fresh looking deep red or purple.  Pacific yew trees have fairly easy to distinguish leaves/needles. Look for the dark green colour and the flat pattern of needles. Other trees in Whistler forests don't have such an organized flat pattern of similar length, dark green needles projecting from both sides of the twig in the same plane. The closest needle pattern you may find in another tree is on the western hemlock, however the flat pattern looks disorganized as the needles are of varying lengths. Also, the twig on the western hemlock is brown, whereas it is green on a Pacific yew.

Sprawling Pacific Yew Tree in Whistler

Yew Tree in Whistler

Amazing Pacific Yew Trees

Pacific yew trees generally have a lifespan of about 200 to 300 years, though some have been known to live over 400 years. Most don’t exceed 20 metres in height, however occasionally they have been known to grow to 30 metres (100 feet). The Pacific yew trees in Whistler almost entirely reside below the canopy of larger trees such as western redcedars, coast Douglas-firs and western hemlocks. Taxine alkaloids in all species of yew trees worldwide cause them to be extremely poisonous. The Pacific yew is the least poisonous variation of yew tree as it contains only minimal amounts of Taxine, though still quite dangerous. Moose and deer seem to be the only animals to be unaffected by Taxine alkaloids as they happily eat the needles without ill effect. In humans Taxine Pacific yew needles may lead to death by cardiogenic shock. For most animals, including humans, ingesting any part of a Pacific yew tree containing Taxine alkaloids will result in neurological damage resulting in convulsions, fasciculation and paralysis.

Pacific Yew Trees in Whistler Lunging Toward the Sun

Pacific Yew in Whistler

Pacific Yew Tree in Whistler

Pacific Yew Berries

The Pacific yew is the only conifer species that produces berries instead of cones. The red flesh of the berry is the only part of yew trees that does not contain significant amounts of Taxine, though the seeds contain plenty. Humans and most animals avoid eating the toxic berries however some birds manage to avoid a horrifically painful death by separating and discarding the toxic seeds and eating just the flesh of the berry.  In 1971 Paclitaxel was isolated from the bark of Pacific yew trees and used successfully to treat many types of cancer. Suddenly yew trees worldwide became valuable and it is estimated that six trees were killed to treat one cancer patient. Inevitably this slow growing tree was massively reduced in numbers and ended up being classed as endangered. In the early 1990's synthetic production of Paclitaxel was developed and the Pacific yew is no longer endangered.

Pacific Yew Trees in Whistler

Otzi the Iceman's Yew Bow

Yew wood is very strong, stiff and springy making it useful historically in weapons such as the English long bow, axes, tools, canoe paddles, and quite a lot more. Europe's oldest known natural human mummy Ötzi the Iceman died in the Otztal Alps over 5000 years ago, was carrying a bow and axe, both made of yew. The Latin word for yew tree is Taxus, which in turn was borrowed from the Scythian word Taxša which translates to both yew and bow.

Pacific Yew aka Wester Yew Trees in Whistler

How to Identify a Pacific Yew in Whistler

The brightly coloured bark on Pacific yew trees is probably the first thing you will notice. In the midst of other trees in a Whistler forest, Pacific yew trees stand out quite brightly. The purple/orange/deep red bark is very noticeable in a Whistler forest.

Pacific Yew Colourful Bark

Pacific Yew Colourful Bark

Pacific Yew Leaves/Needles

Identifying a Pacific yew by looking at the leaves/needles is pretty easy in a Whistler forest. Look for the dark green colour and the flat pattern of needles. Other trees in Whistler forests don't have such an organized flat pattern of similar length, dark green needles projecting from both sides of the twig in the same plane. The closest needle pattern you may find in another tree is on the western hemlock, however the flat pattern looks disorganized as the needles are of varying lengths. Also, the twig on the western hemlock is brown, whereas it is green on a Pacific yew. Pacific yew needles are also likened to bananas due to their slight curve and rounded shape. If you look very closely at Pacific yew needle you will notice each has a soft point at the end.

Pacific Yew Flat Needle Pattern

Pacific Yew Flat Leaves

The underside of a Pacific yew needle is concave and pale green in colour, much lighter than the dark green on the upper side. One typical feature that conifer needles tend to have is a white band along the length of the underside. Pacific yews don't have this white band and according to the excellent smartphone app Trees Pacific NW, "The absence of white bands is positive identification of Pacific yew."

Pacific Yew Needles Underside

Pacific Yew Leaves Under

Pacific Yew Pollen

Pacific Yew Pollen

Pacific Yew Berries

Pacific Yew Berrty

Pacific Yew Trees in Whistler

Pacific yew trees are fairly common in Whistler forests and once you spot one with its crimson red bark you will notice more and more. They are very hardy and don't mind fighting for sunlight near the forest floor. Emerald Forest in Whistler Cay is home to countless young and not-so-young Pacific yew trees. This expansive forest is also home to several large and interesting western redcedars, coast Douglas-firs, and quite a lot more.

