Hiking Mount Gandalf & Aragorn near Birkenhead Lake
Contents
Mount Gandalf & Aragorn Hike Information
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8.00Km
Elevation Gain: 823m
Highest Elevation: 2,435m
Average Gradient: 20.58%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2.5 – 3 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: ~July – October (with closures)
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: Easy scrambling around Gandalf, no exposure.
Mount Gandalf & Aragorn Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 50°37’54.3″N 122°40’47.5″W
Mount Gandalf & Aragorn Overview
Mount Gandalf and Mount Aragorn are two of the commonly summitted peaks in the Tolkien Range, typically accessed via Phelix Creek, with most people combining these with an overnight stay at the Brian Waddington Hut (or camping outside at Long Lake).
The stats above assume starting and finishing at the hut/campgrounds, so if you plan to do this as a day trip (manageable as a big day), you will need to add on the hike stats to and from the Brian Waddington Hut. Given the long drive from Vancouver (3.5 hours), most people will do this as an overnight, perhaps combining these peaks with other nearby Tolkien peaks, such as Mount Shadowfax, Frodo Peak and/or Peregrine Peak.
One major consideration for hikers to make note of is that the VOC strongly discourages visitors to the Tolkien area between August 15 – October 15 to allow grizzly bears to feed without human interference. This is a prime feeding spot for bears in the mid to late summer, so the VOC has made a request to voluntarily close the area during this time. Of course, this is not enforced and access is still possible, but ideally it should be respected.
From the hut the hike to Gandalf and Aragorn can be completed either clockwise or counter clockwise. It doesn’t make a big difference which way you go, however there is a steep and silty climb/descent to be considered when you either drop down from, or climb up to, the Gandalf / Aragorn saddle. Some people prefer climbing up steep silt, while some prefer to descend it, so you should decide whether you’re going clockwise or counter clockwise with this in mind. We went counter clockwise as we preferred climbing it, but it seems most people go clockwise.
The route has moments of following a trail from the hut towards Gandalf, but most of it is self navigation in the backcountry with no trail to follow. Ascending and descending Gandalf requires easy Class 3 scrambling on massive boulders, with minimal exposure. Ascending Aragorn is hiking, with no scrambling needed. As noted, descending/ascending the Aragorn/Gandalf col is steep and silty and will require the use of hands for stabilization. It’s quite short, straightforward and exposure is fairly limited, but it’s not exactly pleasant and people always seem to mention this part as a tricky section, but we found it easy. Helmets are not really necessary as there is never much exposure and there aren’t many loose rocks, but that’s personal preference, so bring one if you prefer.
Timing a visit to the area is tricky. The snow will generally only melt away at these elevations in late June, and with the closure from Aug 15 – October 15, most of the prime summer season is gone. July and early August is therefore your best bet, but unfortunately this ties in with peak mosquito season. After October 15 the snow will likely have returned to the area, though you may have a couple more weeks if you’re lucky.
Dogs are allowed in the area, though I wouldn’t stay in the hut if you do bring one as other people may not be keen with sharing with a dog.
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Are Mount Gandalf & Aragorn worthwhile?
The Tolkien area is a beautiful region not too far from Vancouver. Even with just one night stay at the hut/campgrounds you will be able to summit every peak in the immediate vicinity. These peaks are feasible as a very long day trip, but I would sooner suggest an overnight trip to make the drive out more worthwhile. Gandalf and Aragorn are the two highest peaks in the region and both offer stunning panoramic views. Combined with the variety of alpine lakes along the way, this is one of the finest, easily accessible backcountry hiking regions in SWBC.
How difficult is the hike to Mount Gandalf & Aragorn?
The linked stats are for a round trip from the hut, excluding the hike into and out of the hut itself, so it’s fairly moderate. From the hut this is a pretty short and sweet trip that should only take 3 – 4 hours for most people. If you add on the hike from the Phelix Creek trailhead, you’re looking at adding on another 10km and 500m, assuming you can drive up the FSR, making this more difficult but still a perfectly manageable day hike. It’s a long drive on top of that as well (7 hours round trip from Vancouver) though.
Technically speaking this hike involves a lot of unmarked backcountry hiking without any trail, so there’s plenty of self-navigation and some relatively simple Class 3 scrambling around Gandalf. The ascent/descent of the Gandalf / Aragorn col usually gets mentioned by most parties, and it may look a bit intimidating, but in reality it’s pretty simple if you take your time. It isn’t too exposed.
