Snowshoeing in and around Whistler is amazing. Joffre Lakes, Elfin Lakes and Taylor Meadows are spectacular in the winter. Depending on the weather, they can be difficult or easy. On a sunny day these trails are beautiful and easy to navigate. On a snowy day these trails will be hard to follow and you can easily get lost. In a perfect world you will head out on a sunny day, when it snowed all night. Luckily that is a phenomenon that happens quite a lot in Whistler.
Why should you snowshoe to Elfin Lakes?The views after the 5k mark are constantly beautiful. The trail is well marked and can be navigated under the stars with good lights and skill. The Elfin Lakes Trail is challenging and a great snowshoeing workout at 11k to the hut or 22k roundtrip in a day. The Hut, as huts go is magnificent. Busy on weekends and often deserted weekdays, you may have this house in the mountains to yourselves. It is a fantastic mountain experience complete with a cute, wood-fire heated hut at 5k that is ideal for a leisurely lunch, glass of wine or toasting marshmallows with the kids. More on Snowshoeing to Elfin Lakes in Garibaldi Park >>
On a sunny day the frozen lake is beautiful and almost warm feeling. However, as soon as the sun goes behind the mountains the temperature gets bitter cold so be prepared with very warm clothing on any snowshoeing adventure there. You do occasionally see people camp overnight at Joffre Lakes in the winter. The usual campsite area is buried in snow as it lays at the base of the mountains so people usually put their tens directly on the frozen lake. Extraordinary! Why should you snowshoe to Joffre Lakes?The trail is challenging though very beautiful. The constantly winding trail takes you past and to the three beautiful lakes that all have spectacular, distant mountain views. The trail is relatively short at 5k one way to the third lake but the first lake is just metres away and makes for a worthy destination if you are just after a quick and easy snowshoe to an amazing mountain lake. The drive to Joffre Lakes is beautiful on its own. From Whistler you pass by Nairn Falls, a convenient and beautiful snowshoeing or hiking trail on the way to Pemberton. Pemberton is a cute farming town in a wonderful glacial valley. Past Pemberton you drive along the huge Lillooet Lake before ascending quickly into the mountains to the Joffre trailhead. A very nice drive from Whistler any time of the year. More on Snowshoeing Joffre Lakes North of Whistler >>
Why should you snowshoe to Taylor Meadows?It is a challenging, strenuous snowshoeing trail in the winter that is usually easy to follow due to its frequent use by skiers and snowshoers. If you enjoy winter camping, the Taylor Meadows Campground is a winter paradise for you. Amazing views all around and you have the option of snowshoeing a different route for part of the way back to the trailhead (via Garibaldi Lake). More on Snowshoeing to Taylor Meadows in Garibaldi Park >>
The Rainbow Mountain trailhead is easy and close to Whistler Village. You just need to drive to Alta Lake Road on the far side of Alta Lake, just a 15 minute drive away. There is a big sign for the Rainbow Lake trailhead on your right if coming from the neighbourhood of Alpine. The trailhead is about 200-300 metres from the Rainbow Park parking lot. Why should you snowshoe/hike to Rainbow Lake?Rainbow Lake is a tough but rewarding snowshoe hike through a thick and beautiful forest. There are several viewpoints looking across the valley to Wedge, Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains as well as Whistler Village. It certainly is a good idea to combine this snowshoeing hike with a look at Rainbow Park and Rainbow Falls as both are nearby. More on Snowshoeing Rainbow Lake in Whistler >>
Also, losing the trail is always a consideration worth worrying about and having a GPS with you is a very good idea. At a good pace, when the trail has snow top to bottom, expect to take over four hours from your car to the hut. Some take as long as 6 hours. You have to add an extra kilometre or two in the winter as well due to having to park far below the usual trailhead parking as it is inaccessible due to snow December to May. Why should you snowshoe to Wedgemount Lake?The sense of achievement in tackling such a strenuous and difficult trail is amazing. Having the whole Wedgemount Lake valley to yourself is an extraordinary experience. The Wedgemount Lake Hut in winter is a wonderful luxury in such a hostile place. Walking out to the middle of the frozen lake and looking up at the amazingly bright stars is wonderfully surreal. More on Snowshoeing Wedgemount Lake in Garibaldi Park >>
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