Garibaldi Park Whistler A to Z: Peak2PeakThe Peak 2 Peak Gondola connects Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain at a dizzying height of 436 metres(1427 feet).  It runs all winter and in the summer when the mountains are open for sightseeing and hiking.  The Peak 2 Peak Gondola runs very fast as it carries up to 4100 people per hour at 7.5 metres per second or 16.8 miles per hour!

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  Easy Hiking Trail WhistlerParkhurst Ghost Town  Hiking Trail ModerateRainbow 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  Moderate/Hard Hiking Trail Whistler Dog FriendlyMount Sproatt  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 overall length you travel one way is 4.4 kilometres or 2.7 miles and that distance is covered in just 11 minutes!  The entire 11 minutes is pretty thrilling right from the start as you creep along in the loading bay then suddenly shoot out at full speed, gaining elevation rapidly.  Owing to the great span of the supporting columns, over 3 kilometres, the journey across dips down into the valley before rising up the other side.  Despite this considerable dip in the middle, you are still chillingly high.  From over 400 metres or nearly 1500 feet above the ground Fitzsimmons Creek and the thousands of treetops looks wonderfully distant.  One side of the cabin faces Whistler Valley descending to Whistler Village and several lakes.  Alta Lake and Lost Lake are visible and the much larger Green Lake in the distance.  Fitzsimmons Creek that flows below runs through Whistler Village and into Green Lake.  Green Lake then empties into Green River, north to Lillooet Lake.  Lillooet Lake flows to Harrison Lake via Lillooet River, which then flows into the Fraser River which reaches the Pacific Ocean in Vancouver.  An interesting characteristic of Whistler’s other big lake, Alta Lake is that it flows in two directions.  One end flows to Green Lake via the River of Golden Dreams then the route just described.  The other end flows to Nita Lake, then Alpha Lake, then Cheakamus River to the Squamish River, finally reaching Howe Sound where it then meets the Pacific Ocean at Vancouver.  Fantastic.

Peak2Peak Gondola

The other side of the Peak 2 Peak Gondola gives you a marvellous view of the meeting point between the two local mountain ranges that you are crossing between.  The Fitzsimmons Range on the Whistler Mountain side and the Spearhead Range on the Blackcomb Mountain side.  The two mountain ranges meet at the Overlord Massif.  A massif is a term used to denote a cluster of mountain peaks all attributed to the most prominent peak among them.  Overlord Mountain is the dramatically beautiful mountain visible at the end of the valley with Overlord Glacier descending down the valley.  To the right of Overlord Mountain is The Fissile.  Another beautiful mountain with its dark red colour and angular, pyramid like shape.  The Fissile is so stunning that it inspired the design of Whistler Village to have an unobstructed view of it from Village Gate Boulevard.  Through much of Whistler Village and certainly at Village Gate Boulevard you will catch a dramatically beautiful view of this gorgeous mountain.  Both end of the Peak 2 Peak Gondola are located next to restaurants, gift shops, washrooms and quite a lot else.  The Rendezvous Lodge is at the Blackcomb Mountain end, and the Roundhouse Lodge is at the Whistler Mountain end.

Peak2Peak Gondola

Peak2Peak Gondola

Peak2Peak Overlord and The Fissile

Russet Lake in Garibaldi Provincial Park

Russet Lake Hike RatingRusset Lake is a fantastic hiking destination in July.  Located close to where the Fitzsimmons Range meets the Spearhead Range and at the foot of The Fissile.  The Fitzsimmons Range is the range of mountains that includes Whistler Mountain.  The Spearhead Range is the mountain range that lays across the valley, cut by Fitzsimmons Creek.  If you have ever been on the Peak2Peak Gondola that connects Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain, you would have noticed at the mid-point a river that runs down the valley.  This is Fitzsimmons Creek which is fed by Russet Lake and Overlord Glacier as well as hundreds of small streams.  Russet Lake can be hiked to via the free, BC Parks Garibaldi Provincial Park trail that starts a couple hundred metres up from the base of Whistler Mountain.  The big bus stop on Blackcomb Way has a trailhead mapboard for the Singing Pass trail to Russet Lake.  It is quite a long and boring trail that constantly ascends for about a dozen kilometres through the forest before getting scenic.  A nicer alternative is to buy a lift pass and ride the Whistler Gondola up Whistler Mountain, then hike the Musical Bumps trail or the High Note trail to Russet Lake.