Mount Gandalf & Aragorn Route Information
The route information will begin from the Brian Waddington Hut. To reach the hut you should read this post, which has all the details you should need. Despite the fact we went counter clockwise (and I would suggest that personally), most people seem to go clockwise, so I will describe it as such.
From the Brian Waddington Hut you should find a trail leading from the backside. Follow this trail as it meanders parallel to a creek flowing out of Upper Long Lake. The trail here can be very muddy at certain times due to the nature of the area, so take care with your footing. After around 500m you’ll reach the eastern tip of Upper Long Lake, with nice views of Peregrine and Frodo Peak as your backdrop.
The trail continues to follow the northwestern shores of Upper Long Lake, with much of it clambering over boulders. This should be somewhat marked with cairns, but for the most part just stick near the shore if you lose the trail. Once you reach the eastern end of the lake you’ll want to find the actual trail, as there is a pretty evident trail all the way up to the Frodo / Gandalf col.
Once on the trail you’ll now simply follow it as you climb up through a combination of alpine meadows, light trees and ultimately talus slopes. You’ll ascend a little under 300m before topping out at the col, where you’ll be rewarded with some nice views of lakes both east and west, and you should see the general route up towards Gandalf.
Turning right (north), the route should remain somewhat evident for the next couple of hundred meters of climbing, but soon enough any semblance of trail vanishes, and any cairns/markers dissipate entirely. You’ll now want to refer to your map for any navigation.
The route will gradually work up to the southwest ridge of Gandalf, at which point the scramble begins. The scramble is straightforward but somewhat tedious, with enormous (car sized) boulders to climb up/down along the way, forcing you into wandering around looking for the easiest route through the maze. It’s never really difficult nor exposed, it’s just slow going.
Eventually you’ll reach the broad, blocky summit of Gandalf, where you’ll find the famous Gandalf flake. This flake marks the true summit and is not an easy climb (I didn’t do it, but I believe it’s Class 4). Most parties won’t bother even trying, but true peakbaggers will make an effort to get up there, it’s not easy.
From the summit of Gandalf, to reach Aragorn you will continue scrambling down the northern ridge. This is a bit easier than the scramble up, and after some initial scrambling you’ll quickly be back to hiking along talus. It’s only around 1km until you reach the Gandalf / Aragorn col, at which point you will see the steep/silty descent you’ll have to make when returning.
For now, Aragorn is not far and it’s simply just hiking along the ridge, ascending another 150m or so to the top. Aragorn is a broad summit, so have a wander around to get all the views. There’s a small glacier to the north, Aragorn Glacier, that is rapidly dying.
After resting up at the summit you will now return to the Gandalf / Aragorn col, where you’ll begin your descent. It looks a little intimidating but you’ll soon find it pretty simple. The initial 20m or so will be the steepest and loosest, but soon you’ll reach rockier ground and the remainder will be easy.
You’ll now be in the basin below Gandalf and Aragorn, which is a bit of an explorers paradise. There are several beautiful alpine lakes dotted around here, so feel free to go and check them out. You could also go and hike Mount Shadowfax on the other side of the basin, which allows you to explore the lakes on the way, but this mountain requires a specific ascent up, so you’d want a GPX if you’re going for that as well.
If all you want to do is return to the hut, refer to your map. Most of the return is talus hopping, but as you near the lake there’ll be a fairly steep descent through brush. There should be a faint trail here though, so it shouldn’t be difficult.
When should I hike Mount Gandalf & Aragorn?
As noted, timing is tricky here for hikers and backpackers assuming you respect the Aug 15 – Oct 15 voluntary closure. July to Aug 15 is likely the best time to go. If you don’t mind snow around you can probably go in June, and you may get away with late October as well. Typically November to May will be snowy, and while you can readily reach the hut still, exploring deeper into the region will be a lot more involved.
Top Tip
The best time to go to avoid the worst mosquitos but still respect the closure is as close to Aug 15th as possible. That being said, fires can ramp up around here too, so smoke can become a concern.
If you want to stay in the hut, try to avoid Saturday’s. They are often very busy with 20+ people registered to stay there. I can’t imagine how packed that little hut is with 20 or more people. Make sure to check the VOC website to see how many people are registered to be staying on the dates you intend to go.
If you want a bigger day, adding on Frodo Peak and Peregrine Peak is quite straightforward from the Frodo / Gandalf col. Mount Shadowfax could also be added, and if you’re starting early from the hut you can definitely do all 5 peaks in one long day. Most people will split it over two days though, with day 1 hiking to the hut and climbing 2 or 3 peaks (Shadowfax, Gandalf and Aragorn), and day 2 hitting the remaining peaks (Peregrine and Frodo) before hiking back out.
