Hiking Mount Durieu near Pemberton

Rated 5 out of 5

Mount Durieu Hike Information

Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 14.00Km
Elevation Gain: 1,100m
Highest Elevation: 2,290m
Average Gradient: 15.71%

Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 8 – 9 Hours
– Moderate: 7 – 8 Hours
– Fast: 6 – 7 Hours

Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round (Winter Preferred)
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None

Mount Durieu Trail

Trailhead Coordinates: 50°23’12.4″N 122°27’55.0″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 Durieu Overview

Mount Durieu is the unofficial name of a summit located near Marriott Basin off of Duffey Lake Road, nestled between the likes of Cayoosh Mountain, Mount Rohr and Mount Marriott. On most maps this will simply be called “Peak 2290”, and it receives little attention other than from the keenest of peakbaggers. In reality, this peak is just a great excuse to get out on a stunningly scenic snowshoe trip in a region that always delivers in the winter.

Summer ascents of this peak are almost nonexistent since there is no trail and undoubtedly an element of bushwhacking to get there. Skiers will often venture into the area from the nearby Wendy Thompson Hut, and if you plan to go in the summer this is likely where you should approach from as well. The route linked here very much requires a good snowpack to cover the bush.

As with any peak in the region, Mount Durieu offers stunning views from the summit, especially of Cayoosh Mountain. You’ll also have a great vantage point of Marriott, Rohr, Joffre, Matier and endless more on the horizon. The views once you escape the forest are breathtaking.

The trail begins by following the popular Marriott Basin trail that is heavily trafficked by skiers and is usually well packed down. After ~4km of following this, you depart the trail and must self-navigate to the summit from then on. There are a few steep sections along the route, some of which would require care if avalanche conditions aren’t favorable.

As noted, in terms of seasonality Mount Durieu is largely a winter outing that benefits from a healthy snowpack. In the summer you should not follow this route and instead continue along the Marriott Basin trail to Wendy Thompson Hut and self-navigate from there.

Dogs are welcome on this hike.

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Is Mount Durieu worthwhile?

Rated 5 out of 5

Any peak along Duffey Lake Road will offer amazing views in the winter, and Durieu is no different. The views once you break out of the forest are amazing, and only get better as you gain elevation. Given the approachable stats of this hike, the push is well worth the shove.

How difficult is the hike to Mount Durieu?

At around 14km and 1,100m elevation gain Mount Durieu is a very manageable snowshoe outing in the right conditions. 8km of the hike will be following the typically well trodden Marriott Basin trail, with the remainder being self-navigated to the summit. As always in winter, if you’re dealing with deep, fresh snow this will be very difficult, but if conditions are supportive and firm it should be much more manageable.

While the section along the Marriott Basin trail will be straightforward and a fairly benign gradient, the climb to the summit once you depart the trail is a steep one. Over ~3km you’ll gain almost 700m, for an average gradient of 23%. Some sections are steep enough for avalanches to become a concern.

Mount Durieu Route Information

Parking for Mount Durieu (in the winter) will be from the pullouts near the Wendy Thompson Hut Sand Shed. There is usually a good amount of parking here, just make sure not to park in front of the shed itself. In the summer you’d park down Cayoosh Creek FSR. This is all 2WD accessible, but in the winter you’ll want to make sure you have the appropriate tires.

From the northern side of the road you’ll find tracks heading into the forest along Cayoosh Creek FSR, passing by a spur shortly ahead. You’ll soon be on the main FSR and cruising along, hopefully following a well trodden trail as you go. In the right conditions you may not even need snowshoes for this part, but there’s no harm in wearing them and you certainly want to avoid post holing in the skin tracks.

You’ll follow Cayoosh Creek FSR for a few kilometers before it becomes the Marriott Basin trail (you won’t know where it changes in winter). After around 3km of very mild ascent, you’ll reach a steep stretch just before the trail splits between Rohr Lake and Marriott Basin. The route around here can become a bit obscured with skin tracks going in various directions, so pay attention to your GPX if needed. Continue along the Marriott Basin trail briefly, as at ~1,590m you’ll be departing the trail into the forest.

From here on out you’re self navigating, and you’ll now descend slightly towards a creek. Crossing this creek is usually straightforward on a snow bridge, but if you go earlier in the year or later in spring any snow bridge might be weak, so take care and look around for the safest route.

Once across the creek the real climbing truly begins. Between ~1,600m – 1,850m you’ll have to ascend a very steep forest slope, though you should still manage fine in snowshoes. At around 1,850m you’ll break out of the forest and start to get some nice views of your route ahead.

Referring to your GPX, you’ll now head west towards a steep climb on open slopes, at times requiring zigzagging as you ascend. These are the slopes that are most concerning for any avalanche risk as the gradient is approaching 35 degrees. Thankfully this is fairly brief, and a few zigzags you’ll be back on mellower gradients.

It’s now mostly just following your GPX and continuing west towards the SE ridge of Durieu. Note that the GPX linked attempted to ascend directly up the eastern face, but we quickly realized this would not work and ended up backtracking to find a way onto the ridge. Your goal is really to gain this ridge as early as possible as it becomes heavily corniced the later the season goes on, and you may find yourself blocked by cornices if you try to gain the ridge later on. Where we ended up gaining the ridge should likely work all winter.

Once on the ridge it is merely a matter of following it along to the summit. The ridge is mellow and wide, and while heavily corniced they are easy to avoid. The views now are outstanding, with all of the giants in the region visible. From the summit you will have unobstructed, panoramic views in every direction. Once finished you merely retrace your steps to return to the trailhead. Most of the return is straightforward, but the steep section in the forest can be taxing, especially if the snow has softened up.

When should I hike Mount Durieu?

Mount Durieu is certainly preferred in the winter when the travel will be easier thanks to a snowpack covering the brush. Realistically December to perhaps April is the best time to visit, though the peak season will align with the ski touring season, generally January to March. Without a snowpack you will likely want to look at route options from the Wendy Thompson Hut.