Hiking Stawamus Chief (The Chief) in Squamish
Contents
Stawamus Chief Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 6.1Km
Elevation Gain: 772m
Highest Elevation: 702m
Average Gradient: 25.31%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 5 – 6 Hours
– Moderate: 4 – 5 Hours
– Fast: 3 – 4 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: No scrambling but you will need to use ropes and chains. These are not exposed to any serious fall though.
Stawamus Chief Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°40’44.3″N 123°09’15.6″W
Stawamus Chief Overview
The Stawamus Chief, more commonly referred to as simply “The Chief”, is one of the most popular hikes near Vancouver. The Chief is a 702m high granite monolith, one of the largest in North America. It stands ever present above the town of Squamish and is symbolic with everything Squamish is about, adventure in the great outdoors. You simply cannot think of Squamish without thinking of The Chief.
Due to its proximity to Vancouver, year-round access, short ascent and breathtaking views, the Stawamus Chief draws in crowds no matter the season. On a sunny day you can be sure the Chief will be extremely busy, attracting all sorts of recreationalists, from families, to dog walkers, to tourists, to experienced hikers.
Unfortunately a side effect of this popularity is that many people attempt this hike without the necessary gear, and many underestimate just how difficult this hike is. With an average gradient of over 25% this is a very steep and consistent hike. It is an almost constant steep grind.
The Stawamus Chief has three different peaks, simply known as first, second and third peak, with the majority of people opting to summit only the first peak. Many people head out with the intention of hiking all three, only to reach the first and decide that’s enough torture for one day. Unfortunately these people are missing out as, frankly, while the views from the first peak are good, the views from the second and third peak are even better.
There are portions of this hike that are narrow, single file, require the use of chains and ladders, and slippery. Much of the hike is on a steep rock face that is slippery, especially if wet, so good traction is highly recommended. Many people do this hike in sneakers and often struggle at the end, particularly on the descent.
While there is a large parking area at the bottom of the trail, this is such a popular hike it fills up very quickly with little options for overflow. It is strongly advised to begin early on a sunny day.
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Is Stawamus Chief worthwhile?
The Stawamus Chief is a classic hike near Vancouver that pretty much everyone will do one day or another. There’s a good reason, the views from the top are breathtaking, especially from the second and third peak but even just from the first peak. For a hike that only reaches 702m elevation (at third peak), the views are exceptional, with panoramic views of the Howe Sound, Squamish and Garibaldi Provincial Park.
How difficult is the Stawamus Chief hike?
Many people greatly underestimate how difficult this hike is. While it is only 6.1km, it’s a very steep 6.1km with an average gradient above 25%. The beginning of the hike is incredibly steep and has been called nature’s stair master due to it’s never ending incline. The section up to the first peak is actually the hardest, with the sections between first, second and third more manageable. If this were a longer hike I’d consider it very difficult, but due to it only being 6.1km most people are able to finish it, they just might take a while. Many stop after the first peak, which reduces the hike to just 3.7km and 535m elevation (28.9% gradient!).
Technically the hike has its challenges as well. A good portion of the hike is straight up steep staircases, but there are numerous sections requiring people to climb ladders and pull themselves up chains. There are many sections with steep ascents up a sheer rock face that can be very slippery with incorrect footwear, or if the rocks are wet. There are also several single file sections that can get so busy you are waiting in a line. There is never any real exposure or scrambling required on the hike.
Stawamus Chief Route Information
The hike to the Chief begins at a parking lot on the side of the Sea to Sky Highway, near Squamish. As noted it can fill up very quickly on a sunny day so an early start is recommended. This will also help to avoid lines on the hike during the single file sections.
The trail passes through the Stawamus Chief campground, some bathrooms and a picnic area before reaching a warning sign advising of the conditions ahead for anybody ill prepared. Immediately after passing the sign the trail joins up with Olesen Creek, which it runs parallel to for the next couple of hundred meters.
Immediately the difficulty of this hike becomes evident, with seemingly endless, very steep staircases angling up the mountain. In no time most people are exhausted and progress grinds to a slow pace. A couple of hundred meters up the trail you’ll come to a nice waterfall in Olesen Creek, but other than that there isn’t a lot to admire so just grind it out.
