Hiking Mount Taylor near Pemberton
Contents
Mount Taylor Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 17.20Km
Elevation Gain: 1,240m
Highest Elevation: 2,318m
Average Gradient: 14.40%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 8 – 10 Hours
– Moderate: 7 – 8 Hours
– Fast: 6 – 7 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: No
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Mount Taylor Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 50°22’11.3″N 122°30’01.7″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 Taylor Overview
Mount Taylor is a summit located on the southern fringes of Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, typically accessed via the Joffre Lakes trail. Along with the nearby Tszil Mountain, Mount Taylor is the easiest summit to climb from Joffre Lakes and possibly the entire Joffre group of peaks, requiring no real scrambling and no glacier travel. The only challenge is route finding through the backcountry, though with an offline map this should be straightforward.
Mount Taylor is feasible both in winter and summer. Having completed Tszil in summer and Taylor in winter, winter is strongly preferred as the general scenery is significantly more stunning in snow than without, and given the technical simplicity of this hike, snow doesn’t make it all that much more difficult for those prepared accordingly. The GPX linked here is for a winter ascent, which differs slightly from the summer.
The hike begins by following the Joffre Lakes trail to the upper lake before proceeding into a valley below both Tszil and Taylor. You’ll then hike up the valley to the col between Tszil and Taylor before easily ascending the rocky ridge to the summit, where you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of Slalok Mountain, Joffre Peak, Cayoosh Mountain, Mount Marriott and plenty more. It’s possible to combine Mount Taylor with Tszil Mountain, though in the winter Tszil is more involved, typically requiring crampons and ice axe with some steep snow climbing and potential exposure.
Access to Mount Taylor is shared with Joffre Lakes, from a large parking lot at the trailhead, and is thus accessible to all vehicles. Camping is possible in Joffre Lakes in the summer and can be booked through BC Parks for those wanting to split this over a couple of days. Dogs are not welcome in the park so best leave the pup at home.
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Is Mount Taylor worthwhile?
Mount Taylor is a fantastic winter outing offering stunning views of many nearby giants. Unlike the majority of peaks in the area, this is a pretty non-technical hike with no scrambling and no requirement for crampons or ice axe. The only real challenge in winter is timing it for favorable conditions, as trailbreaking in deep snow will make this a difficult trip. While a fairly low risk outing, as always you will want favorable avalanche conditions, avalanche gear and training to back it up.
If you prefer to go in summer the views will not be as rewarding as most of the terrain is quite dull without snow. The 5* rating is based on a winter ascent and the fact this is quite a straightforward trip to a stunning region if you time it well.
How difficult is the hike to Mount Taylor?
Difficulty will largely depend on when you are going. In the winter this is a fairly sizable hike, especially if you have to break trail. Fortunately, given the popularity of Joffre Lakes, even in the winter the trail to the upper lake is often heavily trafficked, allowing you to get by in just microspikes. Beyond the lake you will typically need snowshoes though. As a summer outing this is fairly straightforward, though 1,200m+ elevation gain is always a challenge.
Technically speaking this hike is very simple, with no scrambling necessary. The only challenge will be route finding, so make sure to bring an offline map for navigation. The ascent along the ridge from the col will involve some simple route finding, but at no point should you really need to scramble, nor should there be any exposure.
Mount Taylor Route Information
Parking for Mount Taylor is from the Joffre Lakes parking lot on the side of Duffey Lake Road, with a large main parking lot and a smaller overflow parking lot a few hundred meters prior. The main lot is typically plowed in winter.
From the main parking lot you’ll descend down into the forest, and after just a couple of hundred meters of walking you’ll reach a junction. Going straight will lead to the lower lake and turning right will continue along the trail to the middle and upper lake.
Taking the trail towards the middle lake, you’ll now follow the trail as it wraps around the lower lake, not really offering many viewing opportunities as you do. After hiking for a total of around 2km you’ll reach the steep climb up to the middle lake. Here the trail will shift from its flat, mellow walk to a series of stairs and rocks that abruptly climbs for around 220m. If you’re going in winter you’ll definitely want microspikes here as the trail can be slick from a lot of traffic.
