Rainbow Lake
Whistler
Trail Key: S~2~KF~V~ST~H~CC~PT
Length: 16 Km’s
Elevation: 850 meters
Pit Toilet: No
Dogs: NO
Directions:
Drive toward Whistler to Alta Road, turn left. Follow the road for a quite a bit. You'll see the trail head on your right where there's parking.
The trail starts going up right away winding its way along. A short switchback is next with the sounds of a rushing creek below. Soon the trail pops out onto the road and back in the forest. Twenty minutes into the trail is a branch to Rainbow Falls. It's a 5 minute walk to the falls. This short trip is worth it but a little tricky in the winter as the trail drops down and it's icy and slippery. However, they are pretty. Now you're going up for awhile with one switchback and then the trail snakes along. Soon you'll come to a one km sign board and road, go left. Then right up wide road where it's flat for awhile. You'll come to your first outhouse of three on left & a sign board, stay right at branch. Now you're going up wide road...hilly and flat at times. On a clear day views of Wedge and Whistler Mountain are there to greet you. Soon you'll see a sign and the trail starts to snake again. A little more up and you're into the forest on a wide trail.
Back in the woods...you can hear the rushing creek. It's flat and peaceful. Many creek crossing on two step logs come one after another. Some are skinny and tricky with snowshoes on. The trail now snakes and zig zags in new growth. High up in the trees is the first sign of how far you have left...4.5 Km's sign to go. Not long after, you arrive at the second pit toilet. Shortly after there is a beautiful wooden bridge to cross with a rushing stream far below. Another cascading waterfall lookout is not far after this.
It is here we called it quits, figuring we had about an hour to Rainbow Lake. With limited daylight hours left and a good two hours back down we decided it is best to try this one again earlier or wait until summer when the snow has cleared. It took us a good 4 hours to get that far with plenty picture, snack and water breaks.
Happy & safe snowshoeing.
Whistler
Trail Key: S~2~KF~V~ST~H~CC~PT
Length: 16 Km’s
Elevation: 850 meters
Pit Toilet: No
Dogs: NO
Directions:
Drive toward Whistler to Alta Road, turn left. Follow the road for a quite a bit. You'll see the trail head on your right where there's parking.
The trail starts going up right away winding its way along. A short switchback is next with the sounds of a rushing creek below. Soon the trail pops out onto the road and back in the forest. Twenty minutes into the trail is a branch to Rainbow Falls. It's a 5 minute walk to the falls. This short trip is worth it but a little tricky in the winter as the trail drops down and it's icy and slippery. However, they are pretty. Now you're going up for awhile with one switchback and then the trail snakes along. Soon you'll come to a one km sign board and road, go left. Then right up wide road where it's flat for awhile. You'll come to your first outhouse of three on left & a sign board, stay right at branch. Now you're going up wide road...hilly and flat at times. On a clear day views of Wedge and Whistler Mountain are there to greet you. Soon you'll see a sign and the trail starts to snake again. A little more up and you're into the forest on a wide trail.
Back in the woods...you can hear the rushing creek. It's flat and peaceful. Many creek crossing on two step logs come one after another. Some are skinny and tricky with snowshoes on. The trail now snakes and zig zags in new growth. High up in the trees is the first sign of how far you have left...4.5 Km's sign to go. Not long after, you arrive at the second pit toilet. Shortly after there is a beautiful wooden bridge to cross with a rushing stream far below. Another cascading waterfall lookout is not far after this.
It is here we called it quits, figuring we had about an hour to Rainbow Lake. With limited daylight hours left and a good two hours back down we decided it is best to try this one again earlier or wait until summer when the snow has cleared. It took us a good 4 hours to get that far with plenty picture, snack and water breaks.
Happy & safe snowshoeing.
