Sea to Sky Highway

Chasing Waterfalls on the Way to Whistler

After leaving Vancouver Island our Adventures on the Road continued on the mainland after our early morning nearly  empty ferry docked to unload us at a rural area between the sea and the metropolitan city of Vancouver. 

Our route along the highway towards Whistler took us on the outskirts of the city and we soon began to climb along the steep slopes of the mountains. The snow capped peaks rose sharply above forested valleys which cut through by rushing rivers. It was amazing that there could be a roadway to take us through the heart of this spectacular mountain range! We did a few roadside stops along the way to check out some waterfalls! Each one is so unique, some falling great distances, others fanned out wide across a cliff.

With all these high glacial peaks it is no wonder that the area north of Vancouver was home to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler. 

There are lots of shops and restaurants in the downtown area which were built up in preparation for the Olympics. Steve managed to get a last minute opening with a Barber. There seemed to be lots of barber shops but a shortage of barbers everywhere we had looked.  He had a wonderful opportunity to share his testimony and the gospel message with Erin, who gave him a great haircut!

We actually stayed about a half an hour beyond Whistler at a campground in the Nairn Falls Provincial Park. A trailhead from the campground led us along a popular hike above the river to a stunning waterfall. At the view point for the falls we climbed the rocky outcropping of the hillside to see the waterfall cascading behind rock walls, the mist from the torrential flow of water filling the air.

Another great hike in the area

of our campground was 

One Mile Lake. A raised boardwalk led around and over the water’s edge where cat tails, water lilies and ferns grew in abundance! The trail took us around the entire lake, providing views in all directions!

We took a day to drive back to Whistler for some hiking, shopping, and dining. While this is a ski resort town it is also a popular summer destination. Although it was the end of June, snow still cloaked the tops of the mountains. In the summer season bikers take their bikes via the ski lifts and gondolas to the tops of the peaks for adventurous rides down the slopes.

Speaking of mountain bike trails, we accidentally found ourselves on an incredible advanced mountain bike trail, complete with bridges, ramps and jumps. No, we weren’t on a ride! We were trying to find the hiking trail to the Whistler Train Wreck. What should have been an easy hike along well marked trails became a challenging hike up and down rock outcroppings and over ramps and narrow bridges, hoping no bikers would come upon us from behind and run us over while we tried to find the train wreck. So much for using GPS..sometimes it takes you to the wrong place!

We did eventually find the site where a train derailed in 1956. The railroad company took out the five boxcars that could be salvaged and hired a local logging company to drag the remaining cars off the rail bed and into the forest. There the rusting skeletons of the boxcars remain to this day, between the tracks and the river. This is a fairly well known site where films have been made. It is a hiking and biking destination, and a Mecca for graffiti artists who have painted every surface of the boxcars in vivid colors, which seem out of place in this verdant forest!

We were able to get day passes to Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, that only releases about 500 hiking permits per day. The day we could go was a rainy day but we headed out on the trail in all our rain gear. The rain diminished some of the crowds. There are a series of three glacial lakes on this moderate hike. Due to the gray skies the first lake was not its usual stunning blue color. This lower lake (pictured above) is only a short and fairly level walk from the parking lot.

We felt up to a bit more adventure so we headed down the trail to make a try for the second lake, but after about an hour of almost all uphill hiking and rock scrambling we chose to turn around while we had energy to get back to the trailhead! Trails here in Canada seem to be marked by time to travel, rather than distance and elevation gain, as most trails in the US. This adds to the challenge of selecting trails that will be at our ability level.

Turning around was a good decision, but a bit disappointing to not see the second lake, which is supposed be prettier than the first lake. But after hiking the part of the trail that we did we could see it was beyond our ability and endurance. I think it is underrated at moderate! We knew the way back would include steep downhill terrain over rocks and steps on wet ground.

Better to be safe and turn around than over do it! What we did was very beautiful, even without getting to a second lake. The clouds and misty rain added a great atmosphere to a spectacular forested mountain side!

The area from Whistler to Pemberton was filled with great waterfall hikes, streams, lakes and towns. We loved our week in this area of Canada which we hadn’t been to before, but which came with great recommendations that did not disappoint!

From here we head east toward Jasper National Park for a few days before traveling on to Lake Louise and Banff. This part of Canada is absolutely spectacular, and we are so blessed to be able to see this part of the Canadian Rockies again!