Tag Archives: Shannon Falls

Upper Shannon Falls, 25 Mar 2016

Bob H. at Upper Shannon Falls:
“With a forecast all week for sun for Friday, expectations were high. A little concern about 5 mins from the parking lot, when it rained slightly, but the clouds parted and we were treated with lots of sun today.

Upper Shannon Falls is the 3rd highest waterfall in British Columbia and the hike to the top is well worth it. Today, our group of six parked in the Shannon Falls parking lot, but you can also park in the parking lot for the Sea to Sky Gondola, a short distance to the north. The initial part of the trail is shared with the trail for the Stawamus Chief hike. If you park in the Shannon Falls parking lot, you can see the bottom of the falls before your ascent. The trail is well maintained by BC Parks and there a few bridges to cross. Sections of the trail are steep, with some parts having nicely placed cobbles for steps. The trail was quite busy today and there were about 30 people at the top viewpoint.

The trail rises steeply and there are a couple of viewpoints before the top. There is also a section of the falls, where you can get very close. There is also a nice pool of water in the creek, where you could go in – in the summer, but I would imagine the water is very cold all year. At the top, you are rewarded with an amazing view of the end of Howe Sound, the Stawamus Chief and Squamish. The bluff at the top is a large area and accommodates several people.

Overall, the day turned out perfect and the group really enjoyed the hike.

Blog post here: http://www.buntzenlake.ca/upper-shannon-falls/

Full Flickr photo album of hike here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsktHWSzp

Group at the top

Upper Shannon Falls 09/05/09

Su-Laine at Upper Shannon Falls:
“Upper Shannon Falls is an underrated trail in two respects. Where else, at 12:30 PM on a gorgeous Saturday, can you have an entire summit to yourself with beautiful views over Howe Sound? Other than the 185 m of staircase that it shares with the Stawamus Chief trail, this hike is uncrowded enough that you can feel that you’re getting away from it all. The trail is also underrated, though, in terms of difficulty. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s listed in a book called “109 Walks” or by memories of family picnics in the lower Shannon Falls area – on average this trail is about as steep as The Lions.

Our planned Cheakamus Lake trip didn’t happen. We got about 3 km into the 8.5 km logging road off Hwy 99 and had to turn back because of snow on the road. Vehicles with high clearance might be able to get to the trailhead, but I’m not sure. A stroll in Whistler after dinner took its place as our second hike of the day.”

04_Group Shot