TRAIL REPORT: Garibaldi Lake, Whistler May 28, 2013

I went up to Garibaldi Lake on Sunday afternoon for a beautiful hike. There are a few ways to get here, but I went up the Rubble Creek side from hwy 99, south of Whistler.

There is snow from km5 to the campground at km9.5 and the lakes are all still frozen. The majority of people I saw on this trail were seriously unprepared for winter conditions. If you're heading up, take your hiking boots, and warm clothes! I carried my snowshoes for the whole 20km round trip but didn't use them, as there are so many stairs kicked into the trail and uneven snow.

This is a popular ski touring area - if you head up higher you get to Taylor Meadows and the Black Tusk - so the trail is hard packed. I did see one person coming back from a mountaineering trip with his crampons on for the hike down. The trail is a little slippery from foot traffic.

The bridges are melting out now - see below.

Here are a few pics - it was raining but still so beautiful.

... And one from last year around this time, when it was sunny -