06.09.2020
Awoke at 5:45am to ensure I was fully awake and logged in to the Discover Camping reservation system to obtain the required Garibaldi Park (Diamonhead Trailhead) free Day Use Pass from BC Parks. At exactly 6:00am I added three passes to the shopping cart – one pass for each person in our group.
After driving the Sea to Sky Highway to Mamquam Road, I turned right onto Mamquam Road (at the Canadian Tire) and followed the signs. We drove through Quest University to where the paved road ends and the dirt road begins. This dirt road takes you to the Diamondhead Trailhead. We drove the dirt road for several kilometers and arrived at the parking lot around 9am. At the entry to the parking lot stood a BC Parks worker asking us the purpose of our visit and for our Day Use Pass confirmation number. Once given the info, we were allowed to park in the parking lot.
At the parking lot is an information area and an outhouse. The start of the trail is just past the yellow gate on what appears to be a wide gravel road. This road takes you on a gradual uphill for quite some time.
After hiking for about 5km, we arrive at Red Heather Meadows where there is an outhouse and a shelter. This is also the area with the most bear activity. As we continue past the shelter, the trail narrows for about a kilometer and then splits into a gravel trail. At this junction there is a sign – hikers to the left and bikers to the right.
Shortly after following the gravel trail we encounter our first bear. It was walking ahead of us on the trail. We made noise, it looked back at us and meandered its way off the trail into the distance. We continued hiking uphill and stopped several times to take in the gorgeous alpine scenery. It was sunny with clear blue skies above and below was white fluffy clouds covering the entire Squamish Valley – the inversion was beautiful. The panoramic views is what makes this hike spectacular.
Eventually the trail continues to level and as you approach you see Elfin Lakes in the distance. The trail starts to descend toward the lakes and you can see the shelter in the distance. The upper lake is larger and people are able to swim in this lake. However, the lower lake is reserved for drinking water only and the ranger station is just across the lower lake.
Further down the trail is the tent pad area, an outhouse and the overnight shelter. We took time to soak in the scenery, have lunch and explore the area before heading back. On our way back, just past Red Heather Meadows we came across our second bear. A female bear crossing the trail. It stopped for a moment but quickly crossed to the other side. We waited a few minutes and as we hiked by we could see her up the hill at the base of a tree looking up at her cubs.
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