Hiking Mount Chief Pascall near Pemberton
Contents
Mount Chief Pascall Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 11.8Km
Elevation Gain: 975m
Highest Elevation: 2,204m
Average Gradient: 16.52%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 7 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 6 – 7 Hours
– Fast: 5 – 6 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round (Winter Preferred)
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: A fairly straightforward scramble at the very end, an ice axe is recommended
Mount Chief Pascall Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 50°22’48.1″N 122°28’26.5″W
Disclaimer: Winter hiking (snowshoeing) involves significantly more risk than summer hiking. Hikers should be prepared with appropriate education, training and equipment for all possibilities, including but not limited to avalanches. A mistake such as going off trail, getting lost or injured can be far more dangerous in winter than summer. You are responsible for your own safety, and while I am happy to give my opinion on this website as to the avalanche risk of a specific hike, do not take this as fact and please do your own research. Everybody has different risk tolerances and mine might be different to yours.
Mount Chief Pascall Overview
Mount Chief Pascall is one of the smaller summits amongst some giants in the Duffey Lake Road region near Pemberton, and is a particularly popular area for ski touring thanks to some nice lines on its northern slopes.
The benefit of this is you’ll typically find plenty of tracks leading most of the way to the summit, making an ascent of Mount Chief Pascall a physically straightforward one given the snow is likely to be well packed. Unfortunately this also means this area can be particularly busy, with the Duffey Lake Road region seeing an increasing number of recreationalists each winter.
An early start is essential, particularly on a weekend, and given an almost 3 hour drive from Vancouver it means a very early rise and a long and tiring day, even if the hike isn’t the most difficult.
Most of the hike is a simple snowshoe plod up to the ridgeline, where the touring tracks will typically diminish, before making your way up and along the ridge. The final ascent is quite steep with some exposure and an ice axe is recommended for self-arrest in case of a fall.
Once out of the treeline the views along this hike are absolutely breathtaking, with incredible views of Joffre Peak, Mount Rohr, Mount Marriott and Cayoosh Mountain to name just a few.
Mount Chief Pascall is typically a winter ascent and is rarely summited in the summer, though it’s certainly possible, it would just include some significant bushwhacking and navigation up to the alpine. This is not a marked trail so beware.
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Is Mount Chief Pascall worthwhile?
This was my first foray out into the Duffey Lake Road region for hiking and I have to say I can see why it’s so popular amongst the more passionate hikers and mountaineers. 3 hours is a long drive but the payoff is worth it with absolutely spectacular views on a clear day. While many of the mountains in this region should be left to experienced and capable mountaineers, Mount Chief Pascall is a reasonable objective for somebody looking to advance their winter hiking skillset and still get to appreciate some incredible views of the nearby goliaths. This was probably my favourite snowshoeing adventure to date.
How difficult is the hike to Mount Chief Pascall?
Physically speaking I was pleasantly surprised at how moderate this hike was. With a good set of tracks to follow the majority of the hike is a simple snowshoe plod. Don’t get me wrong it is consistently steep and the final ascent particularly so, but for a hike ending at 2,204m elevation and traversing a long, steep ridge, it was easier than I expected. While ranked as difficult, this definitely leans more towards the moderate side of difficult.
Technically speaking much of the hike is a straightforward snowshoe plod up to the ridgeline. Most of the ridgeline continues in this manner, albeit you may not have any tracks to follow so care should be taken especially around cliff edges and cornices. The final ridgeline ascent is particularly steep and a fall without the ability to self-arrest could be consequential. We had good snow, deep enough to prevent a long fall should it occur. We did carry axes but I’m not sure they would have helped given the snow depth. If it’s icy though an ice axe would absolutely be needed, so I recommend carrying one. Crampons might be overkill but could be useful to pack.
While avalanche risk (if you stick to this route) is pretty low, it’s not nonexistent so do be prepared and go when ratings are favorable.
Mount Chief Pascall Route Information
The route begins in a parking lot shortly after you pass the Joffre Lakes parking lot, check the coordinates above. There isn’t a whole lot of parking here and it can fill up quickly, we went on a weekday though and at 8am we were one of the first ones there. You should see a trail leading through the snowbank wall where the hike will begin.
