Sept 3rd, 2020: Wedgemount Lake

Type of hike: Out and back

Time (approx): 7 hours 10 mins

Distance: 16.3km

Hello, and welcome to one of BC's most difficult trails!

The Hike

This hike was both challenging and boring at the same time. The trail did not offer much variety to keep me interested, but was difficult due to steep incline, large overgrown tree trunks jutting up from everywhere, and loose dirt. It was like Grouse Grind on steroids. Steps after steps after steps. The trail is marked but the path itself is not well maintained, but it is decently clear enough for the average hiker. I went with my brother, his girlfriend, and his best friend.

The whole hike was pretty much in the forest, with maybe a few minutes of open air here and there. The canopy of trees was thick at the beginning but it dispersed a little bit after a while and some sunshine got through. There was also a very small section where we had to walk across large rocks, but nothing intense.

There was a small part in the middle of the hike where the trail flattened out for a bit. It was a bit of a breather for us, but it did not last long. My brother had asked several people on the trail about the destination and they all talked about this scramble at the end that can take 30-45 minutes to get through. I was not 100% sure of what to expect, because everyone's definition of a scramble can be different (e.g. park rangers call the chimney at Black Tusk a scramble and Wedgemount is "not a scramble at all"). However, that gave me preparation for what was to come.

It was hard because a) loose rocks bigger than the human skull can come crashing down on bystanders from people climbing at the top since b) the incline was almost vertical, which made it hard to watch out for while trying to climb yourself, and c) the loose dirt made gripping the ground almost impossible, which is why d) some people just decided to slide. The path here is half clear and half impossible to decide which side is more dangerous. I think people made their own because otherwise human traffic would make it impossible to reach the top if there was only one lane for both going up and down.

The start of the scramble:

In the midst of the scramble:

The view at the end of the scramble:

It was a very hot and dry day as well, so climbing this scramble was not very enjoyable. Since I was so focused on trying to avoid falling rocks and climbing, I was not able to take in the view at the back as much as I wanted. My only goal at that moment was to make it to the top uninjured. We were all collectively wondering how in the world we were going to make it down though. I saw some people used hiking poles, but I am not sure if they would get in the way if you actually slip and fall.

If I am going to be 100% honest, the lake was not as spectacular as I expected it to be after that scramble. Sure, the glacier water was stunning and a rare sight but there are other hikes that are less painful with the similar views, like Lake Louise. The mountains surrounding the glacier (Mount Cook, Mount Weart, Rethel Mountain and Parkhurst Mountain) was beautiful though, with patches of ice and snow.

Some pictures of the lake itself (that is Wedgemount Glacier in the second picture):

Wildflower season was coming to an end but there were still some patches near the creek that still looked nice:

I made the trek to the glacier itself while the group stayed behind. This last part of the hike is full of loose rocks and people just make their own paths because the trail markers are either non-existent or too far apart to be useful. According to some hikers, you can actually go all the way to the ice itself and stand underneath it for a picture. I stopped halfway because I wanted to preserve ankle strength for the scramble back down.

The scramble back down was just as difficult, especially since it was later in the day and more and more people showed up. Social distancing it hard when the trail does not allow for it...

What I brought:

1. Bug spray. They practically attacked us so we kept reapplying every half hour.

2. Bear spray. Even though I did not go solo this time, having this was still necessary as a precaution.

3. Hydration pack. 2.5L of water was not enough for such a hot hike. Luckily, my brother brought extra water and I filled up the bottles at the creek nearby the lake. I saw other hikers do it as well, so I am pretty sure the water is safe for drinking.

4. High energy snacks.

5. Lip balm. I forgot mine but my brother's girlfriend brought hers and it came in very handy. It was super dry up there.

6. TP. Not outhouses on the trail but there is one at the parking lot and one at the lake itself (for campers), but the latter is simply disgusting and the smell itself is enough to deter most people from using it.

7. Wet wipes.

Overall thought:

I don't think I will be doing this hike again, even though I am tempted to go all the way to Wedge Mountain. The trail itself is not a problem, I just simply find it a bit boring. There is nothing to really see during the forest sections, and going back down all those steps while trying to avoid the jutting tree roots and loose soil was too hard on the knees. The lake itself was very pretty but not pretty enough for me to endure all of that again.

This weekend, I have done a lot of hikes back to back (Wedgemount Lake, Black Tusk, Panorama Ridge and Mount Price) with plenty of scrambles, and I have to say even though this scramble is the easiest one, it is my least favourite.