Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC

August 5, 2010

Stawamus Chief is an impressive piece of rock. It rises 541 m (1774 feet) above the Howe Sound Waters and stands like a sentinel above the town of Squamish. It is the second largest hunk of granite in the world. The largest is the Rock of Gibralter off the coast of Spain.

3293965511 88327d2f39 Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC

Access

To reach the trailhead take Highway 99 north from Vancouver.   Signs point you to the turnoff which is 1.3 kms north of Shannon Falls and 1.5 kms south of Squamish. Turn right onto a smaller road and park in one of the parking lots – for free. Parking in the larger climbers parking lot is also possible if you make a left turn just as you come off the highway.

The Hike to Stawamus Chief

The Chief Xavier 011 Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC

The ladder at about the three quarter mark.

IMG 0759 Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC

Stairs on the upper section of Stawamus Chief

When you look up at the Chief it’s hard to imagine that it’s accessible to hikers…but it most definitely is via a trail that climbs the back side of the rock. There is a choice of three peaks to hike; the most popular and easiest is First Peak.  It’s 1.5 kms one way with an elevation gain of 513 meters (1685 feet). The trail is VERY busy on weekends, especially in the summer. Avoid climbing the upper exposed granite rock under wet conditions. It can become slippery and treacherous. Dogs are allowed on a leash.

Apr2007 034 Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC

The view from the top of Stawmus Chief

IMG 0752 Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC

At the top of First Peak on Stawamus Chief

The trail begins steeply by way of a series of wooden stairs. A lovely stream beckons alongside this section. After the stairs climb on an obvious trail over roots and rocks through what is called South Gully. Keep close to the steep granite wall as you make your way up. Stay left at all intersections to reach First Peak. The other trails lead to Second and Third Peak which are longer and harder hikes. At about the halfway point there is an obvious rock bluff which affords excellent views. Continue hiking. Climb one small ladder and five minutes later  reach the open section of granite rock. There is scrambling to do – aided with chains and a small ladder. Some people have a tough time through this section but the rock has excellent traction under dry conditions. Follow red paint marks (hard to see at times) all the way to the top. It’s a rush up there looking down over the edge. Do be careful on top of the peak. It’s a very steep fall down. Don’t throw anything over the edge as climbers may be below.

IMG 0754 Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC

The top of Stawamus Chief

Enjoy views of the Tantalus Range and the Sea to Sky Highway. The views are truly breathtaking. Going down is tough. Exercise caution especially around tree roots and boulders. You need 2-3 hours to hike up and down Stawamus Chief.

Leigh McAdam

www.hikebiketravel.com

You might also like:

Out of Sight, Out of Mind - Shame on West Vancouver
A Desert Hike with a Puritama Hot Springs Finish - in Chile
Les Houches to Les Contamines on the Tour du Mont Blanc

Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Canada, Hiking, backpacking, walking 

Comments

One Response to “Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC”

  1. Tweets that mention Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC | HikeBikeTravel, My title -- Topsy.com on August 5th, 2010 11:22 am

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tourism Squamish, Leigh. Leigh said: HikeBikeTravel: Hiking Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC http://bit.ly/aD8DTY [...]

Got something to say?





CommentLuv badge

Latest Post

Another Free Guide – Cabot Trail Biking Tour Guide

Palm Springs, a desert resort city of 40,000 plus people, is located 100 miles east of Los Angeles and 130 miles northeast of San Diego. It is one of nine cities that make up the Coachella Valley with mountains surrounding it on all sides.

Inside Cabot Trail Biking Tour Guide you will find the following

1. Fantastic scenery, especially along the western coast of Cape Breton Highlands National Park

2. the climb in the afternoon of North Mountain rewards with excellent scenery too

Top 10 Popular Posts

  • 33 Interesting Facts About Africa33 Interesting Facts About Africa: I love trivia and I hope you enjoy these weird and wonderful tidbits - some of which I learned on my most recent trip to the African continent. 33 Interesting Facts About Africa There are 54 coun...
  • Crossing the Andes: Mendoza to Santiago by BusCrossing the Andes: Mendoza to Santiago by Bus: Crossing the Andes from Mendoza to Santiago by bus, or vice versa, is a superb way to see some stunning countryside. It's also a heck of a lot cheaper than flying. It's only going to cost you $US20-25...
  • 12 of the World’s Top Trekking Destinations12 of the World’s Top Trekking Destinations: Any serious trekker or backpacker is going to have their own version of the world's top trekking destinations. My choices are based on experience, reading, chatting with fellow hikers and what's st...
  • Travel Photo Thursday: Crowfoot Glacier, Banff National ParkTravel Photo Thursday: Crowfoot Glacier, Banff National Park: You'll find Crowfoot Glacier in Banff National Park, about 32 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of Lake Louise. There's a good spot to photograph it from the highway though if you climb up Cirque Peak t...
  • Weird & Wonderful Facts About VancouverWeird & Wonderful Facts About Vancouver: Learning unusual facts about a city before you visit can really enhance your stay and make it more interesting. With a sharp rise in visitors to Vancouver in the summer coupled with the fact that Vanc...

View more of this category

If you're travelling to Canada, look
here for great Toronto Hotels

GREAT IDEAS FOR:-

UK Short Breaks

UK Family Holidays

UK Activity Holidays

For the many who have tired of sunloungers.
Wales. Home of proper holidays. Phrasebook
optional, sense of adventure
essential, indifference best
left at home.

Embed text goes here.
Travel Insurance
apartments
Short term accommodation WorldWide
Hiking and travelling will wear you out. Barcelona accommodation will offer you a place to rest at best prices. Further south, the broad offer in Seville accommodation will get you ready to conquer the Andalucia Moorish Trails. If you are travelling Portugal, Lisbon accommodation is what you need.
The cheapest way to travel