Day 1: Into the Mountains

10am pick up at your downtown Vancouver hotel. Drive over to the north shore where we will catch a tram up into the mountains for a 45 minute hike followed by lunch at the Altitudes Bistro with Vancouver and English Bay 3700 feet below. After lunch we ride back down the tram and drive up the Sea to Sky highway to Squamish to set-up camp, feast and talk about the days ahead.

Day 2: Land of Seas and Summits

After breakfast we will take a short drive to the Sea to Sky Gondola and catch a ride high above the Howe Sound and Squamish to the start of the day’s hike. From the top of the gondola there are views back along the Howe Sound to Vancouver and up the valley into the Coast Mountains and Whistler area.

• Typical Hike: Al’s Habrich Trail, 8.5km, 340m elevation gain
• Optional Trip: Helicopter drop on Goat Ridge for a long scenic traverse before dropping back down to the gondola to exit

Day 3: Climb the Chief!

The Stawamus Chief, officially Stawamus Chief Mountain, is a granitic dome that towers above the town of Squamish and boasts three beautiful summits with amazing views as it rises 2300 feet right out of the ocean. The hike that not even many locals know about starts in behind the back of the Chief and summits all 3 peaks via an exhilarating system of trails and ladders.

• Typical Hike: 3-Peak Trail, 7km, 690m elevation gain
• Optional Trip: Whitewater rafting the Elaho River

Day 4, 5 & 6: Land of Fire & Ice

For these three days we hike into Garibaldi Provincial Park and camp on the shoulder of the northern most Cascade volcano near the toe of a vast system of glaciers. The next day there’s an opportunity to hike up to the glacier for a walk on the ice or head down to Mamquam lake for a swim in the pristine waters below the iconic Mamquam Mountain.

• Typical Hike In: Red Heather trail to Elfin Lakes, 10km, 850m elevation gain
• Typical Middle Day Hike: Opal cone to Mamquam Lake: 10km, 700m elevation gain
• Hike Out: Hike back out the Red Heather trail, 10km, 100m elevation gain

Day 7: Lakes, Waterfalls and Secret Stashes

After departing the Squamish area we will find ourselves camping on the beautiful shores of the Callaghan Lake, a hidden gem outside of Whistler. This area is home to some amazing geology including a rare tuya mountain, numerous tarns, lakes, waterfalls and hanging valleys. Departing right from camp we will utilize canoes to cross beautiful Callaghan Lake and get to the Cirque Lake trailhead. From there it’s a fairly short hike into this hidden valley that’s overhung by steep walls and a glacier.

• Typical Hike: Cirque Lake, 2km canoeing, 3.5km hiking, 350m elevation gain,
• Optional Trip: Journeyman Lodge hike and lunch

Day 8: Showers, Beds & Goodbyes

This final day of the trip has us breaking camp in the morning and getting back into the van for the drive back to Vancouver for showers and proper beds, but not before stopping at the famous Fergie’s for breakfast!

Optional Add-Ons:

For those that want a little bit more adventure there are a few side adventures that can be tacked onto the end of this trip:

• Anvil Island: A water taxi takes us over to Anvil island where we can hike up to one of the most beautiful lookouts around before camping on the shores of the Howe Sound.