Category Archives: Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes

Pitt-Addington Marsh

Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Other Metro Vancouver

The full name of this area is the Pitt-Addington Marsh Wildlife Management Area. It is located where Pitt Lake drains into the Pitt River.

There is a network of dykes and trails taking you along the river, lake and marshland. This is more of a walk, as it is completely flat, but the distances can be over 10 km, depending on where you go.

About the Marsh

The Pitt-Addington Marsh WMA supports over 200 bird and 29 mammal species. This WMA is generally a flat, alluvial floodplain made up of dyked and undyked areas. Pitt Lake is the largest tidal freshwater lake in North America. There is a rare reverse delta at the mouth of the Pitt River, a result of deposition which occurs when rapidly flooding tides dam and reverse the main Fraser River outflow back up into Pitt Lake. The WMA also contains the Pitt Polder Ecological Reserve, an area of sedge bog and two forested granitic outcrops rising 114 m above the floodplain.

Interesting Facts About Pitt Lake

  • It is 24 km long
  • Is considered a tidal fjord lake
  • There is on average a three-foot tide range
  • Pitt Lake is in a typical U-shaped glacial valley
  • The Upper Pitt River originates in Garibaldi Provincial Park
  • Pitt Lake and Pitt River are named after William Pitt the Younger, who became the youngest Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1783, at age 24
  • The lake’s unusual tidal behaviour exists because the Fraser River’s own flow backs up Pitt River at high tide, pushing water into the lake. A flood tide surface velocity of 71 cm per second has been recorded in the narrows during this reverse flow
  • Pitt Lake was once an ocean fjord; seashells can still be found on its eastern slopes today, a reminder of its marine past before it became cut off from the sea by sediment roughly 10,500 years ago
  • The area is tied to the legend of Slumach’s lost gold mine, a long-running BC treasure story about a hidden gold deposit somewhere in the mountains northeast of the lake. Historians have found no evidence to support it, but the legend persists

Trail Stats

  • Distance: varies, but my route was 6.6 km
  • Time: varies
  • Low point: close to sea level
  • High point: close to sea level
  • Elevation gain: minimal
  • Trailhead and parking: 49° 20′ 55.8″ N, 122° 37′ 00″ W (Google Maps and navigation)

The Route

The actual GPS track from this walk, drawn on the map below. Green marks the start/end point.

Photos

Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake
Dyke in marsh
Dyke in marsh
Dyke path
Dyke path
Dyke
Dyke
Heron
Heron
Mountains
Mountains
Purple lupine
Purple lupine
Wharf
Wharf
White sweet pea flower
White sweet pea flower
Canada geese
Canada geese
Conditions on this trail can change over time — trailheads move, access rules shift, and businesses close. This post reflects what I found when I did the walk.

Mt. Thom Trail

Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Fraser Valley & Beyond

Mt. Thom is located in the foothill mountains of South Chilliwack. From the top, there are amazing views of the Fraser Valley, including Cultus Lake. There are a few different starting points for this hike, but today I chose to start from Sylvan Drive (see location below). You can park on the side of the road.

At the base of the trail on Sylvan Drive, Mt. Thom Creek can be heard (and seen), as you head up a number of stairs. Once off the stairs, the trail is well established and easy to follow. There are a number of junctions, but they are marked — just follow the signs to Mt. Thom summit.

Interesting Facts

  • Mt. Thom Park was created in 1943, when the City of Chilliwack purchased a 38 ha forested area from the Province. It has since grown to about 70 ha through further land purchases, subdivision dedications, and donations
  • The park contains one of the few remaining accessible stands of mature Douglas Fir in the area, along with Western Hemlock, Broad Leaf Maple, alder and cottonwood
  • There are eight access points into the park in total: five from the Promontory side (Teskey Way, Thom Creek Drive, Sylvan Drive, MacFarlane Place and MacLachlan Place) and three from Ryder Lake (Forester Road, Churchill Parkway and Ross Road)
  • The park is home to deer, squirrels, and a variety of other wildlife
  • Mt. Thom is a year-round hike thanks to its relatively low elevation, though the summit can see snow in winter

Trail Stats

For directions, click on Trailhead and parking below.

  • Distance: 6.3 km
  • Time: 1 to 4 hours
  • Low point: 213 m
  • High point: 476 m
  • Elevation gain: 263 m
  • Cumulative elevation gain: 375 m
  • Trailhead and parking: 49° 6′ 16″ N, 121° 55′ 10.5″ W (Google Maps and navigation)

The Route

The actual GPS track from this hike, drawn on the map below. Green marks the start/end point.