Shortly before reaching the middle lake you’ll descend slightly, and just ahead you’ll reach the shores of the lake, with the glaciated Slalok Mountain towering behind. There are a number of places to stop at the middle lake to rest and enjoy the views. Continuing beyond the middle lake, the trail soon reaches Holloway Falls, which is a nice place for a quick stop.
After a short climb you will be crossing a wooden bridge over the creek flowing out of the upper lake, and just ahead you will reach the shores. The trail takes a turn to the left along the bouldery shore of the upper lake, with plenty of space to spread out on the rocks. The upper lake is by far the largest lake and offers the most panoramic views of the mountains beyond. You’ll now have a clear view of Slalok Mountain, and if you look to the right of it you’ll see the smaller bump of Tszil and the ridge of Mount Taylor.
The maintained trail now continues along the western shores of the lake, however in the depths of winter the upper lake is often frozen and safe to travel over, which is easier than going around. Obviously only do this if you are 100% sure it’s safe. On the other side of the lake you’ll reach a creek flowing from the valley between Tszil and Taylor’s ridge. Check your map to confirm you’re on the right path, then ultimately you’ll want to follow this creek up through the valley, keeping south of it (Note: the summer route will remain north of the creek in the forest, which involves somewhat of a bushwhack. There is no need to do this in the winter and it’s easier to avoid the forest).
As you proceed through the valley, the trees thin out and eventually cease entirely, leaving you on open snowy slopes. The general route is obvious, as you will have the steep cliffs of Tszil/Slalok to your left, and the ridge of Taylor to your right. There is also a moraine in the middle of the valley that people hike along in the summer, which at that time of year is the preferred route. However this moraine terminates at a short but steep scramble at the end which is often very difficult to get up in snow. As such it is easier to simply stay below in the valley east of the moraine.
At around 1,850m you’ll have a steep 150m climb up to a plateau in the valley just before the col between Tszil and Taylor. The climb up to the col is usually straightforward but sections of it can be corniced, so make sure to pick a line that avoids any cornices. This part can be steep and may pass through avalanche terrain, so don’t just follow tracks blindly.
After a short but steep climb up to the col the views really open up, especially to the south where Duffey Peak is now visible, as well as a plethora of other peaks on the horizon. The remaining climb up to the summit of Mount Taylor is mostly just a pick your own path route along the ridge. While steep in spots, it’s easy to pick a line that is safe, and there should be no scrambling or exposure anywhere along the ridge. Unfortunately it is a tad foreshortened, and just as you think you’re reaching the summit, you’re greeted with another long stretch of hiking to finally get there.
The views will have already been excellent by now, but from the summit you get fantastic views of Slalok Mountain, Joffre Peak, Tszil Mountain, Cayoosh Mountain, Mount Marriott, Mount Rohr, Duffey Peak, Saxifrage Peak and plenty more. The summit is spacious to spread out and appreciate the views, assuming it’s not too cold. Once you’re finished you simply retrace your steps back to the car.
When should I hike Mount Taylor?
If you’re doing this in winter you’ll want to wait for a reasonably decent snowpack to cover the talus field in the valley. It really varies year to year, with the best period likely being January to April, however a month either side might be okay depending on the season.
If you are aiming for summer, as usual the best months will be July to October. The shoulder periods are probably the least ideal, with a thin snowpack covering the talus slopes.
Top Tip
You will be in the shade for the majority of this hike, especially in the winter. Often you will only reach sunlight once you get to the col between Tszil and Taylor. If it’s a particularly cold day, prepare accordingly.
As noted, in the summer you will follow the standard route over the moraine in the valley to avoid the talus fields below. In the winter you want to avoid this moraine as it culminates at a short but steep scramble that can be difficult in snow. The talus fields below will be snow covered and thus not a concern.
