Tag: Squamish

Guide to Beaches and Paddling Lakes on the Sea to Sky Highway

The Sea to Sky Highway linking Vancouver to Whistler and Pemberton is one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Weekend warriors load up every Friday evening and fill up the parking lots to every easily accessible lake, trail, and park along the road. Here’s a guide to the Lakes and beaches of the Howe Sound along the highway, and places I like to take a kayak, paddleboard, or canoe with my two Vizsla dogs Whiskey and Bourbon.

Many of these places do fill up quickly on weekends and parking is not allowed on the highway so I would suggest weekdays or very early weekends to get a parking spot! The guide moves from Vancouver to Pemberton and is location based. Check the tides for anything in Howe Sound and wear a life jacket! In case you’re a dog owner, here’s a blog on how to get started paddling with your dog.

🚗 Car Access
🚶‍♂️ Walk to Access
💪Hike to Access
🚽 Toilets
🗑️ Garbage Bins
🛑Difficult Parking
🚫No Dogs

Vancouver-Squamish

Whytecliff Park 🚶‍♂️🚽 🗑️ – The access is down a set of stairs and a rocky beach. Check the tides before you go! There are seals, periodic whales, and an islet (island sometimes connected) to paddle around. Sunset is gorgeous. This is also a common diving spot so watch for divers! Bathrooms and a small food concession is on site as well as a small trail, green grassy space.

Kelvin Grove Beach 🚶‍♂️🗑️- Lions Bay Beach Park may be preferable for those without dogs, but Kelvin Grove Beach is Dog Friendly. There is paid parking, and the access is down a short trail to a small set of rocks with logs. Depending on the tide you will have more or less beach to launch from with your dogs. No bathrooms.

Porteau Cove 🚗🚽 🗑️ -A much larger beach and area to launch from. There is a campground connected to the beach as well as a large dock. Bathrooms are available and there’s lots of places to launch especially when the tide is low. Very quick and easy access from the car to beach.

Furry Creek Beach 🚶‍♂️🚽🗑️- There is less parking and a bit more walking involved than Poteau Cove to the beach access at Furry Creek Beach, however because of this the area is a bit more quiet. There is very little beach on high tide so be aware!

Squamish-Whistler

Mamquam Beach 🚶‍♂️-in Squamish is currently under a series of construction so it’s hard to tell how access is lately. Right now there’s a decent walk to the beach from easy parking downtown Squamish but the beach has the best view of the Chief especially during sunset.

Spit Road 🚶‍♂️- in Squamish has lots of options to park and launch a boat, however be warned that the river can move quickly and you’ll likely be hiking your way back up the road when you’re done. Have knowledge of river paddling, the waterflow, and tides before putting into the Squamish River (especially if you’re going to drop in further upstream).

Alice Lake 💪🚽 🗑️ – Alice Lake Provincial park has 4 lakes. The easiest accessible lake for paddling is Alice Lake itself but it’s not dog friendly (even the trails around the lake prohibit dogs). Stump Lake is the easiest accessible lake for paddling with dogs and is quite quiet for boats and swimming even on a busy day.

Cat Lake 🚶‍♂️🚽🗑️ – Cat Lake a small lake with loads of docks. It’s great to practice paddling as it’s so small with so many access points and lots of parking. Even so, on weekends the campground fills out and it can get extremely busy. An AWD is advised as the road can get rough and in winter it can be impassible. Boat access is a short walk down a wide trail to the main dock. There are pit toilets at parking and lots of garbage bins.

Brohm Lake 💪🚽- Brohm lake has very limited parking, especially in the summer weekends. There can be a lineup of cars waiting to get in further up the highway. It’s a long narrow lake and water access isn’t the easiest. If you take the trail going south from the parking lot, you get to the lake quicker but you’re launching from rocks. There’s also water access if you walk up north but you’ll be hiking up and down big rocks. The area is beautiful and there are pit toilets up the North trail from the parking lot but no garbage bins currently (please take your garbage out!).

Levette Lake 🚶‍♂️🚽🗑️- A beautiful lake up a FSR (Forest Service Road). You will need AWD on your car in order to get up the road and there’s limited parking. The water access is a short walk from the parking, which has garbage bins and pit toilets. There is very little “beach” to launch from and the area can get very busy on weekends. This may not be accessible in the winter and there are cougars and bears in the area.

