Nairn Falls is a wonderful, crashing and chaotic waterfall that surrounds you from the deluxe viewing platform that allows you to safely watch it from above.  The beautiful, green water rushes through the deep and angular channels of rock.  Though the BC Parks website describes Nairn Falls as 60 metres high, the description is misleading.  The falls crash through various narrow and wide areas, and though the cumulative drop is 60 metres, what you see is a series of 10 to 20 metre falls.

There are a nicely constructed railing, fence and viewing area and walkway that guides you to the best views.  With such abruptly steep rock all around, the area would be potentially dangerous.  Evidently there have been deaths here before.  A cross, reverently placed across the chasm from the viewing platform, indicates of some tragic event.

Nairn Falls Provincial Park is located just a short 20 minute drive north of Whistler.  From the large parking lot the well marked trail runs along the Green River for 1.2k to Nairn Falls.  The trail is very easy and is hike-able year-round.  Though considerable snow falls in the winter months here, the trail remains passable.

There is quite a large and beautiful campground at Nairn Falls as well.  Located right next to the parking lot there are 94 vehicle accessed campsites that disappear into the forest adjacent to the Green River.  The campground is open May 11 - September 30.  The other months the entry gate is locked to the park and a small, highway-side parking area is used to access the park.  The charge for camping is $18 per party, per night, during the months the campground is open.  Outside of that window there is obviously no charge and you won't be prohibited from camping during the off season.

From the parking lot, a hiking trail also goes along the Green River in the opposite direction to Nairn Falls.  This 2k trail takes you to One Mile Lake excellent for swimming.

Dogs are welcome at Nairn Falls Provincial Park, however bikes are not.  There is a hand operated water pump, picnic tables and pit toilets.  There is no charge for entry to the park or for parking.  The only fees in the park are for overnight camping.

Ancient Cedars often gets overlooked by hikers in Whistler.  Certainly there are other groves of massive cedars found in other Whistler area hikes.  If you hike the short 3k trail to Cheakamus Lake and you will marvel at the size, frequency and wonderful aroma of these massive and numerous giant cedars.  The Wedgemount Lake trail also has some majestic cedars along the hike.  You can even walk through an impressive grove of huge cedars on the Valley Trail at the end of the Whistler Golf Club.

None of them compare, however, to the Ancient Cedars hike.  They are extraordinarily huge and some are estimated to be a thousand years old.  The trailhead to Ancient Cedars is just a short drive north of Whistler.  Just past Green Lake on Highway 99, you turn left on Cougar Mountain Rd and drive 4.5k up a bumpy logging road.  As logging roads go it is not bad.  If you are driving a car you should be OK as long as you take it slow.

The Ancient Cedars trail is well marked and well worn and only gradually uphill for the 2.5k hike, trailhead to ancient forest.  At the Ancient Cedars forest there is a short circle trail that takes you throughout the giants then leads you back to the main trail for the return journey.  The whole 5k Ancient Cedars roundtrip should take you less than two hours.  Unlike most other Whistler hiking trails, Ancient Cedars is dog friendly.  Unfortunately snow makes the road undrivable much of the year, so you can only reliably get up there July to October.  Depending on the snowfall June and November are often possible as well.

Russet Lake is the wonderfully expansive hiking area located just a few spectacular kilometres from Whistler.  Among the various ways to reach Russet Lake, possibly the most impressive are the approaches from either the Musical Bumps Trail or the High Note Trail.  Both begin from Whistler Mountain.  Musical Bumps starts near the Roundhouse on Whistler and the High Note Trail begins at the top of Whistler near the Peak Chair.

Though Russet Lake is not terribly impressive in terms of size or colour, the valley around it is remarkably beautiful.  The colours change from moment to moment in and extraordinary way.  The distinctive colour of the Fissile and the stark grey of the mountains around contrast amazingly with the blue of the lake and green grass in the valley.  So many different factors fill the place with colour.

There are, in fact, several ways to get to hike Russet Lake.  The Singing Pass Trail from the base of Whistler Mountain near the Whistler Gondola.  The Musical Bumps Trail that begins near the top of the Whistler Gondola.  The High Note Trail that begins at the top of the Peak Chair on Whistler Mountain.  There is an increasingly popular route that begins from Blackcomb Mountain.  And finally, a very infrequently hiked route from Cheakamus Lake that runs along Singing Creek.  The descriptions that follow are of 1. Musical Bumps (direct route and beautiful), 2. High Note Trail (a bit longer but even more beautiful), and the Singing Pass Trail (not as nice as the previous two and constantly uphill, but no expensive gondola charge).

All three routes are have signs and well established trails.  None are very difficult with the exception of being long trails.  Though each can be done in a day, 30 kilometres of hiking in one day is quite a long way.  Russet Lake is a beautiful place to camp.  It has a wonderful hut available to use by anyone.  It is a basic wooden hut with no facilities, but surprisingly comfortable.  It holds up to 12 crowded or 8 comfortable.  There is also an outhouse and a beautiful stream that runs along the massive camping area.  There are no tent platforms but over a dozen tent clearings.

There is a considerable amount of exploring available in the valley around Russet Lake.  The fissile is a difficult but very feasible hike from Russet Lake.  Below Russet Lake is a very accessible glacier as well as a bonanza of glacier formed landscape features, inviting hours of interesting exploration.  Above Russet Lake there is a beautiful snow covered ridge that commands incredible views all around and if you have the energy makes for a spectacular tent site.

Russet Lake is one of the most extraordinary hikes in Garibaldi Park.  Though the distance required to hike is considerable, the route takes you through an extraordinary array of viewpoints and geological features.  The hike is often done as a long 30k dayhike, however, it is best done over multiple days to adequately appreciate and enjoy this breathtaking region of Garibaldi Park.

Whistler Hiking                                                                                                                 October 2012