Cheakamus Lake - the Perfect Rainy Day Hike

It's tempting to stay home by the fire when the weather gets ugly, but if you have good gear, weather isn't a very good excuse to skip an adventure. Cheakamus Lake is a beautiful spot tucked in behind Whistler mountain and the Musical Bumps, at the bottom of the valley. It's the giant turquoise lake you can see from the Musical Bumps hiking trail looking south.

The old growth forest here is so huge that even in a heavy rain, you'll barely notice the weather. When it's one of those ultra-wet-not-letting-up West Coast days, I usually head over here for some exercise and a dose of mountain beauty.

You can bike or hike the trail, and the round trip is about 14km, over relatively flat terrain. The Park folks haven't been in to saw the big trees down on the trail, but most of the path is clear anyhow.

Cheakamus Lake is also one of the best early season hikes for any weather condition, and if you do happen to hit it on a rainy day, you'll be treated to a true West Coast experience - a huge majestic forest, usually with a bit of fog, a beautiful lake, and if the clouds open up, big snowy peaks in the background. No matter what the weather, it never disappoints. Plus, most people will have stayed home and you'll have the place to yourself :)