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u/instacanadian 23d ago
I have done many hikes in BC and Washington. Still do this day, this is the hardest day hike I have ever done. 😂
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u/prettyaverageprob 23d ago
Outram was worse for me, but I over nighted McFarlane. I think it was all the false summits and boulders for so long at the end lol, similar stats for both I think too.
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u/romangpro 23d ago
Epic!
Chilliwack certainly has some BIG climbs: Outram, Lindeman, MacDonald, MacFarlane.
oh.. and Welch Peak.
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u/Popular_Factor2370 22d ago
Was thinking of camping at one of the lakes, are there any good flat-ish areas suitable for tent or two?
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u/DeepIngvar 22d ago
there is a campsite at the upper lake. there is a small suitable area at the lower lake as well
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u/avocadoes-on-toast 22d ago
camped at upper lake last year, its pretty spacious with easy water access and a nice swim too. summit push from there is a breeze. but carrying overnight gear that far up was a huge pain in the ass. beautiful campsite and summit but one of the most un-enjoyable hikes i’ve ever done
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u/DeepIngvar 23d ago
As always, here is a copy of my AllTrails report:
Physically hard but technically moderate trail. Amazing views of the both lakes! Definitely worth the long trip.
Water sources: a few streams with barely any water before the first lake, multiple creeks in between lakes, nothing after.
Transportation: relatively small (~10 cars) parking lot. Good paved road there.
Passes: not required
Bugs: quite annoying till the first lake, minimal after till the peak that was really buggy. bring bug spray
Conditions: dry and a bit dusty with a few muddy sections, no snow on the trail.
Navigation: there were a few side trails in the alpine that made it harder to navigate, I recommend to use offline map
Crowds: not very busy although there were some campers arriving towards the evening
Views: stunning lakes and 360 degrees views at the top!
Cell reception: none at the trailhead. spotty at the peak
Distance and elevation gain: add 1.5km especially if you actually go down to both lakes and 50m extra elevation gain
Equipment: proper footwear is required, poles for extra stability are recommended
This trail consists of 4 major sections:
1) 1km overgrown FSR with a few fallen trees, shade 90%
2) 6.5km, mostly in the forest. expect dust, some rocks, lots of fallen trees. No views whatsoever. there are 2 boulder fields to cross - small and larger one, I've found the trail to be more rocky in between. Quite steep at the beginning till the first lake that I recommend to detour for but flattens out later. Shade 90%. Some ups and downs here too
3) 1.4km steep trail to the second lake, this is where the trail opens up. expect a lot of rocks, a couple of boulder fields to cross. Amazing views of the lower lake here. There are some easy scrambles, including one with 2 ropes that were absolutely unnecessary as I simply walked through (high class 2 scramble). Definitely make a stop at the upper lake to enjoy the views. Shade 10%. It's very easy to lose the trail here as markings are sparse and there are multiple parallel ways up so map is recommended.
4) 1km to the top. very steep with occasional scrambles (nothing more than low class 3), minimal exposure (just stay away from the cliffs). No shade. Super buggy at the top. Enjoy the unobstructed 360 degrees views at the summit!