Stawamus Chief Trail

It’s a challenging trail if you climb 3 peaks in a row,but it’s worth it. Took us 7 hours to make a loop with little rest and a short lunch. Please choose a clear and preferably sunny day because chains and metal ladders become slippery. Hicking boots are must and trekking poles are preferable. Enjoy these spectacular views and peaceful atmosphere. Meet chipmunks and steller’s jays. Please take all your garbage with you.

It’s a challenging hike but view from the top were worth the effort. There are 3 peaks and I climbed up the first peak. You will need good hiking shoes because there are lots of big, smooth rocks you need to climb onto. There are ladders and metal chains to help with the climb. It took me about 2 hours one way, but I think you could do it faster if you are an experienced hiker. There are many many beautiful mountain scenes during the climb and the top view is quite spectacular.

What a memory we Got There. Me and my gf did the third peak Chief hiking. The hiking is really hard one. Not real way for going, you just climb across big tree and humid rock. But the view on the top worth IT. After all this hard hike, the ankle of my gf twist .. unfortunatly broked.. The other hiker were sooo kind and helpfull. We call the 911 for helping us. So the helicopter came for bring down her . And i Got the chance to had helicopter ride for going down too ?. Was an unforgetable Day . Even with this bad injury. Be carefful on this montain. Big big love for the rescues peoples Who were volontary for this job. Those peoples are real Heroes !

Breathtaking view and the trail is very nice . But But very busy you have to take turn to go up or down . Lots of places to stop and rest . Lots and Lots of stairs. Trust me your legs will take a day or 2 to recover if you are new to hiking

The trail is not an easy one by any means. If you and your friends are planning to take this trail, please prepare yourself before making the journey. Our group WAS planning to take the nearby sea-to-summit gondola trail, but read the signs wrong and took this one instead. Lots of high stairs (talking like shin height) and steady elevation gain and eventually you'll need to climb some crevices and chains to continue upwards. Good footwear, light packing, and perhaps some gloves are recommended. Heavy cardio and leg day, and eventually will use your upper body as well. Stairmaster or a lot of leg preparation is a must before you tackle this. You will have to make the same journey down as well, keep that in mind. The views up there though are amazing. We went up on a clear day, and even though we only made it to the second peak, we had a clear view of everything around us. If planning either this trail or sea-to-summit, please make sure you watch videos ahead of time and study some of the signs clearly. It will make sure you stay on the correct paths.

I’ve done this hike a douzaine time and I still enjoy it. I’m amazed each time to see the turquoise water mixing with the darker water from the sea. I really like, not only the view from the top, but the journey to second peak itself is worth doing. At first you walk along a creek then between two cliffs and finally on bare rock for the last bite. I usually do this hike in summer, but at this time of the year, it had some snow and ice like a fifth of the trip. Despite that, I think most people can get to the second within 2h, 75-90 min if you’re in a better shape. The ice only slowed us down on our way back and probably in a couple weeks there will be none. So don’t let it stop you.

One of the Lower Mainland's most popular hiking destinations - while I think the popularity is a bit overblown, it does provide a nice mix of being relatively short, plenty challenging for those who want a workout, and scenic, although that's only the case once you've reached one of the peaks. Moreover, the views are fairly similar across the three peaks. The trail is divided into three "peaks" - the first is the most popular, as you reach it relatively quickly at the ~1.5km point. The trail is STEEP right off the bat, and honestly, the tall wooden staircase you have to get through initially is the hardest part of the whole hike. You're looking at about 600m of elevation just to get to the first peak, so by no means an easy undertaking, but you will get very nice views of the Howe Sound. The 2nd peak is roughly another 1km on, and this section involves chains nailed into rocks that help up the steeper sections. While there is a really narrow rock pass section that is difficult to navigate, there's nothing in the way of exposure. The view at the 2nd peak is set further back and is slightly higher than the 1st, giving you an enhanced version of the first view with more of the valley visible. The 3rd peak is the least popular but is definitely worth visiting, particularly for the great views it offers of Mount Garibaldi or Sky Pilot mountain. Furthermore, it's only roughly another 1km from the second peak, so why not? When returning to the trailhead, you can turn the trail into a loop by taking the back way after coming down from the third peak, which will eventually take you to the first peak/second peak junction. You're also welcome to take this route on the way up, as it does avoid the rock chain areas. That said, this route is much rougher than the primary route. Overall, a worthwhile trail to do, but don't expect anything too mind-blowing. If you can only go in the middle of the day during a weekend, I wouldn't recommend it due to crowds. If you are going here, show up early. My buddy and I showed up at 8am on a nice long weekend day and managed to get parking close to the trailhead and saw few people on the way up By the time we were leaving at 1pm, the trail was hectically busy and there was absolutely no parking to be found even in the overflow lots. According to my fitness tracker, for all 3 peaks, you're looking at about 6-7km and roughly 900m of cumulative elevation gain. With a lengthy break at the 2nd peak and stops at both 1 and 3, my buddy and I took about 4.5 hours to complete the hike, although we took only minimal water breaks the rest of the time. Best to allot 6 hours if doing all three peaks.

Definitely not an easy hike. Uphill all the way, cardio and leg days for sure. But definitely worth it on top. Trails are also well maintained and clear. Beautiful view of the mountains and surrounding areas!