Randy Christie Follow
Interests: backpackingbushwhackingcanoeingexposed-trailshikingkayakinglakemeadowspeakscramblingwater-fallweekends
Badges:
■karma:237
■distance:244km
■elevation:15879m
■posts:15
Hanes Valley (from Lynn Headwaters To Grouse) One Way
Aug 4, 2018
Unlike most of the hikes in southwestern BC where you get amazing vistas from the top of a mountain, the Hanes Valley is a truly spectacular trek through the backside of Fromm and Grouse Mountains. The views are of verdant valleys, interesting water crossings and dramatic boulder fields. You find yourself looking up at the rugged peaks, whose beauty only adds to your misgivings about how you're expected to ascend them.
The trail start out easily enough through the well groomed trails of Lynn Valley where after 7.0km and a mild 400m in elevation you find yourself at a suspension bridge. This is typically as far as you would go in the off season.
The trail continues on for another 2.5 kilometres over a couple of creeks where the windfall trees have made natural bridges before spilling you out into the Hanes Valley. The panorama views are spectacular. There is a Helipad there, where the Search and Rescue crews have a cache, it makes a terrific place to stop for lunch, which we did.
From this point one however the trail gets decidedly more challenging. After a short romp through the forest canopy once more you are confronted with a boulder field up the side of the valley. This requires a somewhat technical scramble with no cover — in the heat of the day it is quite gruelling.
After doing over 400m elevation in a little over 1.5km you reach the forest again at what you hope is the top of the valley, but this is where the mountain starts playing tricks on you. At every corner you expect to finally find yourself at the top of the trail only to find that it it goes up again, requiring a further 300m of elevation to finally make it to the apex of the hike.
From there however it is only a 3.5km romp down to the Grouse Mountain Chalet and a refreshing beverage on their patio.
We had arranged transportation back to the vehicles parked in Lynn Creek so a trip down the gondola saved us the effort off descending the mountain.
Suspension Br ~ 1:45 ~ 7.0km ~ 400m
Lynn Lake Jnct ~ 2:05 ~ 7.9km ~ 420
Helipad ~ 3:30 ~ 10.5km ~ 530m
End Lunch Break ~ 4:00
Top Boulders ~ 5:24 ~ 12.0km ~ 950m
Crown Jnct ~ 5:32 ~ 12.1km ~ 1017m
Ridge Trail ~ 6:40 ~ 13.0km ~ 1260m
Gondola ~ 7:42 ~ 15.7km ~ 1285m Reads:937 Likes:4 GPS
Eaton Lake
Jul 29, 2018
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