Brandywine Mountain

From the car park, don’t hesitate – there’s only one path to follow. The walk begins with a gentle climb through lush greenery. Below, you’ll hear the Cheakamus River, though you won’t be able to see it. Several streams cascade down the mountain. After 1.5 km, if you’ve had enough, you can take the path on the right towards Helm Creek. After 200 metres, you’ll come to the footbridge spanning the river. Retrace your steps to rejoin the path towards Cheakamus Lake campsite. The path soon overlooks the river, offering a glimpse of the beauty that awaits you upon reaching Cheakamus Lake campsite, where the river widens to form a lake. The natural surroundings invite you to continue along the path to Singing Creek campsite. A small, inviting beach is the perfect spot to enjoy the lunch you’ll have remembered to pack. The view is magnificent. For the return journey, simply follow the path in the opposite direction.

Reach the summit via the Whistler Village gondola followed by the Peak Express chairlift. The start is to the left of the chairlift’s arrival point. The descent is quite steep along a wide path, then continues along a single track with steps of varying sizes. With a bit of luck, you’ll spot your first marmot. The rest of the route follows an easy path along the mountainside. Marmots and their young will appear before you, showing almost no fear. For much of the hike, you’ll be looking out over Garibaldi Lake. Some sections are equipped to make the route easier. Between Whistler Mountain and Piccolo Peak, you can turn off onto the Half High Note trail and head back to the gondola. If you decide to go round Piccolo Peak, you’ll discover an area that seems wild and abandoned, with a view of Blackcomb Resort. The return route takes you past Harmony Lake.

The lake isn’t actually that remote and can be reached via the Sea-to-Sky Trail from Whistler. There’s also a car park at the foot of the lake. The well-trodden path circles the lake, with 2–3 small beaches providing access. You can see the mountain ranges surrounding Whistler. The path is suitable for evening walks thanks to the streetlights. A lovely post-meal stroll.