Joffre Lakes

Last weekend, my friend Debbie flew in from Toronto for a trade show in Whistler. I met her there on Thursday evening for a great weekend spent "looking for a place to happen, making stops along the way", to quote the Tragically Hip in one of those fun moments where a song matches what you were doing, perfectly. Our major stop was a hike at Joffre Lakes, north of Pemberton, which is north of Whistler on Highway 99. It was a beautiful fall day, not a cloud in the sky.

Joffre Lakes are actually three lakes that are fed by the Matier Glacier. The Lower Lake is steps from the parking lot and immediately rewarding. The Middle Lake (pictured here) and the Upper Lake are found along a rooty trail that includes crossing a boulder field. It was, without a doubt, the toughest hike I've ever been on. I learned a valuable lesson that day - one camera body and one wide angle lens would have been enough. My pack was a little heavy for my liking, especially on the way down! Debbie was a very patient friend as I travelled at a snail's pace, more concerned with safety than speed...and cursing my packing skills along the way. To be honest, I was longing for high heels, a leather jacket and a glass of really good wine - when faced with a challenge like this, I guess some of my true colours were bound to emerge.

Well, speaking of true colours, all thoughts of civilisation disappeared as we approached the Middle Lake. Because of the rough terrain, I had to look down at the ground to see where to place my feet. As we ascended through the forest the teal glow of the Middle Lake suddenly shone between the trees up ahead. It was a spectacular sight that brought shouts of joy to everyone I heard approach the lake that day. It was worth the effort to be there.


I can't tell you how close it was to ending there, at the Middle Lake. If it weren't for the encouragement of another hiker who said the Upper Lake was even more impressive than the previous two, I think we would have turned back. Another 45 minutes of uphill trekking and there we were, at the base of the Matier Glacier. It was a very warm day as it is, but the reflection of the sun off the water and surrounding bowl of mountain peaks made it all the warmer. We had heard the occasional boom on the way up, which I wrote off to construction in my mind. The next time it happened, Debbie spotted a piece of the glacier that had broken away and was tumbling down the peak. Now, that was something I never thought I would see. It was all too quick to get the camera out, but it is clear in my mind's eye and I'll be better prepared the next time :)

I had wanted to put up a couple more shots here, but can't seem to attach any more pictures to this post. I'll see if I can check back later to add more.

Laura