A few hundred meters ahead you will reach a junction where the trail splits, with the Sea to Summit trail leading off to the right, you’ll want to go left. Shortly after that the trail splits again, going right will be a direct route to the second peak, going left will go to the first peak, so assuming you’re doing all three, you’ll go left again.
The climb continues in a relentless manner without ever stopping. The staircases have now mostly gone and you’ll instead be ascending more so on rock steps. These are deep rocks requiring large steps. A few hundred meters ahead you’ll reach what is known as Lookout Rock, an enormous boulder that many people choose to stop and take photos with (and catch their breath). Just after this rock you’ll reach another junction where you’ll want to go left to the first peak. You’ll drop back down to this junction later to continue on to the second peak.
Unfortunately the climb is far from over and you’ll once again ascend steeply up towards the first peak. The forest grind will eventually give way to some more open areas. Soon you will hit a ladder that you’ll need to climb, before quickly finding a chain leading up a rock face that you’ll need to navigate. If it’s busy there may be line ups here.
After this chain the terrain really opens up and the rest of the ascent will be on a steep rock face. Good grip is essential here as the rock has been worn down by so much traffic it can be slick at times. This final push will feel never ending but the summit isn’t far now. Once at the summit you will have some great views of the Howe Sound, Squamish and the second and third peak. Many people choose to stop here and simply hike back down the way they came, but the views from the second peak are even better.
To continue to the second peak you unfortunately have to descend all the way back down to the junction you left earlier to go up to the first peak, about a 150m descent. Once back at the junction you’ll now go up the trail leading towards the second peak. The trail will climb again, beginning in the forest but after a few hundred meters you’ll reach a series of chains and ladders. This is all single file and at times quite narrow. On a busy day you will have to take turns with people coming and going from the second peak.
Soon you will be back on the rock face and the top of the second peak won’t be much further. The second peak is only slightly higher than the first, but the views are significantly better. You’ll be looking at much of the same scenery, but now the views are completely unobstructed. You’ll see the first peak directly in front of you, with the Howe Sound behind.
After resting up and getting some photos you may as well finish up and get to the third peak, it’s not much further or higher and it’s a pretty straightforward walk from here. You’ll simply continue along the ridge, following the markers (and your map if needed). The trail will descend slightly into a valley known as The Saddle, before climbing up again towards the third peak.
The views from the third peak aren’t quite as good as the second, but you’ll have a great view of the second and first peak in front of the Howe Sound, and you’ll also have better views to the north of Garibaldi and Slhanay Peak, as well as some views of Sky Pilot.
Once you’ve finished up at the top you can either just head back the way you came (which is what I did), or once you reach The Saddle between the second and third peak you can take an alternate route that avoids going over the second peak. Either route is fine and will get you back to the trailhead.
Take your time heading back down, the steep descent can be a knee burner and you’ll almost certainly be feeling it by the end. If you don’t hike often you will undoubtedly be feeling some soreness for the next few days!
When should I hike Stawamus Chief?
The Stawamus Chief is a year-round hike at relatively low elevation. It does receive some snow and can be icy in the winter, so if it’s particularly cold you might want to avoid it as the rocks could be incredibly slippery if it is icy. You definitely want a sunny day for this one, the views are breathtaking if you time it right. I like the shoulder seasons to avoid the huge summer crowds, though it’s still busy on a sunny spring/fall day.
Top Tip
If you don’t think you can hike all three peaks I strongly suggest going to the second and third peak and skipping the first peak. Most people do the opposite and only hike to the first peak, but they’re missing out on the best views if they do this.
If you have any issues with your knees you definitely want poles for this as it’s very steep the whole time and coming down will be difficult without support.
Please wear decent footwear with good grip. So many people underestimate this hike and wear sneakers, which will get the job done but make life difficult for you and everyone else.
Get there early (before 8am) to guarantee parking and to avoid the single file crowds.
If you are a very competent and confident hiker that isn’t afraid of exposure, I highly recommend the Slhanay Peak & Chief Traverse, which bags all 3 peaks of the Chief and Slhanay Peak in one combined hike, making for an amazing day out.