Hut Lake 💪🛑- 4.5km hike down a wider easy trail from Levette Lake. You can drive further up the road shortening this hike if you have a 4wd and if you have a monster truck you can drive the entire way to the lake HOWEVER I have seen several trucks attempt this and be stuck and it is not an easy location for someone to come pull you out! A much quieter lake because of the hiking access but with no toilets, bins, and extra cougars and bears.

Starvation Lake 💪- Either 2.6km from the highway or 3.5km from Paradise Valley Road (AWD advisable). An easy walk down a trail to the lake provides a lovely paddle on a nice summer day. There is limited parking on the Highway and you’ll have to walk along the highway for a small stretch before the trail starts down. Paradise Valley can get busy with campers and cars as well.

Lucille Lake 💪- Halfway to Whistler sits Lucille Lake. Again, busy on weekend especially with locals, there is a limited parking on the FSR over Chance Creek Bridge. There are two launch points that involve a short walk in. The further beach has a nice sandy beach, great to lounge or launch from. There’s also a huge questionable bike ramp on one side of the lake. With no toilets or bins, keep your dogs really close and don’t wander too far into the woods.

Daisy Lake 💪🛑- A large lake on the way to Whistler but this one is NOT easily accessible. It’s also closed to organized recreational activity and BC Hydro has it damned so the water level changes radically.

Callaghan Lake 🚗🚽- Callaghan Lake needs AWD access up a longer road filled with waterbars off the Sea to Sky Hwy. Launch access couldn’t be easier as you can drive right up to the lake to drop off a boat. The lake is large and surrounded by mountains. There are campsites, pit toilet but no bins.

Madeley Lake 💪- Access by an easy walk off the FSR that leads to this lake. AWD accessible the last I checked (perhaps 4WD now) and less visited and paddled lake. Small beach access with wild camping, no toilets or bins.

Whistler-Pemberton

Alpha Lake 🚶‍♂️🚽🗑️- A smaller lake with a dog friendly area, Alpha lake has lots to see and like most of the other lakes can get busy on summer weekends. Being a smaller lake in an exclusive neighborhood, parking can be more difficult but there are so many lakes to choose from in this location.

Nita Lake 🚶‍♂️🗑️ 🛑- A smaller lake that doesn’t have the easiest parking access. I Haven’t paddled this lake but there is a trail around most of the lake with access to drop a boat in.

Alta Lake- 🚗🚽🗑️ With a dog-friendly beach, this is another beach I occasionally visit. The rainbow Park area has bathrooms, parking, and bins as well as a swimming area and dock. There are beautiful views of Whistler from the lake as well as lots of docks and big houses to check out.

Green Lake- 🚗🚽🗑️ My favorite lake to paddle in Whistler. Green lake has easy access from many different trail and neighborhood parking along the lake. There’s also high end restaurants, chalets, and a gold course right by. Watch the seaplanes take off right in front of you (and please get out of the way!) and paddle around the gigantic mineral rich green lake.

Whistler River– Golden Dreams Route- Paddle from Alta lake to Green Lake on this slow moving 5km route. You’ll see geese, maybe some bear, and lots of beautiful scenery. Aim for early summer as late summer the water can be low and you might need to portage a section. Check the water level before heading out as there’s a tricky section that might have you in the water. There are also tours you can take!

Lost Lake– 🚶‍♂️🚽 🗑️ A lovely little lake with an easy beach to spend a summer day. Dogs are not permitted on the beach however but they’re welcome at “Canine Cove” 400m to the north.

Pemberton and further

One Mile Lake 🚗🚽 🗑️ – A lovely small lake with easy parking and beach access. The dock is easy to launch from and although the beach doesn’t allow dogs, no one has complained as we launched a boat with dogs from the dock. This is a lovely place to paddle for sunset and has lots of trails to hike when you’re done paddling.

Lillooet Lake 🚶‍♂️🚽🗑️- The largest lake on this page by far! There are many access points along the In-shuck-ch FSR the easiest being Strawberry Point site with pit toilets, bins, and campgrounds. Access is down a dirt path to a rocky beach that stretches for a very very very long time. Because the lake is larger, pay attention to winds, however you can paddle here all day and still have loads to discover.

