The Stawamus Chief - Squamish, BC
Hiking The Chief in Squamish
Difficulty - 5/10
Distance - 11km's
Elevation - 600m / 1969ft
Time - 4 to 6hrs
I have attached a link to a YouTube video by Outdoor Vancouver that shows you what to expect on the trail and how well marked the trails are.
GETTING THERE
The Stawamus Chief is one of North America's largest granite monoliths. The parking lot is located right off the Sea to Sky highway. It is located about an hour from Vancouver and about 7 minutes from downtown Squamish.
The Chief is not a technical hike but if you do it in the winter like we did and fresh snow is covering the trail you may accidentally find yourself accidentally following climbing routes.
THE CHIEF HIKE VS GROUSE GRIND, STAWAMUS CHIEF TRAIL, HIKING THE CHIEF, HIKE THE CHIEF
TIME EXPECTATIONS
The first Peak is the closest and tends to be the busiest it is a 4km loop from the parking lot. Due to the steep nature of the trail it can anywhere between 1.5 hours to 3 hours to hike the first peak and back.
The second peak is 5km and can take anywhere from 2-4 hours. You will see the sheer cliff drop off and the 3rd peak being just 100m off it.
The third peak is the tallest of the 3 peaks. If you are planning on doing all 3 peaks in the day id give yourself a longer time frame. To reach the 3rd peak it is about 7km's and will take between 4 and 7 hours.
CAUTION
When taking on the Chief be mindful of the weather. The rocks can get slick and there are lots of sharp drop offs. The section leading to the First and Second Peak have chains and ladders to assist with the climb.
Be sure to bring plenty of water and extra clothes as weather along the coast can change quickly.
The Hike is definitely a climb but well worth it for the views!
