June 25th, 2023: Goat Ridge

Type of hike: Out and back | Time (approx): 3 hours and 5 minutes

Distance: Around 10.9km | Elevation Gain: 4051 ft

What to expect:

1) Dusty the entire way!

2) Technical with 4 - 5 rope sections

3) Some scrambling towards the end, be careful of unstable boulders

Some important info:

1) No outhouses along the trail at all, but there's an outhouse at Lindeman Lake parking lot

2) Decently shaded but not as much towards the end

3) Two viewpoints (first one is the best in my opinion)

What to bring:

1) Poles! It will definitely help on the way down

2) Gloves for the rope sections to prevent rope burns

3) 2L - 3L of water

4) First aid kit in case of injuries

The Hike

Wow this hike is definitely one for the books! I never explored hikes past Maple Ridge before, and this was a great introduction to how stunning (and challenging) hikes in Chilliwack can be. Truth be told, I always thought hikes down south were not as great as the mountains/glaciers/lakes views up in Garibaldi or Pemberton. Incredibly biased, I know ... I never gave Chilliwack the proper attention it deserved, and now it has become my summer goal to tackle as many hikes in this area as I possibly could.

Before we went, I did lots of research into this trail, reading as many reviews as I could find online. Everywhere I looked, it said this trail was relentlessly steep, difficult, and potentially sketchy. However, some hikers reassured me by saying the trail was relatively easy to find, and not as sketchy as described. They also suggested to bring at least 2L of water, poles and gloves to prevent rope burns, which I did. It rained a few days ago so when we got there, we found the trail relatively dust free because the soil was still damp.

The trailhead is quite far if you are coming from Vancouver - it took us around 1 hour and 45 minutes driving at 6am in the morning when traffic is light. About 10km prior to getting to the trailhead on Chilliwack Lake Road, we lost signal. Needless to say, there was zero signal on the entire hike. If you happen to have AllTrails Pro, downloading an offline map would be helpful in a pinch. However, I found the trail pretty well marked and there were only a spot or two where I felt uncertain. The trailhead is actually off the side of the road, where there is ample parking, even on a Sunday morning (however, by the time we came down around 1pm, it was full). If you don't mind walking a couple extra steps, you can park at Lindeman Lake parking lot, where there is an outhouse as well.

From the get go, the incline was relentless, just as described. I could barely catch my breath! It's pretty boring in terms of scenery for the first hour and a bit because of the trees, but I was definitely not bored - the steep trail and technical parts kept me alert and focused.

Lots of protruding tree roots, loose rocks and dirt so you do need to mind your steps carefully. I found it pretty exhilarating though! Since we were so early, we pretty much had the whole trail to ourselves all the way to the top, which was super nice.

The first viewpoint was stunning. I never saw Chilliwack from that high up before, and never even knew it could look like this. Lindeman Lake was a gorgeous turquoise green from this height, and Chilliwack Lake was a beautiful cerulean blue. The surrounding mountains all had glacier tips, which made the whole thing breath-taking. Worth every bit of the effort!

The second viewpoint was very similar to the first, so we didn't stop for long. The small bit of scrambling happens at the very end, but it wasn't very difficult (especially after the trail itself). This part is quite exposed so be aware of that. Once you get to the top, unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains (Flora Peak, Mount Webb, Mount Wittenberg etc), Chilliwack Lake and Lindeman Lake opens up before your eyes. It was truly a sight to behold.

The way down requires much more attention, and this is where poles come in handy. It's hard on the knees and ankles, so do be careful picking your way down. It's hard to come to a complete stop once you get the momentum going, so you also have to be aware of hikers that might be coming up. The trail is by no means narrow, but definitely not super wide either.