Lower Joffre Lake 🚶‍♂️🚽🗑️🛑🚫- One of the most beautiful turquoise lakes, this park is now NOT dog friendly and also needs a day-pass. There is no reception at the lake so the pass must be garnered before heading up to the lakes and it is almost always packed. The lower lake is a short walk in and there is a small area to launch from. Pitt toilets and bins are available but sometimes both can be full.

Duffey Lake- 🚗🛑 There is very little access to Duffey Lake but the area isn’t usually too busy. There are some places to pull over on the Duffey Lake Rd, or a viewpoint area on the East side with parking for several cars. The lake is huge and turquoise and surrounded by mountains. No bins or toilets, nor beach though!

Seton Lake- 🚗🚽🗑️ Another absolutely gorgeous lake with limited parking access in the summer. If you’re feeling adventurous with a good car, you can drive around the lake and find quieter places to launch from or just to take photos.

Birkenhead Lake 🚗🚽🗑️- Another provincial park with camping sites, toilets, and bins. The road is a bit rough but most cars can make it just fine, and I’m pretty sure there’s no reception. The area is beautiful with mountain backdrops and a beautiful lake. Perfect for swimming, there is a beach to launch from and it’s very easy to find a quiet spot to yourself on the lake

Support my blog! Check out my little shop

June 11, 2023
Ultimate List of Dog-Friendly Hikes in Squamish/Sea to Sky

warnings:

Most of Squamish is officially dogs-on-leash however you’ll find most people skirt these rules outside of the downtown areas. Squamish, including downtown has loads of wildlife you must be aware and prepared for. DO NOT let your dogs off leash if you cannot recall them from wildlife. You will find Black Bears, Coyotes, Eagles everywhere throughout Squamish including residential areas. There are also Cougar sightings almost constantly in one trail or another, and less common are wolves, Grizzly bears, bobcat, and elk. Check trail reports before you go to avoid cougar and bear sightings.

Here’s a list of beaches and lakes to take your dog paddling along the Sea to Sky from Vancouver to Pemberton and beyond!

Wonderland Trail is super green in the winter

Parking is very limited in the summer in certain places, especially weekends. Avoid busy areas with dogs as a curtesy of other trail users. Trails may close due to Grizzlies and Black bear issues so check before leaving. Roads can close due to flooding/washouts. Roads and parking are also different in the winter as many FSRs are snowed in and never ploughed. Chains are usually necessary in the winters. Check avalanche forecasts and have knowledge before you head out. Many areas have no reception so download or print maps, and have a point of contact if your car breaks down.

Alexander Falls Frozen in the Winter

Easy- 1 hourish

Ray Peters–
Very flat, official dog-off leash area, can be close to the highway so be aware, bears, coyotes, lots of options to make your own, also good for biking

Alexander Falls
Winter hike, entrance fee to Callaghan, microspikes advised

Whistler Trainwreck
Several entry points, watch for trains and broken bottles, metal on the ground

Wonderland
Close to highway, so be aware! Great for running on-leash or biking

Cat Lake
Extremely busy in summer, AWD, not ploughed in winter

Starvation Lake/ Cheakamus Canyon
AWD advised to park in the canyon, must leash up to start by highway

Crumpit Woods is close to town but beautiful views

Moderate- under 3 hours, uneven ground

Crumpit Woods
Easy to get lost, bears and cougars sometimes present, lots of trail options

Murrin Lake/Jurassic Ridge
Must leash around lake, no dogs around lake, busy in the summer, easy to get lost

Murrin Lake views overlooking the Howe Sound

4 Lakes Loop
Very busy in the summer, No dogs at Alice lake (walk on road do not follow the map), lots of offshoot bike trails to add-on, limited parking

Smoke Bluffs
Easy to get lost on the trails, Lots of viewpoints

Brohm Lake
Very busy in the summer, lots of trail options, awesome views from viewpoint, places to dip in the lake, leash near highway, very limited parking

Crooked Falls
Road can flood, AWD, Leash around waterfall, No reception

Tunnel Bluffs

Moderate/Hard- under 4 hours, uneven ground, steep sections, trailfinding

Watersprite
Very busy in the summer, Bears almost constant in the summer, cougar area, no reception, winter route is different, cars will need chains in the winter

Debeck’s Hill
Short but steep and easy to be lost, several options, views aren’t great

Chief
Very busy in the summer, may need daypass, leash around steep areas, 3 peaks for options

Sea to Sky Gondola/Sea to Summit Trail
Buy dog ticket at the bottom to go down by gondola, steep sections, rope areas, microspikes on icy days needed

