Backpack to Lake Lovely Water

Tam McTavish

Backpack to Lake Lovely Water

04/21/21

The main photo shows people camping illegally. Not only are they within 50m of freshwater ( illegal absolutely everywhere in BC), but they are not in designated tent pads. There are not enough tent pads for the amount of people that show up. If you aren't able to book a site, be prepared to keep walking to the Red Army Campsite further up the valley. For more information I recommend a proper guidebook. 105 Hikes, Scrambles in SW BC have the best information and are written by genuine authors, not hapless influencers.

1.0

Shirley Lewis

Backpack to Lake Lovely Water

08/27/20

Alot of people are parking at 9.5 mile on reserve. I work as bylaw officer for Squamish Nation . We are going to have to start charging for parking ?! They are now parking overload. Contact me via email. Are we will start towing them away .

1.0

Nicole P

Backpack to Lake Lovely Water

07/29/19

Did this hike Saturday morning and came back Sunday morning. We booked with Jay who picked us up via jet boat at Watershed Grill and boated us about 20 minutes upstream to the trail head. Jay was epic and had cold beers for us when he came back to get us the next day! The jet boat ride was the most fun of part. It took us almost 5 hours up and 3.5 hours down. This hike is NOT for the faint of heart or for the inexperienced hiker! There is a reason that people helicopter in and out of this location!!! Going up is gruesome; especially with heavy overnight packs on. You are literally climbing up "ladders" of tree roots and rocks -- think the Grouse Grind but super back country harder. Some sections you are bush walking and walking through thorn bushes that make you itchy if you grab them. Watch out for wasp nests inside some of the tree roots too! One of our girls got stung 4-5 times on the way down. Once you get to the top it really is beautiful! The lake is so refreshing for a swim and the views are seriously epic. The mosquitoes and black flies are on a mission to eat you alive so definitely bring bug spray! The tent pads are nicely spaced out and I briefly went into the hut and it looked well-equipped. You are not allowed to use the hut or the canoes on the lake unless you pay the fee to stay in the hut which is about $35 a night if you are a non-member. It makes it feel kind of disheartening when you get up there and people who have helicoptered in are partying and you are completely dehydrated and exhausted. It was really busy when we went up -- the hut was fully booked (16-20 ppl) and every tent pad was taken up and some people who arrived late via hiking had to camp wherever they could find a space. Tent pads are first-come, firt-serve and you can't book them ahead of time. Saw a tent next to the outhouse and also on the cooking platform where the bear cache is. Hiking down was a lot scarier than up and it really wrecks your knees! I am relatively fit and have done some pretty decent treks in my day but I can say that I would never do this hike again. There was a medical incident on our way that we had to help with and that was a bit traumatizing. On the way down someone who had partied a little too much the night before looked really rough and not prepared for the journey down. Use your common sense when you attempt something like this! Stay hydrated, have a big meal and be ready to sweat your ass off and destroy your lower body. This one is physically and mentally challenging! The views on the way up and down and the lake are 5-star... the hike itself I would give 3-stars :)

5.0