Stawamus Chief #3

I have wanted a return to the Chief summits for years now but they never seemed to be on the agenda. My first climb was back in 2004, 14 years ago so it was definitely time to revisit the area. It was not a hike that Geoff or my other partners wanted to join me on so it needed to be tackled on a day when they were not available. Well that day finally came and the summit was calling. I also wanted to do it as it would be a new unique activation for me in the summits-on-the-air program.

The morning began at 6:30 and saw me finish loading the car. As this hike didn’t require any forestry roads I was able to drive a car right to the parking lot at the start of the trail. Today I took Carolyn’s all electric Bolt with the goal of seeing how its range held out. So once the gear was stowed I started out for the nearest Starbucks to finish the prep for the hike.  Wouldn’t you know it but when I got into line for coffee it was quite long but once I got my coffee there was no line! So typical and annoying.

The drive went quickly and soon I was looking for a parking spot, the day use area was full and cars were roaming around looking for a gap, the rock climber’s area was also full. Fortunately there was a third lot a bit further along that still had lots of space and there I parked and got my gear loaded. I started my hike by walking back through the chain of parking lots and then the campers’ lot and the actual campsite. And then I saw it, the start of the 2000+ foot climb, a set of stairs made from placed rock. That was new since I was last here.

The rock stairs quickly turned into steep wooden stairs that continued upward for a long distance lost between the trees! The stairs were familiar though they looked well maintained and likely replaced since I was last here. The trail was full of people climbing and descending the stairs. It was a busy place obviously very popular with the improvements in the area. I started up the wooden stairs stopping frequently to regain my breath before trying to raise a weary leg to the next stair. It was very trying especially seeing all those 20 year olds sailing past seeming to miss the whole point of doing penance on a long staircase.

Eventually the wooden stairs end and one is done with the first really steep section. Next came some nicely groomed stone steps that wandered through the trees to some distance place. I continued following them like a dog chasing a rabbit, slowly gaining elevation as the trail made its way up through the valley on the back side of the rock face. Eventually I came to a fork where the route to the third summit splits off from the first two. Most of the crowd was on the left fork but I was headed to the third so the right fork was my choice. This route was much rougher and less travelled, it actually provided some periods of solitude between small groups of people passing by me. The trail was quite steep in places with uneven boulders and loose rock which made the trail a bit more challenging, more so on the return.

After what seemed a long journey I reached the upper fork where the trail connects with another that crosses between 2nd and 3rd peaks, here one can go either way. I continued upward to the higher third. The last bit of trail wasn’t overly long or steep and soon I was breaking through the trees and onto the top of the rock slab that forms the chief. The third summit is very broad and even has a small pond on its top. There are clumps of stunted pines scattered across the broad area and other hikers were able to find small nooks to stake out as their own. I continued to the very highest point and there I settled into an area next to some pines which offered a bit of shade yet still provided a good view of the city of Squamish below. I dropped my gear and wandered a bit gathering a few photos of the views. It was now just past 11:30, I had completed the ascent in 2.5 hours, not all that bad, even considering the pace set by some of those younger people.