Cheakamus Canyon (Starvation Lake trail)
Statistics
| Total Distance: |
9.0 km (return) |
| Estimated Time: |
3 hours |
| Average Grade: |
4.4% |
| Structure: |
Linear - Return |
|
|
Elevation Gain:
|
200 m |
| Start Elevation: |
200 m |
| Max Elevation: |
400 m |
|
Directions
Take north exit to Brackendale (across Highway 99 from from Alice Lake) drive over Cheakamus River and turn right at the Y-intersection (heading for Paradise Valley) and drive as far as you can go (way past the outdoor school and all the residential driveways). You will get to a put-in used be the rafting outfits and some campsites by the river. The road floods here at high water (July 2012 was over a foot deep) and gets much rougher afterwards so you probably want to park here. High clearance 4x4 may be able to get another km or so up the road which will gain you some decent elevation as well.
Details
Pretty easy hike with great views of the canyon and the railway, and no crowds, although the gated rough road directly to the lake from the highway sometimes attracts some folks.. The hike follows the original Pemberton Cattle Trail of the 1850s, later the route of the first road from Squamish to Pemberton, along the walls of the Cheakamus Canyon above the railroad tracks. It is an easy stroll of a few km each way.
The first part of the hike is uphill for about 20 mins until you get to cross the tracks, a bit more uphill and you hit Starvation Lake. After the lake the scenery really starts and it is pretty easy going. There used to be a BC Rail sign saying don't go any further, although that was not evident in July 2012. From just past the lake a very well maintained and well graded trail leads through the canyon to join up with Highway 99 at the Cheakamus Canyon viewpoint about 1km south of the salt sheds. This is route is part of the Cheakamus Challenge bike race every fall, and part of the Sea to Sky bike trail.
Photographs
GPS Waypoints
| 2wd Parking |
N49.88271 W123.17890 |
10U 487148 5525605 |
| Trailhead |
N49.89023 W123.18124 |
10U 486982 5526442 |
| Railroad tracks crossing |
N49.89872 W123.17644 |
10U 487329 5527385 |
| Starvation Lake |
N49.90280 W123.17399 |
10U 487506 5527838 |
| Downstream view |
N49.90785 W123.17463 |
10U 487461 5528400 |
| Bridge view |
N49.90920 W123.17481 |
10U 487448 5528550 |