|
Wedgemount Lake - Garibaldi Provincial Park
Wedgemount Lake itself is a magnificent destination for a day hike or spectacular overnight beneath the dazzling mountain peaks and stars. Many sleep under the stars on one of the many beautiful tent platforms that dot the landscape. Solidly built, wooden tent platforms are everywhere you look at Wedgemount Lake. Strategically positioned, these platforms manage to maintain an amazingly secluded feel despite their numbers. In all Wedgemount Lake has 20 of these tent areas. Most are wooden, but several down by the lake shore are gravel, yet every bit as nice. At a fast hiking pace you can reach Wedgemount Lake from the trailhead in just an hour and a half but at a leisurely or backpack laden pace you The elevation gain makes a tremendous difference when carrying a heavy backpack and unprepared for the exertion. There is hardly a section of the trail that is not steeply uphill. The first 15 minutes takes you into the deep forest and then across Wedgemount Creek. This crashing creek can be heard from quite a distance and gives you a hint of the steepness of the trail to come. The source of Wedgemount Creek is of course Wedgemount Lake which tumbles down almost 300 metres in the spectacular Wedgemount Falls. You will be able to see Wedgemount Falls around the 5 kilometre mark along the trail. It is far off to the right in the distance. Despite the distance, you will hear it loud and clear and some easy to find and get to areas off the trail give amazing views of it. One of the defining features of Garibaldi Park, and Wedgemount Lake in particular, is the staggering number of branching hikes from the main destination of the lake itself. For many, Wedgemount Lake and the Wedge Hut is the base for hikes to Wedge Mountain, Mount Cook, Mount Weart, Mount Moe, Mount James Turner and Mount Currie in Pemberton, crossing glaciers such as Wedgemount Dozens of unforgettable peaks can be reached from this quiet little hut overlooking this perfect, turquoise lake. In short, if you were to design a paradise in the mountains, Wedgemount Lake would be the standard to which all others would pale. The sheltered valley, beautiful turquoise lake, wonderfully huge glacier across the valley and brutally jagged mountains all around all contribute to making Wedgemount Lake something special. It's challenging and exhausting to hike to and an absolute paradise to relax in. Down by the lakeside you can actually find two recliner chairs, built out of the rocks by the lake. Such a perfect way to enjoy the sun rising over the not-so-distant glacier across the lake. The hut at Wedgemount Lake is a wonderful thing. Built by the BC Mountaineering Club in 1970, and since donated to Garibaldi Park, it is free to use by anyone. It's cozy with two large tables and a loft. Often, during busy times you will find the tables used as beds, a couple on High up overlooking Wedgemount Lake. In the massive shadow of Wedge Mountain, the highest mountain in the entire Garibaldi Range. It's a cozy and compact little house in the middle of the carnage of massive rocks, erratics left over the centuries by glaciers and rock slides. Back in the late 60's the British Columbia Mountaineering Club went forward with building five huts in the Coast Mountains of BC. Two of the five were built in Garibaldi Park, they were The Russet Lake Hut in 1968 and the Wedgemount Lake Hut in 1970. Because structures like these cannot be owned as they are in BC Parks, they are open for use by anyone. There are two large wooden tables along the left and right walls and a little window across from the door. On entering you notice a ladder going straight up to the loft. Everything is bare, weathered wood, but tidy and secure. It's simply a nice, solid, secure little house in a hostile wasteland of beauty. As you walk in you notice right away a feeling of warmth hits you. The Wedge Hut is as wonderful thing.
Wedgemount Lake - Unmarked Scrambling Routes
The Wedge-Weart Col is possibly the easiest hike from Wedgemount Lake. It is a long scramble through the boulder strewn terrain to the Wedge Glacier, then a long ascent up Wedgemount Glacier. It is deceptively far so allow 5 hours roundtrip, hut to hut. More info on the Wedge-Weart Col glacier hike... Mount Cook is a relatively easy hike from Wedgemount Lake. It is a relatively easy and even partly marked and worn trail leading to a scramble up the logical ascent of Mount Cook. Tremendous views of Wedgemount Lake and surrounding mountains from the summit. It is a long and challenging scramble up steep boulder fields along a partly marked, though easy to lose trail. More info on Mount Cook from Wedgemount Lake... Mount Weart is probably the most popular of the branching hikes from Wedgemount Lake. This is because of its extraordinarily beautiful views from its summit. It is quite difficult and some tricky route finding is involved as you leave Wedgemount Glacier for the Weart ascent. But you will have trouble finding more beautiful views from another peak in the area. It is a difficult and long scramble from the Wedgemount Lake Hut and a considerable elevation gain of 780 metres from the Hut. Give yourself at least four hours roundtrip, hut to hut. More info on hiking to Mount Weart above Wedgemount Lake... Wedge Mountain is a very difficult scramble from the Wedgemount Lake hut up steep boulder fields, long glacier and the narrowly abrupt ridge to the summit of Wedge. Elevation gain is 1300 metres from the Wedgemount Lake hut! Allow 6 or 7 hours hut to hut and make sure you know what you are doing. Wedge Mountain is a very popular summit to achieve as it is the highest mountain in all of Garibaldi Park and the Garibaldi Ranges. It's quite daunting as to reach it you have to make your way along the spectacular wedge-shaped spine that gives it its name. More info on climbing Wedge Mountain above Wedgemount Lake... Wedgemount Lake - Campsite, Trail & Parking Info
Wedgemount Lake - Directions & Printable Trail MapPrinter, smartphone and tablet friendly. Designed to fit standard printers and copiers. To print: Right Click on the map, save image as, save to desktop, then open the image and print on standard size printer paper. Cell coverage usually reaches to Wedgemount Lake so you will likely be able to access the internet if you have a data plan, however saving this image may be a good idea.