Russet Lake View of Overlord Glacier

Both are shorter than the Singing Pass trail, and constantly amazing.  Also, you ride most of the ascent by gondola.  No matter what way you hike to Russet Lake, if you do it in July you will likely have gorgeous weather and a wonderful time at the lake.  Russet Lake has a cute old hut that anyone can use(with a campsite park permit) as well as several nice tent clearings.  The campsite sits near the base of The Fissile, at the shore of Russet Lake, and overlooking Overlord Glacier.  A small stream runs along the campsite that you can drink straight from.  From the campsite you can hike in several directions to see some incredible sights.  The Fissile is a challenging scramble. 

Russet Lake, The Fissile and the Hut

Overlord Glacier is just an easy hike down the valley.  The small and comparatively warm, Adit Lakes sit up from Russet Lake on the opposite side of the valley from The FissileRusset Lake is paradise in July, but keep in mind that it can get busy, especially on weekends.  If you are camping, get your BC Parks camping permit ahead of time.  If you are day hiking, you don’t have to pay a think, except the Whistler lift pass if you hike in that way.  If you hike up Singing Pass, it is of course free, and you can return via Whistler Mountain on the Peak Express Chair and/or the Whistler Gondola for free.

Adit Lakes Near Russet Lake

Whistler Mountain Russet Lake Map v20

Hiking Whistler Mountain

Whistler Mountain Hike RatingWhistler Mountain's huge winter snowfalls mean that alpine hiking usually takes until late June to open up.  So July and August are the months where the Whistler Mountain hiking trails are clear of snow and beautiful.  Valleys of flowers, distant glaciers, alpine lakes, and plenty of hiking trails to choose from.  From the Roundhouse you can start hiking the Musical Bumps trail towards Russet Lake or hike down to the Peak Express Chair and ride up to the summit of Whistler Mountain.  An easy interpretive hiking trail loops around the summit and the more challenging Half Note and High Note trails run out along the ridge that overlooks the Whistler valley and Cheakamus Lake.  The High Note trail eventually links to the Musical Bumps trail which takes you to Russet Lake in Garibaldi Provincial Park

Whistler Mountain View of Cheakamus Lake

Hiking Blackcomb Mountain

Blackcomb Mountain Hike RatingBlackcomb Mountain in July is a stunning place to hike.  The Blackcomb Gondola, completed in 2018, takes you all the way to Rendezvous Lodge and Peak2Peak Gondola.  The Blackcomb Mountain trails start the moment you exit either the Blackcomb Gondoal or the Peak2Peak Gondola, and immediately give you stunning views of Whistler valley.  The trail then ascends up and along a winding route that opens up to great views across to Whistler Mountain.  At every trail junction you can circle back to where you started or continue another leg.  At each turn you have very nice mapboards and signs indicating where to go and how long you likely will take to hike it and return in time for the Peak2Peak which stops around 4pm.

Blackcomb Mountain Bear

Blackcomb Large Map v19

More Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking A to Z!

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The Rubble Creek trailhead is the main access point for many of the best hikes and sights in Garibaldi Provincial Park.  Rubble Creek is located midway ...
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The Barrier formed as a result of huge lava flows from Clinker Peak on the west shoulder of Mount Price during the last ice age.  About thirteen thousand ...
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If you make it to the summit of Wedge Mountain you will notice off in the distance a beautifully symmetrical mountain that stands out among the rest.  ...
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Coast Douglas-fir trees are medium to extremely large trees that you will encounter in Whistler and Garibaldi Park. They are the second tallest conifer ...
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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, ...
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Chimney: a gap between two vertical faces of rock or ice.  Often a chimney offers the only viable route to the summit of a mountain.  An example of this is Black ...
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The Fissile is the stunning Matterhorn-looking mountain that is visible from Village Gate Boulevard in Whistler.  Looking up from Village Gate you will see ...
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Amazing Hiking Trails in Whistler

The Best Whistler & Garibaldi Park Hiking Trails!

Ring Lake is a fantastically serene and wonderfully remote lake similar to Cirque Lake, but considerably farther to hike to reach it. The 10 kilometre(6.2 mile) hike takes you through a rarely hiked forest, ...
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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 ...
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The Sea to Sky Trail is a 180 kilometre multi-use trail that runs from Squamish to D'Arcy. The trail is still under construction in many parts, however, the amazing route through Whistler is finally in ...
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The Sproatt East trail is a beautifully wild, steep, but relatively short trail to the magnificent, wide open alpine and summit of Mount Sproatt.  Mount Sproatt (1834 metres) towers over Whistler Valley ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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There are plenty of beautiful and free snowshoe trails in Whistler and Garibaldi Provincial Park.  From the surreal paintings of Whistler Train Wreck to ...
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Free Camping Gear Delivery to Garibaldi Park

Explore BC Hiking Destinations!

Whistler Hiking Trails

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Squamish Hiking Trails

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