Photos

View from the top
View from the top
View from the top
View from the top
View from the top through flowers
View from the top, through the flowers
Cultus Lake
Cultus Lake
Lower view
Lower view
Thimbleberries were plentiful
Thimbleberries were plentiful
Thom Creek
Thom Creek
Trail
Trail
Switchback
Switchback
Trail
Trail
Conditions on this trail can change over time — trailheads move, access rules shift, and businesses close. This post reflects what I found when I did the hike.

Before You Hike

Before heading out on your hike, make sure you are well prepared. This means having the TEN ESSENTIALS. It is also important to leave a trip plan (route details and estimated return time) with someone you trust.

Bring your smartphone, fully charged, and put it in airplane mode while hiking. I always bring backup battery packs for extra peace of mind. It is highly recommended that you bring a GPS device. I use my smartphone with a GPS app (Backcountry Navigator). The GPS will work in airplane mode. Learn how to use it before your hike.

For anyone new to hiking, there is a rule that hikers follow called “Leave No Trace” or LNT. The concept is generally to pack out what you pack in and respect nature, so all future visitors can enjoy what you have enjoyed. To learn more about LNT, please check out this blog by a certified LNT Trainer.

Cheakamus Lake Trail

Non-Buntzen Lake Hikes, Squamish - Whistler - Pemberton

Cheakamus Lake is an emerald-green, glacial-fed alpine lake, located in Whistler. The hike follows the Cheakamus River for about 3.5 km and then follows the north side of the lake, ending at Singing Creek after another 4 km. At this point the official trail ends. To go beyond, you will have to walk across a fallen tree over Singing Creek and do some bushwhacking (according to Park Rangers).

The emerald-green colour, along with the backdrop of snow-covered peaks, really makes for some nice scenery. The hike is not too strenuous, as it is mostly flat with some small ups and downs.

Interesting Facts

  • Cheakamus Lake sits inside Garibaldi Provincial Park, a 194,000 ha wilderness area established in 1927
  • The park is named after Mount Garibaldi, which Royal Navy Captain George Richards named in 1860 after the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi
  • The lake covers about 5.7 km² and is fed by Castle Towers Creek, the Cheakamus River, and Singing Creek, with the Cheakamus River draining back out at its western end
  • Cheakamus Lake was first stocked with trout back in 1926, with 20,000 eggs, which may explain why fishing here has been good for nearly a century
  • In 2005, a CN Rail train derailment spilled about 40,000 litres of sodium hydroxide into the Cheakamus River, well downstream of the lake itself, causing a major fish kill along that stretch of river. It’s a reminder of how fragile these watersheds can be

Getting There

For directions, click on Trailhead and parking below.

NOTE: There is a 7 km potholed gravel road to travel. My 2-wheel drive car made it with no difficulty, but I would imagine it would be a challenge in snow or wet conditions. Even during the best weather, take it slow due to the large number of potholes.

Tip: shut off the fresh air intake, so you don’t get dust in your car.

Trail Stats

  • Distance: 15 km (return)
  • Time: 3 to 6 hours
  • Low point: 832 m
  • High point: 899 m
  • Elevation gain: 67 m
  • Cumulative elevation gain: 360 m
  • Trailhead and parking: 50° 2′ 31″ N, 122° 59′ 23″ W (Google Maps and navigation)

The Route

The actual GPS track from this hike, drawn on the map below. Green marks the start/end point.

Photos

Cheakamus Lake
Cheakamus Lake
Cheakamus Lake
Cheakamus Lake
Cheakamus Lake
Cheakamus Lake
Cheakamus Lake
Cheakamus Lake
Fishing at Cheakamus Lake
Fishing at Cheakamus Lake

The fishing was great:

Fishing
Fishing
Trail
Trail
Trail and Cheakamus Lake
Trail and Cheakamus Lake
Trail
Trail

Western columbine:

Western columbine
Western columbine

So many wildflowers in bloom:

Wildflowers
Wildflowers

This is the bridge to cross Singing Creek:

Bridge over Singing Creek
Bridge over Singing Creek
Conditions on this trail can change over time — trailheads move, access rules shift, and businesses close. This post reflects what I found when I did the hike.

Before You Hike

Before heading out on your hike, make sure you are well prepared. This means having the TEN ESSENTIALS. It is also important to leave a trip plan (route details and estimated return time) with someone you trust.

Bring your smartphone, fully charged, and put it in airplane mode while hiking. I always bring backup battery packs for extra peace of mind. It is highly recommended that you bring a GPS device. I use my smartphone with a GPS app (Backcountry Navigator). The GPS will work in airplane mode. Learn how to use it before your hike.

For anyone new to hiking, there is a rule that hikers follow called “Leave No Trace” or LNT. The concept is generally to pack out what you pack in and respect nature, so all future visitors can enjoy what you have enjoyed. To learn more about LNT, please check out this blog by a certified LNT Trainer.