Pacific Yew Forest in Whistler

Pacific Yew Tree in Whistler

More Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking A to Z!

Green Lake is the marvellously vivid, green coloured lake just north of Whistler Village.  Driving north on the Sea to Sky Highway, Green Lake appears ...
Read more
Ablation Zone: the lower altitude region of a glacier where there is a net loss of ice mass due to melting, sublimation, evaporation, ice calving or ...
Read more
Western redcedar is a very large tree commonly found in the Pacific Northwest. Frequently growing up to 70 metres and with a trunk diameter of 7 metres, ...
Read more
Along the shore of Green Lake, you will find a monstrous old Caterpillar tractor that dates from the 1930’s.  Abandoned here in the 1950’s, it looks as if the ...
Read more
Alec Dalgleish (1 August 1907 - 26 June 1934) was a highly respected mountaineer and climber out of Vancouver in the 1920's and 1930's.  His enthusiasm and ...
Read more
Whistler Bungee Bridge, also known as the Cheakamus Bungee Bridge is a very convenient and beautiful attraction on the way to or from Whistler from ...
Read more
The Table is an extraordinary flat-topped mountain located in Garibaldi Park just one kilometre south of Garibaldi Lake.  Sometimes reflexively referred to as ...
Read more
When you hike in the alpine in Whistler and Garibaldi Provincial Park, you will often encounter unbelievably hardy and sometimes mangled looking trees.  ...
Read more

Amazing Hiking Trails in Whistler

The Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking Trails!

Jane Lakes are a very remote feeling set of lakes in the beautiful wilderness near Cheakamus Crossing.  Consisting of three lakes, West Jane Lake, East Jane Lake and Little Jane Lake, they have a great ...
Read more
Keyhole Hot Springs (aka Pebble Creek Hot Springs) is located 100 kilometres from Whistler (Village Gate Blvd). Though much of the drive to Keyhole is on logging roads, the route is driveable by most cars ...
Read more
Skookumchuck Hot Springs(aka T'sek Hot Springs and St. Agnes Well), located two hours north of Whistler along the edge of the huge Lillooet River. The name Skookumchuck means "strong water" in the language ...
Read more
Sloquet Hot Springs is a wonderfully wild set of shallow, man-made pools fed by a small, all natural, and very hot, waterfall. The pools stretch from the waterfall to the large and crashing Sloquet River. The ...
Read more

Whistler & Garibaldi Park Best Hiking by Month!

Hiking in Whistler in October is often unexpectedly stunning.  The days are much shorter and colder but the mountains are alive with colour from the fall ...
Read more
November in Whistler is when the temperatures plummet and the first heavy snow falls in the alpine and often in Whistler Village.  The hiking opportunities become ...
Read more
December hiking in Whistler is mainly done on snowshoes, though not always. If it hasn't snowed much recently then trails such as Whistler Train Wreck and ...
Read more
There are plenty of beautiful and free snowshoe trails in Whistler and Garibaldi Provincial Park.  From the surreal paintings of Whistler Train Wreck to ...
Read more

Free Camping Gear Delivery to Garibaldi Park

Explore BC Hiking Destinations!

Whistler Hiking Trails

Hiking in Whistler is spectacular and wonderfully varied. Looking at a map of Whistler you see an extraordinary spider web of hiking trails that are unbelievably numerous. Easy trails, moderate trails and challenging hiking trails are all available. Another marvellous ...
Read more

Squamish Hiking Trails

Squamish is located in the midst of a staggering array of amazing hiking trails. Garibaldi Provincial Park sprawls alongside Squamish and up and beyond Whistler. Tantalus Provincial Park lays across the valley to the west and the wonderfully remote Callaghan Valley ...
Read more

Vancouver Hiking Trails

Vancouver is surrounded by seemingly endless hiking trails and mountains to explore.  Massive parks line up one after another.  Mount Seymour Provincial Park, Lynn Canyon Park, Grouse Mountain, Cypress Park and the enormous Garibaldi Park all contribute to Vancouver ...
Read more

Clayoquot Hiking Trails

Clayoquot Sound has a staggering array of hiking trails within it.  Between Tofino and Ucluelet, Pacific Rim Park has several wilderness and beach trails, each one radically different from the last.  The islands in the area are often Provincial parks on their own with ...
Read more

Victoria Hiking Trails

Victoria has a seemingly endless number of amazing hiking trails.  Most take you to wild and beautiful Pacific Ocean views and others take you to tranquil lakes in beautiful BC Coastal Rainforest wilderness.  Regional Parks and Provincial Parks are everywhere you turn in ...
Read more

The West Coast Trail

The West Coast Trail was created after decades of brutal and costly shipwrecks occurred along the West Coast of Vancouver Island.  One shipwreck in particular was so horrific, tragic and unbelievable that it forced the creation of a trail along the coast, which ...
Read more