Hiking Slhanay Peak in Squamish
Contents
Slhanay Peak Hike Information
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.90Km
Elevation Gain: 685m
Highest Elevation: 665m
Average Gradient: 19.85%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2.5 – 3 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: No scrambling but very steep & one or two exposed traverses along a narrow trail.
Slhanay Peak Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°41’42.9″N 123°07’48.7″W
Slhanay Peak Overview
Slhanay Peak is a peak located in Stawamus Chief Provincial Park. This is a considerably lesser traveled hike than the extremely popular Stawamus Chief, but the views are outstanding (if you know exactly where to go, which most people don’t!).
Unfortunately many people do this hike and miss the best viewpoints as they blindly follow the AllTrails route which, for some reason unbeknownst to me, misses the best viewpoints (see gallery at the bottom of this page for a photo of what not to miss). The views from the summit are good, but the views from some of the lookouts just off the main trail are fantastic. These are probably some of the best views of the Chief you will get anywhere.
The beginning of the hike is very steep and the trail is quite rugged throughout, with a lot of travel on boulders. There are not a lot of markers and at the top I found trails going in various directions, so a map would be highly recommended. There are a couple of exposed sections where the trail is narrow and above a steep drop, so a nerve for heights would be helpful. They are only brief though, so if you take your time you should be okay.
Slhanay Peak is a year-round hiking option, with a summit at just 665m elevation. It will likely see some snow and ice in the midst of winter but I suspect it wouldn’t stick around for too long. I wouldn’t bother with this hike on a rainy or damp day, not only will it be technically challenging, you will also have poor views.
Parking for the hike is on a small pullout on the Mamquam FSR and is suitable for all vehicles as it is not far along the road and only has a few potholes to navigate. There is not a lot of parking and I think it gets used for other activities as it was completely full when I got back to my car at the end.
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Is Slhanay Peak worthwhile?
Slhanay Peak is a bit of a hidden gem, it sees very little traffic compared to other hikes and I see very little mention of it. The views on a clear day are outstanding and frankly I’m surprised this has gone unnoticed for so long. It’s arguably comparable to the Chief itself, yet probably sees less than 10% of the traffic. This is absolutely worthwhile.
How difficult is the hike to Slhanay Peak?
This is a short hike at under 7km, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a very steep hike and the beginning is particularly challenging. The first 600m will ascend over 300m alone, for an average gradient of 50%. You will be using your hands for balance at times but I wouldn’t go as far as calling this a scramble by any means, think more like the Grouse Grind. After the first 600m the trail levels off and the rest is just a moderately steep hike.
Technically speaking the hike also has its challenges. The trail is not maintained in any way and is rough throughout. There is a lot of travel on boulders, rocks and dirt. It’s not always well marked and it’s easy to miss a turn to one of the amazing viewpoints, something most people do. It’s also easy to follow the wrong trail so a map is highly recommended. There are one or two exposed sections where you will be traversing above a steep cliff along a narrow trail, but these are brief so just take it slowly.
I have marked this as moderate due to its shortness, but it’s leaning towards difficult thanks to the very steep beginning and technicality of the hike.
Slhanay Peak Route Information
After parking on the side of Mamquam FSR (see coordinates), the trailhead will probably be just to your left and should be fairly obvious. The first hundred meters or so is just a narrow trail through the forest, before you reach the “fun” part.
You’ll soon be on the climb, clambering up boulders and roots, following the sporadic orange markers up the steep hill. The route should be pretty evident as foot traffic has trampled a pretty obvious trail for the most part, but some sections may not be so obvious. There’s not much to say about this part of the trail, it’s just a very steep forest grind.
At around the 400m mark you will reach the base of a gigantic rockface, and you’ll actually find yourself standing on the top of this within an hour or so, believe it or not. The trail now takes a turn to the right beneath the cliff, and continues to climb at a relentless gradient.
