Hiking Tszil Mountain near Pemberton
Contents
Tszil Mountain Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 17Km
Elevation Gain: 1,300m
Highest Elevation: 2,377m
Average Gradient: 15.30%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 8 – 10 Hours
– Moderate: 7 – 8 Hours
– Fast: 6 – 7 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: No
Season: Year-Round (Summer Preferred)
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: Minimal Class 2 – No Exposure
Tszil Mountain Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 50°22’10.3″N 122°29’55.3″W
Tszil Mountain Overview
Tszil Mountain is a summit located on the southern fringes of Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, typically accessed via the Joffre Lakes trail. Along with the nearby Mount Taylor, Tszil Mountain is the easiest summit to climb from Joffre Lakes, requiring little scrambling (if any) and no glacier travel. The only challenge is route finding through the backcountry, though with an offline map this should be straightforward.
The hike begins by following the Joffre Lakes trail to the upper lake, before a short stretch of hopping on boulders and working through some trees to a valley below both Tszil and Taylor. You’ll then hike up a moraine to the col between Tszil and Taylor before easily ascending the blocky granite to the summit adjacent to the impressive Tszil Glacier and Slalok Mountain. It’s also possible to continue on to summit Slalok, however this is an exposed Class 4 scramble that should only be attempted by confident and capable parties. It’s also possible to add on Mount Taylor by dropping back down to the col and easily hiking up the other side.
Access to Tszil Mountain is shared with Joffre Lakes, from a large parking lot at the trailhead, and is thus accessible to all vehicles. Tszil Mountain can be climbed year-round, though most will either climb it in summer or in the depths of winter when snow covers the region and ski tourers come to enjoy the easy access to good snow. The route described here is the summer route, and any travel in winter should only be attempted by experienced parties knowledgeable about traveling in avalanche terrain. Spring and fall is a difficult time for this hike due to the variable conditions.
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 leave the pup at home.
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Is Tszil Mountain worthwhile?
Tszil Mountain is a relatively moderate summit to ascend from Joffre Lakes, making for a good introduction to anybody looking to experience self-navigation in the backcountry and simple scrambling. It isn’t the most exciting summit in the summer, and the views can be a little bland once the snow has gone as most of the major peaks in the area (Matier, Joffre etc.) are blocked by Slalok, and you can barely see any of the lakes either. That being said, it’s still a worthy addition to hiking Joffre Lakes for those looking for a bigger adventure and a summit to climb.
How difficult is the hike to Tszil Mountain?
As a day hike Tszil Mountain has fairly sizable stats, with around 1,300m elevation gain. 500m of that gain is to the upper lake on an easy to follow trail, with the remaining 800m of gain to the summit. Even though much of this doesn’t follow a maintained trail, travel is straightforward and much of the route has an obvious footbed to follow, with plenty of cairns helping as well. Tszil never feels all that difficult for an experienced hiker, however lesser experienced hikers may find it challenging.
From a technical viewpoint the hike is fine too. Much of the hike follows an established trail, with the remainder following a relatively simple route throughout. Most of it is just hiking, with some short, unexposed scrambling sections. Hiking along the moraine might make some parties a little uneasy since it’s narrow with steep slopes either side, but it would be a stretch to say it’s exposed as any slip would easily be stopped. There is some very simple scrambling to the summit, with zero exposure and plenty of options for easier or harder routes up.
Tszil Mountain Route Information
Parking for Tszil Mountain 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 typically fills up quickly, however the overflow lot should usually have space if so. This lot is also usually plowed in the 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.
Shortly before reaching the middle lake you’ll actually 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, but most people soon continue on the hike. 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.
The trail now continues along the western shores of the lake, which can be quite rugged, before you reach a wooden bridge crossing a creek on the southern side of the lake. Do not cross this bridge as this is where the trail to Tszil begins. Keeping west of the creek, you should spot a faint footbed on the ground that you’ll now want to follow. Remaining close to the creek, but not actually crossing it, you’ll continue to follow this trail towards a boulder field.
Crossing the boulder field, you should easily spot an abundance of cairns guiding you towards the forest on the other side. Once in the forest you should again pick up another footbed which you’ll continue to follow easily. If ever in doubt, refer to your map, but navigation should be straightforward. In sections the trail may be overgrown and bushy, but it should be light and short lived.
After around 1km of following this trail in the forest you should find yourself at the base of the valley below Tszil and Taylor, with a vast talus field to climb. Luckily if you continue to follow the trail it will lead up to a moraine that slices through the talus, offering much simpler travel than you would have down below on the loose talus slopes. The footing is solid and stable as you ascend this moraine, which narrows slightly as you climb higher, with the slopes either side steepening. Anyone with vertigo may get a little dizzy here, but there isn’t any real exposure here if you pay attention to each step.
At the end of the moraine there is a short, steep climb up a bluff which might involve some simple use of hands. In the winter this can often be impassable, which is why this is more of a summer route. After the short scramble you’ll find yourself on a short stretch of heather before reaching a boulder field. There’s also a few small tarns here.
Working up the boulder field is easy with cairns guiding the way once more. In short order you will reach the Tszil/Taylor col, now offering views to the south, and you’ll want to turn to east and begin working up Tszil. Again there should be a footbed to follow initially, and after climbing briefly you’ll find yourself on granite. From here on out it’s mostly a “pick your own path” to the summit, ascending up a series of granite ledges however you please. The terrain is quite forgiving and there’s plenty of choice, just refer to your map to ensure you’re going the right way. The cairns may now be either helpful or hindering as some might lead towards Slalok and avoid Tszil, but there are also some that lead up Tszil as well.
There is a minor glacier just below the Tszil summit that is easy to bypass and soon enough you’ll reach the top. The views of Slalok Mountain and the Tszil glacier below will be great. You’ll also be able to see a few other classic peaks in the area like Cayoosh Mountain and Mount Marriott, as well as upper Joffre Lake down below.
When should I hike Tszil Mountain?
Most people will hike Tszil Mountain in the midst of summer, typically July to October when the lakes are thawed and the trail is free of snow. While technically open year-round, the fall and spring are likely the quietest time of year as the trails and lakes will be snow covered, yet the ski season will be over.
Tszil can also be summited in the midst of winter by capable parties, however the route may vary somewhat since you can snowshoe directly over the lakes and you will likely want to avoid the moraine, instead sticking to the valley below.
Top Tip
If you don’t care to see the lakes and you enjoy winter travel, Tszil may make for a more scenic hike in the winter as a lot of the surrounding terrain is fairly bland rock without any snow coverage.