High Falls
Easy to get lost, Grizzly and black bears, AWD, no reception, leash near falls

Tunnel Bluffs
Very busy in summer, log crossings, Black Bears, paid parking, limited parking

Triconi is a real scramble

Experienced only

Brandywine
Black bears, busy in summer, closed during snowmobile season, awd to lower parking, 4wd to higher parking, No reception, no trail past meadows

Triconi Peak
Scrambling and boulder fields, 4wd with clearance, wasps, black and grizzly bears,

Lake Lovely Water
Fast water crossing (need boat), wasps, bears, busy in the summer, no reception, no water, no dogs allowed in hut

Seed peak
AWD, routefinding, steep sections with rope, no reception

Brandywine is beautiful, but it’s true wilderness

Last warnings!

Be aware of human feces that might be laced with drugs on trails. This is a common problem especially around where people camp, on bike trails, and busy trails. If you notice excessive panting, dilated eyes, excessive drooling, disorientation, turn back immediately and seek help. Another common issue are dogs chasing (or being chased) by bears. In both cases you should be in control of your dogs as there is very little help out of reception. Wasps can sting out of seemingly nowhere (when you pass through a ground nest) and dogs may bolt or be allergic so it’s good to have anti allergy drugs. Lastly, water loving dogs need to be leashed near fast moving water especially Lake Lovely Water, Crooked Falls, High Falls, and Sea to Sky Gondola hike. Dogs have died on these rivers that turn into waterfalls.

Crooked Falls, slippery and a deadly fall

Not Dog Friendly

These places dogs are absolutely not allowed!

Garibaldi Park (Garibaldi Lake, Wedgemount Lake, Elfin Lakes, Black Tusk), both sides of Whistler due to watershed/park rules (Blackcomb, Whistler peak, Rainbow Lake, Cheakamus Lake, Iceberg Lake, Mount Sproatt) as well as Joffre Lakes and Tenquille Lakes further north.

Check out more on a list of beaches and lakes to take your dog paddling! And here’s a post on how to each your dog to recall off leash as well as a recall challenge to try before heading out into bear country! Support my page by checking out my shop redbarkshop.com

February 8, 2023
How to hike the Stawamus Chief with Dogs

One of the best dog-friendly hikes in the area, the “Chief” overlooks the Howe Sound with incredible views of Squamish and peaks around. It’s one of my favorite sunset hikes and an iconic location for locals and tourists alike. There’s loads of blogs and descriptions of this hike so I’m going to keep this very dog-oriented.

As this is a hike up a mountain, it involves lots of elevation gain over a short distance. There are never-ending stairs, lots of big steps, and can be difficult to those not used to this sort of hike. Please go slow if you’re tired and take the breaks you need to. The only bathrooms are the ones at parking, so make sure you go before starting!

Check out this blogpost on more hikes along the Sea to Sky highway as well as beaches and lakes to paddle.

The Chief has 3 peaks (creatively called 1st, 2nd, and 3rd) and it’s possible to do one or all of them in one go. The first peak is the lowest at 630m , and 2nd at 680 and finally 3rd at 702m. For dogs, the 2nd peak is the hardest to climb as there’s the longest metal ladder with an awkward section between rock that can be hard to get through without holding your dog. Each peak is possible but I would suggest 1st peak if you’re looking for something quicker and 3rd peak if you want the most dog-friendly, least busy route (but also the longest).

Warnings for dogs

These trails are busy and well trafficked and like most busy trails here, people leave food and there are chipmunks and crows on the peaks. If your dogs might go after chipmunks and run off the cliffs PLEASE keep them far from edges and have a leash system that will not break or slip off your hands. Harnesses are usually more secure than a collar from an unexpected run. There are also climbers coming up from unexpected places so be aware in case your dog might get scared of people popping out of nowhere.

This hike is NOT puppy-friendly. The steepness paired with the hard rock is too long and strenuous for growing joints unless you will carry your older puppy down yourself (I put Bourbon in a 65L backpack).

The trail is so busy that it can be common for dogs to find human feces along the route. Just a warning, it happens frequently and sometimes people don’t go more than 1 foot off the trail. Be careful as I’m always scared it could be laced with THC.