At around the 600m mark you have finished most of the steep ascent, but the trail ahead is challenging in other ways. The trail now traverses across a steep slope to your right, and at times it can be quite technical. You’ll want to take your time here with foot placement. One section is particularly exposed above a high drop, and the trail is very narrow. I went very cautiously across this section, but thankfully it was brief.
Once you’re past this section that’s the end of the exposure (until you return back down). Just ahead will be your first viewpoint, at about the 900m mark. It is not marked in any way so be careful not to skip past it, there is a short trail to your right that provides a great view over the town, the Chief and the Squamish harbour.
Shortly up ahead you will reach a junction, going straight will take you on a traverse over to the Chief, you’ll want to go left to continue on the Slhanay Peak trail. This section of the trail is a bit of a moss wonderland, with almost everything covered in the green stuff, so it’s a nice place to enjoy after the brutal ascent.
The trail will now continue to climb gradually into the forest where it actually becomes much easier to follow, with a moderate incline and decent footing made up of small rocks. You’re about to come up to the sections which most people miss, to the fantastic viewpoints, so have your map ready as these are not marked very well, if at all, on the trail.
Around 700m after you leave the junction there will be a trail going left, down into the forest. This is not an obvious trail, it is very easy to miss and it is not on the AllTrails route above, though you will see it on the map (I’ve circled the viewpoints you are aiming to reach in a photo in the gallery below). Follow this trail down, it descends a couple of hundred meters but it ends up at the top of the cliff you were beneath as you were ascending. The views from this cliff are absolutely breathtaking of the Chief, the town and the harbour. Many people miss this view doing this hike, and it’s partly why it’s not ranked that highly on AllTrails.
After enjoying the view you’ll want to head back to the main trail and now continue along it. After just a couple of hundred meters more you’ll reach another junction that the AllTrails route skips out on, for another breathtaking view. You might see some signs labeled “Viewpoint” or “Tony’s Lookout” and that’s where you want to go. Look at your map, I’ve circled it again. This is another fantastic viewpoint of the Chief. Honestly Slhanay Peak is mostly just focused on getting a bunch of great views of the Chief.
Heading back to the main trail you’ll again continue along it. The trail is now essentially a loop, but if you want to keep it shorter you can alternatively head straight to the summit of Slhanay Peak by going clockwise on the loop rather than counter clockwise like AllTrails suggests. I did not do the whole loop as I was told there are no views other than the summit, so I went clockwise to the summit and back the way I came to avoid the elongated circle.
Either way you go the rest of the trail is fairly straightforward, but do be careful with where you’re going as I ended up following a track that just vanished, only to realize I was not on the right trail. After a bit of bushwhacking I soon sorted it out but it wasn’t ideal. Whichever way you go, you’ll soon reach the summit of Slhanay Peak. The views are 360 degrees from the summit, but are fairly obstructed by trees. You will be able to see the Garibaldi range to the north, Anif Peak and Mount Mulligan to the east, the Chief to the south and some other mountains to the west.
Once you’ve finished up at the summit you just head back down to the main trail. From here it should be a straightforward descend back to your car, taking great care around the exposed sections and the steep beginning. Luckily it shouldn’t be too busy so it’s nothing like descending the Chief where you’re constantly dodging people coming up.
Alternatively, if you’re up for a real adventure, look into the traverse over to the Chief. It combines both Slhanay Peak and the Chief’s 3 Peaks into one incredible hike, but it’s not for the faint hearted and is significantly harder than just Slhanay Peak.
When should I hike Slhanay Peak?
You’ll definitely want to save this one for a sunny day as the views on a clear day are outstanding. This is pretty much a year-round option, but I’d probably avoid winter just in case there is ice knocking around, which could make some sections difficult. I liked it in the spring, but summer and fall are fine options.
Top Tip
Definitely take an offline map for this one as it’s easy to end up following the wrong tracks. Absolutely stop at the two viewpoints I’ve circled in the photo in the gallery, if you just go straight to Slhanay Peak like AllTrails suggests, you’re missing the best part.
If you’re up for a real adventure and have a head for heights, consider combining this with a traverse over to the Chief.
