Hiking Tricouni Peak in the Squamish River Valley
Contents
Tricouni Peak Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 11Km
Elevation Gain: 940m
Highest Elevation: 2,122m
Average Gradient: 17.10%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 8 – 9 Hours
– Moderate: 7 – 8 Hours
– Fast: 6 – 7 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: July – October
4×4 / High Clearance Required? Yes
Scrambling / Exposure: Moderate scramble with little exposure
Tricouni Peak Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°58’43.3″N 123°14’26.4″W
Note that Google Maps does not direct all the way to the parking lot at 1,200m, you will need to continue on the FSR to the very end where there is an obvious parking area.
Tricouni Peak Overview
Tricouni Peak is a summit located between Squamish and Whistler, typically accessed via Squamish Valley Road. Situated above stunning alpine lakes and meadows, Tricouni Peak is a gem of a hike for those that can access it.
Indeed, accessing Tricouni Peak comes with some challenges, with the typical approach coming from Branch 200 off of Squamish Valley Road. This road is a rugged FSR that is inaccessible for a 2WD, and will challenge an SUV thanks to its steep gradient, rocky terrain and consistent cross ditches.
The stats above assume starting the hike from the parking area at 1,200m elevation, but only the most competent of 4×4’s will be able to reach this. Some SUV’s with good ground clearance can likely reach 920m elevation where there is another parking area, and other vehicles may stop earlier along the FSR wherever parking is available. Obviously the lower you park, the longer your hike will be, so take that into account.
Featured prominently in Scrambles in SWBC, Tricouni Peak includes a moderate scramble with minimal exposure that many people should be comfortable to tackle. Regardless, even if you reach the scramble and decide to back out, the views up to that point are absolutely breathtaking and you will be richly rewarded with some spectacular scenery in a truly stunning alpine region.
Given the steep terrain and long approach, Tricouni Peak is a summer only option, typically hiked between July and October. Many people opt to camp at one of the incredible lakes below the summit before continuing on, but really this is more than possible as a day hike, especially if you can drive to the upper parking lot. The views from the summit and indeed throughout the hike are absolutely incredible.
Maintaining this website requires a significant investment of both time and money, if you find this website a useful resource, please consider making a donation using this button.
Is Tricouni Peak worthwhile?
Tricouni Peak and the surrounding lakes are breathtaking and this is probably in my top 5 hikes in BC at the time of writing. There is a huge amount of variety throughout the hike, from stunning turquoise lakes, to alpine flowers, to waterfalls, to boulder hops, to scrambles, all culminating in a truly epic summit panorama. While the drive to get here can be a bit rough, it’s absolutely worthwhile for a hike you’ll never forget.
How difficult is the hike to Tricouni Peak?
Assuming that you are able to park at the actual trailhead, this isn’t too challenging of a hike physically. The hike to Pendant Heart Lake and Spearpoint Lake is fairly mellow, before the gradient picks up to Reflection Lake. From there the remainder of the hike is a steep ascent up boulder fields, before culminating in a moderate scramble with little exposure.
Technically the biggest challenge of a hike to Tricouni Peak is often the initial trail up to Pendant Heart Lake, through wetlands. The entire trail is a mud obstacle course, which causes you to go very slow. An alternative, dry route on the other side of the creek avoids this, but increases the hike distance and elevation by undulating along boulder fields. Beyond that difficulty, most of the hike is straightforward, ascending up more boulder fields before ending with a moderate, class 3 scramble with little exposure. Most experienced hikers will likely find this fine, but anyone with a particular fear of heights may be challenged.
Tricouni Peak Route Information
With the right vehicle you are able to reach the 1,200m mark along the Branch 200 FSR. As noted, getting to this elevation requires a very capable vehicle (and driver), typically a 4×4 with high clearance and ideally all terrain tires. An SUV with good clearance can perhaps drive to around 920m elevation before the FSR deteriorates even further. Obviously this will add a few kilometers to your trip each way.
From the trailhead you will follow a narrow trail into the trees, and almost immediately reach a junction where you need to decide whether to take the mud gauntlet or the dry route. The mud gauntlet is more direct and has less elevation, but it’s very unpleasant and you are almost certain to get very muddy. It has little to offer in terms of views and it’s also slow going trying to avoid ending up shin deep in mud. Finally, it is damaging the sensitive ecological environment with people going off trail to avoid the mud.
The dry route is much more pleasant in some regards, it is indeed dry, but it’s a bit longer and crosses several boulder fields, adding to an already very bouldery day. Due to the higher elevation you actually get some nice views along the boulder fields, unlike the mudfest below. You will also need to cross the creek twice, at the very beginning and end of the trail, which might be challenging if it’s high flowing. This does avoid damaging the sensitive wetland environment though. The linked trail above shows the mud route, as that is the standard approach. The dry route is not on any maps to my knowledge, but it was easy to follow and well marked enough that we didn’t need a map.