When I hike in the dark, I always have lights on the dogs just in case anyone might get scared and they have lots of warning. Like any off-leash dog hike, clean up after your pup (garbage bins are at the bottom), and keep them off the trail for any leashed dogs, people that might be scared, and children. The bottom section has a fast running dangerous river so make sure water loving dogs are kept away from the current. There is no water source outside from this so I would advise bringing all the water your dogs may need.

Parking and trail start

starts off with so many stairs

The most common trail (the only one I would suggest for dogs) starts at the chief parking lot and goes through the campground. There are pit toilets and garbage here and keep your dog on leash until you reach the trailhead with the stairs. There are no more toilets or garbage bins beyond the trailhead. Once you start up the stairs, you will hike up up up.

The trail is mostly lots of big rock steps

The first split is for the Sea to Sky Gondola (also dog friendly, with a small chain section most dogs can go up without help). Dogs are allowed to ride the Sea to Sky gondola down (but not up) if you’re looking for something different. The second split is for 3rd peak, and the 3rd split is for 1st peak. If you continue straight without turning off you will end up on 2nd peak.

1st Peak 630m

First short ladder up 1st

There are two ladders to 1st peak, both somewhat short and dogs can avoid them. The first ladder is halfway between the peak and the split to 2nd. It’s pretty short and dogs can veer off to the left side and gain the same incline without a ladder. You can also lift them up the ladder easily, or, if they like agility, they can use the branches around the ladder to climb up (this is Whiskey’s preference, I don’t know a single other dog that would do this).

At some point you’ll see permanent chains attached to rock that you don’t really need to hike up, but they do lead to a narrow section with some bigger steps that a dog might need help getting around (Whiskey and Bourbon can work out a route around them without help). There are 3 options for dogs getting up this section.

The first way is to head up on the right hand side around or before the chains. Both human and dog can take this together to avoid the entire section I write about below.

the thin second ladder up 1st

This narrow section leads to a thin ladder on an angle. Before the ladder, dogs can make their way up the left side of the rock without help. The 3rd option is for dogs to climb the ladder (Whiskey loves climbing up and down this to show off to onlookers). Because the ladder is on an angle and placed on the rock, if a dog’s paws slip through, it just touches rock. I suggest climbing right underneath your dog so you can support them up if they need help. Bourbon can also climb up this way but less gracefully.

view of Garibaldi

Coming down, Bourbon prefers to take the route to the left, (the right when you are coming down) and Whiskey prefers the ladder. It’s harder for dogs to walk down a ladder than up and I always suggest being underneath your dog so you can help them if they want to do this.

Steep down, slippery when icy. Keep puppies on leash (like B)

The peak is beautiful and quick to gain. You have the best views of Garibaldi from here and great views of the city. The peak here can be very icy in some conditions so bring spikes if you suspect it might be so!

2nd Peak 680m

There are two ways up 2nd peak. The first is the direct route from the split of 1st peak. It’s the hardest section for dogs. There’s a way around the entire ladder section but it’s quite steep (you must turn off before the narrow part that leads to the ladder. This ladder is vertical and long so you’ll have to fireman carry your dog up the ladder. I never go up this route with the dogs, I normally go the other direction as getting down a ladder with 50lbs on your neck is easier and safer than going up.

The longest ladder on 2nd

The second way up 2nd peak is coming from 3rd peak. There’s a trail between the peaks that doesn’t involve ladders or extremely steep sections. I typically come up the 3rd peak, and down the second, if I’m doing second at all (I don’t tend to hike 2nd). Between the peaks is a huge drop-off so please be aware and keep your dogs on leash if you’re not 100% sure they will not run off after a chipmunk.

between 2nd and 3rd there’s a huge drop

3rd Peak 702m

the most dog friendly

3rd peak is the only one without ladders or ropes and I frequently have the entire peak to myself on weekdays. This is the one I hike the most with my girls, as its the longest option, the best views (in my opinion) and the least busy. It’s also the most rugged trail out of all 3 options and you may be looking for the trail markers on a number of occasions. I absolutely love this one on a less busy day and I’ve spent at least one birthday here eating cake with my friends.

If you’re confident hiking back down in the dark, it’s fantastic for sunsets and you’ll most likely be the only one up there. If you have the time and don’t mind a bit of trail-finding, this is the one I would recommend to do with your dogs if you’re only doing one peak!

Hikes along the Sea to Sky Highway

Beaches and Lakes from Vancouver to Pemberton

February 18, 2022