|
Running
Attractions
Recommended This Week
BC Hiking
will likely take over two hours. The trail is well marked and well used. The steepness of the trail doesn't require any technical skill, however that last kilometre before the lake you will be scrambling on all fours quite a bit.
The free parking at the trailhead to Wedgemount Lake, or Wedge as it's more often called is easy to find as there are easy to spot Garibaldi Park signs on the Sea to Sky Highway. Located just a short and scenic, ten minute drive north of Whistler Village. An excellent place to see Wedge Mountain on the way to the Wedgemount trailhead is the Green Lake viewpoint at the edge of Highway 99. Look for the obvious and large pullout on the right side of the Sea to Sky Highway at the edge of Green Lake. The pullout is easy to spot shortly after you can see Green Lake. The views across to Whistler, Blackcomb and Wedge Mountain are amazing. There is also a nice information board indicating what you are looking at. Also, just after the highway turnoff to Wedgemount Lake there is a beautiful picnic area on Green River. Picnic tables, serenity and the hugely crashing Green River make this a great spot to relax before your hike. This is also a superb and free place to camp before and/or after hiking Wedgemount Lake. Beautiful freshwater river and lots of places to put up a tent near the Green River bridge make it an ideal setting. From Whistler Village at Village Gate Boulevard, zero your odometer proceed north on Highway 99. At 11.3km a sign will direct you to turn right to "Wedgemount(Garibaldi)". Cross the train tracks and the bridge over Green River and immediately (11.5k) turn left onto the Wedge Creek Forest Service Road. At 11.7km turn right and head up the bumpy but drivable to all types of cars to the parking lot at 13.2km. In the winter months (December to March) this last portion of road will likely be too deep with snow to drive, so parking here at the 11.7km mark may be as close as you can get. The trailhead parking lot is large and well maintained with an information board and outhouse. Though crime is almost non-existent in Whistler, be sure to secure your vehicle as leaving valuables visible in your car at a hiking trailhead is asking for trouble.
Camping in Garibaldi Park is generally very good and at Wedgemount Lake the facilities are spectacular. There are 20 designated tent spots and each one with a million dollar view of paradise. Half of these spots 
are located near the Wedge Hut, up along the dramatic scree, boulder and enormous erratic field about 300 metres from Wedgemount Lake. These tent spots are made of beautiful, wooden tent platforms and arranged to maximize both privacy and view. Nestled in alpine trees about 50 metres up the slope from the hut, three wooden tent platforms hide. Closer to the hut, nestled in the massive 
Garibaldi Park is home to an ever increasing number of mountain huts. Russet Lake has one, Elfin Lakes has a massive one, Garibaldi Lake has one at the far end of the lake mainly used in the winter. The Spearhead Range that connects Blackcomb and Whistler mountains has a current proposal that may see the construction 
of several more huts. The Wedgemount Lake hut is free to use and there is no reservation system. It has an upper loft area that could fit four people in a pinch and the main floor has two large tables that are used as beds as well. The hut can comfortably accommodate 6 people, however more can fit if needed. Due to the tent pads being so numerous and beautiful, the Wedge Hut often goes unused. It is of course quite dark inside despite having some small windows and is just equipped with a shovel, broom, logbook and a few odds and ends left by previous hikers. The door locks from both the inside and outside making it secure from rodents, bears, 
There is an outhouse (toilet), at the trailhead to Wedgemount Lake. Another one a few metres from the Wedge Hut and tent platforms at Wedgemount Lake. And a third, almost hidden toilet down near the lakeside tent platforms. You will spot an unusual looking, plastic box in the scree slope along the trail to the lake. This is a futuristic looking outhouse that is more convenient to the campsites at the lake. All the outhouses in Garibaldi Park are serviced frequently and even equipped with toilet paper, however, bringing your own is always a good idea as it inevitably runs out sometimes. If you are unfamiliar with outhouses, they consist of, (usually) a very small wooden room with a small window for light. Sometimes the outhouse is built above a pit in the ground for waste, but in the case of the Wedgemount Lake outhouse it is raised above a massive waste tank that is routinely replaced by helicopter. They are unavoidably disgusting and fly ridden despite the frequent and heroic efforts of excellent BC Parks staff.
Dogs are not permitted on the Wedgemount Lake trail or any other Garibaldi Provincial Park trails out of courtesy to the resident animals of the park. There are a large number of black bears in the park and encounters with dogs result in unpredictable and potentially dangerous conflicts. There are quite a few excellent hiking trails in Whistler that are dog friendly. 
