Hiking Wedgemount Lake in Garibaldi Provincial Park
Contents
Wedgemount Lake Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 12.60Km
Elevation Gain: 1,350m
Highest Elevation: 1,977m
Average Gradient: 21.43%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 8 – 10 Hours
– Moderate: 6 – 8 Hours
– Fast: 4 – 6 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: No
Season: Summer
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Wedgemount Lake Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 50°10’16.6″N 122°52’00.0″W
Wedgemount Lake Overview
Wedgemount Lake is a glacier fed, turquoise lake situated in the northern reaches of Garibaldi Provincial Park, northeast of Whistler and south of Pemberton. Set amongst some of the highest mountains in SWBC, Wedgemount Lake offers stunning views of peaks and glaciers, and thanks to a number of campsites and the Wedgemount Lake Hut, recreationalists can spend plenty of time here soaking in their surroundings. Campsites for the lake are reservable through BC Parks.
While many people choose to camp at the lake, lots of hikers are also content with hiking in and out on the same day. The trailhead is accessible for all vehicles, though it does involve 2km of driving along a logging road, and the trail to the lake is well maintained and easy to follow.
The hike to Wedgemount Lake is a steep one, with an average gradient of over 20%. In just 4.5km hikers will ascend ~1,200m to reach the Wedgemount Lake Hut, before dropping down to reach the shores of the lake. The trail continues beyond Wedgemount Lake to a smaller lake further along the trail, Tupper Lake. This is situated directly below the impressive Wedgemount Glacier and is well worth the added hiking. Both lakes are of course very cold due to the glacial water that feeds into them, though that doesn’t deter people from swimming in the lake on a hot summer day.
The hike to Wedgemount Lake is primarily a summer objective with the lake typically thawing in early July, though of course this varies year to year. Due to the steep trail it is not an easy hike in snow and most people don’t care to see a snow covered lake either way. The peak season for Wedgemount is therefore July to early October, soon after which snow will generally return to these elevations. People do hike up to the lake in winter but generally these would be ski tourers or mountaineers looking to take advantage of the peaks in the vicinity rather than the lake itself.
There are a number of mountains that are all climbable within the vicinity of Wedgemount Lake, though they all involve self navigation through complex backcountry terrain, and most include a degree of scrambling. Mount Cook is the most approachable, followed shortly after by Mount Weart. Wedge Mountain, Rethel Mountain & Parkhurst Mountain are all also ascended fairly frequently by experienced hikers, but these typically include travel on glaciers, and this should be left to experienced and prepared parties only.
As with every hike in Garibaldi Provincial Park, dogs are not permitted at Wedgemount Lake.
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Is Wedgemount Lake worthwhile?
The views from Wedgemount Lake are breathtaking thanks to a number of dramatic peaks surrounding it, and of course the turquoise lake itself. The ability to get up close to glaciers from such a well defined trail is a rarity in itself, making this a fairly unique hike. Despite the significant stats to reach the lake the hike is actually quite short, with fast parties able to reach the lake in just 2 hours. Overall Wedgemount Lake is absolutely worthwhile, but be prepared for a grind to get there.
How difficult is the hike to Wedgemount Lake?
With 1,350m elevation gain roundtrip there’s no doubt this hike is a steep one. Most of the hike is straight up, with the odd stretch of flat trail here and there. Experienced and fit parties will likely find it quite straightforward, especially those that don’t have to carry up heavy overnight gear and choose to do it as a day trip. Lesser experienced hikers, especially campers, will probably find this extremely challenging both up and down. For many people the descent is just as hard as the ascent due to the steep terrain.
Technically the hike is mostly very simple and predominantly just a forest grind. Just before you reach the lake, perhaps for the last 150m of elevation, you break out of the forest and onto a steep dusty trail below Rethel Mountain. This section is tricky for many people, even more so on the descent, as it’s very slippery on the dusty terrain, with every step requiring focus. Thankfully it’s fairly short and at the top you’ll have reached the Wedgemount Hut where the payoff will be immediate.
Wedgemount Lake Route Information
The trailhead for Wedgemount Lake is around 2km down a logging road off the Sea to Sky highway that is bumpy but fine for any vehicle. There is a huge amount of parking available, though it certainly might get busy on a sunny summer weekend. There is a washroom at the parking lot should one be needed.
The trail immediately crosses a bridge over Wedgemount Creek before turning right into the forest after a couple of hundred meters. Be careful not to go straight here as it can be easy to miss the turning point. After entering the forest the climb commences, starting off at a fairly manageable gradient on some dusty ground. After climbing for a hundred meters or so the trail levels out momentarily, before continuing to climb up.
The gradient now increases and the terrain varies becomes your typical PNW forested hike of dirt, roots and rocks. At around the 1,000m elevation mark you’ll cross a small boulder section, but for the most part there is nothing of note on the trail so just keep on climbing.
After grinding up to around 1,450m you’ll reach the base of a huge boulder slide, where the trail now crosses over some rocks, skirting some creeks in the process. At the other end of the boulder field you’ll cross over one of these creeks, navigating around some mud in the process, and return to the forest grind once more.
After climbing a further 300m or so, at around the 1,750m elevation mark, you’ll finally break out of the forest and into an opening below Rethel Mountain. You’ll notice a few steep scars on the land leading up to a crest in the slope. The leftmost of these climbs is what you’ll be heading up.
After a short period of hiking through some dusty and bouldery terrain you’ll begin to climb up this steep embankment. The trail is often slippery thanks to its sandy composition, and combined with the steep terrain it’s easy to lose your footing. At times you will likely want to use your hands for balance, but to call this a scramble would be a stretch. Where possible try to avoid the sandy trail and instead hike up the flanks on patches of dirt, where grip will be much better. After about 150m of climbing up this loose section you will crest the top and finally be greeted by the Wedgemount Hut, with the stunning Wedgemount Lake backdrop.
There are a number of campsites at the hut itself, and many further along the trail by the lake. The trail now drops from the hut and navigates around the northern perimeter of the lake. After dropping around 50m you’ll cross a couple of creeks flowing out from the Armchair glacier, with the trail continuing around to the eastern perimeter of the lake.
The trail begins to deteriorate into boulder hopping at this point, but the route to Tupper Lake is very obvious and easily followed, even if you don’t follow any actual trail. You will have to climb around 100m to reach Tupper Lake, where the views of the Wedgemount Glacier will be impressive. If you want better views you can climb up some of the scree east of Tupper Lake to gain elevation and provide a broader view of the glaciers.
Once finished you simply return the way you came, which unfortunately involves climbing back up to the Wedgemount Hut. Thankfully from the hut it’s all downhill back to the trailhead. Take care on the initial sandy descent, which may take some people a while. Once you’re back in the forest I would advise trying to stay light on your feet and hopping from tree root to tree root. Moving quickly down this terrain takes some balance but helps the knees significantly. This will not be easy if you’re carrying overnight packs, however.
When should I hike Wedgemount Lake?
Most people will complete this hike between July and October, with peak season between August and September. Outside of these 4 months you can expect snow, and given the steep terrain you should go prepared with all the necessary snow gear. Of course the lake will be frozen/snow covered once the snow returns.
Top Tip
You don’t need to carry huge amounts of water on this hike, perhaps 2L, as you can refill at the lake. There are also a couple of creek crossings in the forest where you can likely refill in an emergency.
If there’s potential for snow along the route you will want an ice axe and microspikes/crampons as the final climb up to the lake is steep.
Adventurous parties can extend their hike to Wedgemount Lake to either Mount Cook or Mount Weart, the two most approachable summits in the area.
