Elfin Lakes has been on my list of local hikes to bag for a while now. Last weekend, I finally made it happen! Twice in past years I've cancelled plans to hike the Elfin trail. In 2010, Brad and I looked up from Squamish below and changed our plans on account that the ridge above would be socked in with cloud and fog - after all, we knew what made this hike so grand were the supreme views of the Coast Mountains. In 2011, it was late in the season and Nadia and I were off to a late start, so we chose to hike somewhere else as we might have been stuck on the trail after sundown if we'd kept with our Elfin plan. This year, the weather was fine and the day long, so I had no reason to back out. It was my first hike into the sub-alpine this year and felt pretty nice to be above the timber forests and out in the open. The trail itself is actually an old road that used to service a backcountry ski lodge many moons ago. So although it's a long hike (22km return) it's relatively easy on the feet - smooth underfoot, no roots, no big rocks. The views were spectacular - the Garibaldi volcanic area, Mamquam Range, Tantalus Range, Gargoyles... these names almost speak for themselves, don't you think?
Here are a few snapshots I'd like to share. Comments are clockwise starting top-left.
- Junction above Red Heather Meadows - hikers right, bikers left.
- View of Garibaldi complex - Diamond Head is the high peak (which actually obsures Mount Garibaldi). The Gargoyles are the dark feature below Diamond Head.
- View of Elfin Lakes - plenty of snow still on the ground due to high snowpack winter and cold spring.
- Me at the lower lake following lunch in the nearby cabin.
