Garibaldi Lake~Garibaldi Provincial Park, Whistler, BC

A little pollen sits at the shoreline

This is my all time favorite hike. It starts at the Rubble Creek parking lot after the second Garibaldi 2 km sign on the Sea to Sky Highway. Take a right and go all the way to the top. The first few km are a gradual climb and then you come to switchbacks and some more climbing. The trails are not too steep; nice and wide. It's just a walk in the forest with your peaceful thoughts or chatting with a friend or two. Soon you will come to a junction that goes to Taylor Meadows. Right now there's patches of snow as you head into the meadows and a blanket of snow all through the meadows. It's beautiful and doable in good runners or hiking boots but way prettier in the later summer months when the flowers are in bloom. Better tocontinue onto  the lake.  After a few minutes you will come to a view. Go down the trail and you will see a lookout but if you keep going down the trail you will come out onto a rocky outcrop. It's a panoramic view of the valley below. Later you can look up and see it from the parking lot. Keep going and soon you will come to Lesser Lake which Garibaldi drains into. It's a beautiful green. As you make your way around the lake carry on as you pass some mini waterfalls and cross several bridges. I like to bring a buff and soak it into the fresh cold water and rub it on my head and neck. A few km's later you will come to a steep trail, go right and head down to a bridge and cross it. Walk around Garibaldi Lake and up into the camping and picnic area for a panoramic view of the lake. There's an outhouse here and a perfect place for lunch. I like to soak my feet in the glacier feed waters. The water is nice enough on a hot day for a swim. If you brought some treats (cashews) the Whiskey Jacks will swoop down and eat from your hands. After you have relaxed, soaked your feet and taken lots of pictures head back the way you came taking a left after you head up the steep trail. It says Black Tusk parking lot. You have 9 km to get back to the parking lot. Happy & safe trails! By Lori Pederson

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