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Wedgemount Glacier Dayhike

Whistler, British Columbia

Details

Distance

9 miles

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by liz f

A great day hike just a short drive from downtown Vancouver. This trail is steep - pretty much straight up and straight down! - but enjoyable and well worth it.  

This ~9 mile out and back hike starts just outside of Whistler, approximately 2 hours north of Vancouver. To get to the trailhead, you'll turn off 99N onto a gravel road, cross a small bridge, and stay to the right following signs for "the new Wedgemount Trail." Approx. 2 km later, there is well-marked parking area (hello, composting toilet and trail map!). The gravel road had some steep sections (18% grade), but my compact rental car handled it with no trouble.  

The trail is very well marked but be sure to follow signs for the new Wedgemount Trail at the beginning of the hike. You'll see a few yellow blazes at the beginning and then orange blazes for the remainder of the hike. I encountered other friendly hikers (some out for several days, some just for the day), but I didn't feel crowded at any point on the trail. 

Be prepared to climb almost immediately. You'll hear and see nearby running water the entire way, and there's plenty to marvel at if, like me, you take frequent, short breaks to catch your breath. You'll get a short break from the climb about halfway when you get to hop through a boulder/rock field for a few hundred meters. You'll know you're close to the top when it gets really steep! 

At the top, you'll see multiple tent sites and the out-of-this-world gorgeous turquoise Wedgemount Lake with the glacier just beyond. There's a gravel/stone path from the top of the hike down to the lake and around to the glacier, which is well worth the extra time and steps. Once you're done marveling at the top, you take the same trail back down. 

Links to other good pages about this hike:

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Features

Hiking
Easy Parking
Forest
Lake
Scenic
Wildflowers
Wildlife

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Nearby

Mountain Bike "Out There" on Wedge Mountain

Hiking to Wedgemount Lake

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Mt. Currie Trail

Camp at Whistler's Riverside Campground