Whichever route you end up taking there isn’t a whole lot to say or see on this hike until you reach Pendant Heart Lake. It’s only around 2.5km away from the trailhead, but getting there will likely take longer than you’d expect given the tricky terrain on each route.
Passing through the annoying terrain will be worth it from here on out though, with the stunning Pendant Heart Lake providing a taste of what’s to come for the remainder of the hike. Most people will stop for photos here, with many opting to take a dip or even try and reach the scenic island in the middle of the lake. You’ll also now get your first glimpse of Tricouni Peak off in the distance, looking ominously steep from here.
Slightly further along the trail you will reach the equally stunning but significantly smaller Spearpoint Lake, which offers an amazing photo opportunity with Tricouni Peak behind. There are a few campsites here where some people opt to stay overnight.
Carrying along the trail you’ll now work your way to the northern tip of Spearpoint Lake, before crossing a creek leading into the lake and joining a boulder field. You’ll want to keep right of the creek and work your way up the boulder field, which is steep but manageable. You’ll soon see a scenic waterfall that you again want to keep right of, before a steep climb into a treeline. You’ll now follow a short trail right to the top of the waterfall where the aerial views of the two lakes you just passed will be breathtaking.
Continuing along you’ll now hop over the creek leading into the waterfall, before quickly reaching the shores of Reflection Lake. In the early morning this lake will provide a reflection of Tricouni Peak behind, hence the name. This is likely the largest of the three lakes, and while beautiful as well, perhaps not quite as nice as the first two. It is, however, the perfect place to take a break before beginning the steep push to the summit.
You’ll now follow an obvious trail west of Reflection Lake, soon entering an alpine meadow that will likely be filled with flowers during the summer months. Soon the meadow will give way to a boulder field, which will be the majority of the hike from here on.
The trail now becomes indistinct as you are hopping from boulder to boulder, so it’s best to keep an eye on your map. As long as you are going in the correct general direction it should be fine. Take note that on many maps you will see two different trails, one approaching the summit from the west, with the other approaching from the southeast. Do not take the southeast approach, this ultimately ends on a ridgeline and becomes impassable slightly beneath the summit. You want to follow the trail linked above, approaching from the west. This is the Scrambles in SWBC route and should be manageable for most.
The remainder of the hike ascends the boulder field on a steep but manageable gradient. The views behind you will be frankly ridiculous as you climb higher and higher. The scramble itself begins at around 1,950m and begins with a short class 3 scramble with little exposure. This is the hardest part of the scramble, and beyond this you’ll continue hiking on boulders until you reach the summit block. Another short, manageable scramble with little exposure will allow you to gain the south ridge of Tricouni Peak. From here the exposure picks up a little, but the scramble is straightforward and obvious, and for the most part if you stick to the trail there should be no risk of a serious fall. In no time you’ll top out at Tricouni Peak.
The views will have already been staggering, but from the summit you obviously now have 360 degree views. You’ll be able to see countless iconic peaks of the region, notably Mount Garibaldi, the Black Tusk, Mount Fee, Mount Cayley, Cypress Peak, Mount Tantalus and much, much more. You’ll also see lakes dotted all over, even Garibaldi Lake and the barrier holding it in place. The true summit is marked by a cairn but involves scrambling across a ridge with increased exposure. It’s an optional addition for those who care about a few meters, many don’t bother heading over.
Once you’re ready to descend, you simply head back the way you came. Obviously take your time on the scramble descent, but for the most part it’s simple stuff. Once you’re off the scramble it’s just a case of boulder hopping back down to the lakes before hiking back out, either via the dry or wet route. By now you might be sick to death of boulders, in which case the wet route might prevail.
When should I hike Tricouni Peak?
Tricouni Peak is a summer only option, with most people hiking it from July to October. Any earlier and the lakes will be frozen and the approach quite snowy. The earlier in the summer you go, the muddier the trail will be.
Top Tip
We chose to hike the dry route in and the wet route out, which we found to be a good balance. You likely won’t want to do the same route in each direction as they both come with challenges that are hard to face twice. It’s strongly recommended to take gaiters for the muddy section as it’s not uncommon to step in mud so deep it reaches your calf.
While the scramble is fairly straightforward and not that exposed, I do recommend taking a helmet as a fall could still be consequential. If you are going early in the season you may also need microspikes/crampons and an ice axe, depending on how much snow remains on the boulder field.
Bugs can apparently be quite bad here, so insect repellent is also recommended.
