Cirque Lake, BC — Tuesday, Jun. 11, 2024

Bottom Line:

This packraft + hike between Squamish and Whistler BC, in Callaghan Provincial Park (~2-1/2 hours north of Bellingham WA depending on metro Vancouver traffic), starts with 1-1/2 mile paddle across remote Callaghan Lake, and then a short but steep ascent up to magical Cirque Lake, set in a huge glacial cirque with an overhanging glacier. There was too much snow, and high creek conditions, so we only did the paddle leg of this adventure, scouting out the trailhead for a return later in the summer (which from a wildflower perspective will be optimal anyway!). See the previous hike to Joffrey Lakes for a successful attempt to get to one of the stunning alpine destinations in this area. CAUTION: This is bear country - carry bear spray. The ranger asks that people *not* stop for bears grazing on the road. 

Stats:

• Distance: ~ 3 miles navigating Callaghan Lake by packraft
• Duration: 1-1/2 hours
• Road/Parking: The road from Hwy 99 to (stunning) Alexander Falls in Callaghan is paved and in excellent condition. There are numerous signs about "bears in the area" and not stopping. A ranger clarified that they are maybe more concerned about people disturbing the bears than a negative interaction for people, which makes sense given all the bears that become habituated to people around Whistler. The road from the falls to the trailhead is rough and required a high-clearance vehicle, with frequent dips that may scrape the bottom of your vehicle. Callaghan Lake has a small primitive camping area with plenty of parking for a trail that gets little traffic (although the lake can get busy). Outhouse. There is spotty cell reception despite the remote feeling.
• Weather: Mix of sun and cloud, 60Fs, glassy water became a little choppy once I actually got on the water unfortunately - the lake is known to have wind in the afternoon, and this is something to keep in mind for the return to the parking area after the hike up to Cirque Lake. The mosquitos were pretty bad in the parking area, but fine on the lake. We were forced to put on bug juice for the 1st time this year!
• Packraft: Callaghan Lake is beautiful with a lot of diverse and interesting shoreline, from creeks to granite boulders, streams and rocky cliffs. The view of the surrounding mountains (near and far) from out in the lake is both surprising (the trailhead is in dense forest) and amazing - worth it just to get out on the lake and soak it all in! Generally, with a packraft I limit the risk by staying close to the shore, but a full circumnavigation of the lake would add significantly to the distance (see map). The lake is also good (and safe) for viewing wildlife. The lake was very quiet, with only one other paddler. CAUTION: The lake is cold and deep - wore a lifejacket. 
• Flora/Fauna: We spotted a grizzly bear hoovering grass and ferns near the trailhead and took a few pictures from a distance (with a zoom lens). What an incredible creature - his/her coat was amazing, and you could see the muscle and huge claws (see video). The ranger asked that folks understand what to do when encountering different types of bears - not the same for a grizzly as a black bear. We also saw grouse, and lots of lupine on the approach (although not a lot of flowers yet at Callaghan Lake).
• Trail: The trail from Callaghan Lake up to the Cirque Lake basin is steep and requires some bouldering and scrambling. Right now, there is still too much snow to safety ascend IMHO given the soft conditions. There is also a creek crossing where the water is running high. While disappointing, as the basin is the star of this hike, will return later this summer!
• Takeaway: While disappointed we did not make it to Cirque Lake, one can see the beautiful basin from the far end of the lake as a preview, and we were able to scout out the (hiking) trailhead at the far end of the lake (see video for small clearing). Come prepared to stow your boat in the trees, or alternately with a packraft, take it up to Cirque Lake for more rafting in this magical alpine destination with its milky turquoise lake and towering cliffs.

I have attached a video of the grizzly, and the packraft on Callaghan.

Note there are ~3 grizzlies in this Whistler area - Squamish to the south has a much higher concentration estimated at ~50. This was the first time I have encountered a grizzly outside of hiking in the Rockies of Alberta and Montana - in both those cases mid-hike out in open grasslands. They are coming to the North Cascades, so we will have to get used to this ;)

More Information on this Trip Report

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