Here there will be clear touring tracks to follow into the treeline and the beginning of this hike is just weaving through the trees with little elevation gained. After around 500m you’ll come out to a large open trail where you will get some nice views of Mount Rohr. Don’t go left on this wide flat trail, instead going straight ahead and following the tour tracks up the narrower trail leading uphill.
The gradient here will remain quite mellow as you plod along an open trail between a treeline either side of you. At around 2km you’ll take a right turn up into the treeline, continuing to follow the tracks.
From here on out you will be weaving amongst the trees, working your way up the hill at a moderate gradient, with little to see other than old man’s beard drooping from every branch. At some point you’ll pass a cut block area with some huge snow covered boulders above, before continuing back into the treeline. Thankfully with tracks this was all simple stuff and no navigation was required whatsoever.
Eventually, perhaps at around 1,650m elevation, the trees will begin to start thinning and you’ll start to appreciate the views. We found a nice viewpoint of Mount Rohr and Duffey Lake where we stopped for some photos before continuing on. Around 100m higher up you’ll break out of the treeline entirely and the alpine views from here on out are staggering. You’ll also now see a clear view of your objective. There will be two summits and you’ll be working towards the leftmost summit. There looks to be a significant drop between these summits from down here but once you’re on the ridgeline it’s nonexistent.
Continuing to follow the tracks, they went the entire way to the ridgeline, beginning at around the 2,000m mark. Up until now you will have been ascending the north face of the mountain and mostly out of the wind. Unfortunately as soon as you reach the ridge the southerly winds will start to hit you, making for an unwelcome ice blast. Thankfully they weren’t too strong when we went, but it did mean the tracks we were following now became wind affected and difficult to follow.
As we worked our way along the ridge the tracks essentially ceased to exist, either the skiers descended or the wind blew them away, but either way the snow wasn’t deep due to the aforementioned wind blowing it onto the northern slope.
Once you’re on the ridge the gradient for the most part still remains mellow and the ridge itself is simple and rarely technical. There was one step we found a little exposed that we took our time on, but in hindsight it was fine. The views now are insane, with the magnificent Joffre Peak on full display to the south, as well as incredible views north and west.
Once you’re about 500m from the summit, or at an elevation of around 2,050m, the gradient starts to pick up and you might want to consider getting your ice axe ready. The slope to your right will be pretty steep, though you’d have plenty of time to self-arrest should you be prepared. Still, it was easier than I expected, and although steep I was never uncomfortable, perhaps because I was hiking with an experienced group and perhaps because it wasn’t that exposed. I always felt comfortable I’d stop in case of a fall.
The final push took a little while as we were being cautious in our approach but soon enough we were at the summit. You’ll have had amazing views for a while but reaching the summit opens up the views to the east of Vantage Peak, Mount Duke, Mount Caspar and Duffey Lake. The true summit is atop of a highly exposed boulder. Walking up to and touching the boulder was simple enough, but actually climbing up it was quite difficult. Val managed it after some time, but the rest of us were quite happy stopping where we did.
Thankfully the weather at the summit was fantastic, barely a breeze and full sun beaming down. We hung around taking photos in every direction, enjoyed some food and banter before deciding to head back down maybe around 45 minutes later.
The descent was fast and furious back the way we came, mostly because Ilia (as usual) was a madman on a mission to get home as soon as possible. The rest of us did our best to keep up and kept a decent pace as we thrashed through the fresh powder. Once back in the treeline we took a variety of shortcuts through deep powder to avoid the switchbacks and made it back to the car by 2.30pm. 3 hours later, despite hitting the rush hour traffic, I made it back home in time for dinner.
When should I hike Mount Chief Pascall?
Mount Chief Pascall is primarily a winter objective and that’s the only way I’d attempt this hike personally. You’ll want enough snow at the base of the mountain to remove all the inevitable bushwhacking you’d have to do otherwise. Recommending an exact month when this might be is difficult as it depends on snowpack, but December – April would be a pretty sure-fire bet.
Top Tip
I’d avoid doing this hike in anything other than perfect conditions. We went on a bluebird day with low avalanche ratings well after the most recent snowstorm. We knew we’d have solid tracks to follow most of the way. If you go after a recent snowstorm and don’t have tracks to follow it’s going to be a very difficult day.
Go prepared for all possibilities, bring an ice axe for sure but perhaps even crampons for added security. You’ll definitely want an offline map as this trail is not marked.
