Paddle Callaghan Lake

The South Coast Mountains are full of high elevation alpine lakes. There are a few of considerable size (Garibaldi Lake, Duffey Lake, Lake Lovely Water, etc) and Callaghan Lake is one of them. This huge silvery lake sits up in the beautiful Callaghan Valley, a destination for ski touring, snowshoeing, hiking, camping, fishing, and paddling.

Callaghan Lake is one of those places that is still somewhat off the radar for visitors, and it's easy to find a quiet moment here to enjoy the lake undisturbed. The glacier covered Mt. Callaghan towers above the lake, and the Black Tusk comes into perfect view from the far end of the lake. The scenery here is just incredible. The shoreline is gorgeous and rugged, lined with thickly forested steep hills and cliffs, and you'll find a small island that serves up the ultimate picnic spot.

The water warms up enough for swimming in summer, and you can camp (free) beside the lake. A 4WD drive vehicle is required to climb the rough road to the lake. Turn off at the Callaghan Valley exit, 10 minutes south of Whistler and drive up the paved road, turning left onto a dirt road just a few minutes past Alexander Falls (8kms from the HWY99). Staying left, follow this for road for another 8kms to the lake. The road is not plowed, and is usually passable July through October.

If you have the time, Alexander Falls is another bit of rarely visited magic to add to your list. The area is home to many black bears, and there's a very good chance you'll see one eating clover by the side of the road on your way up from HWY99.

(Thanks to my paddling sidekick Susan Osborne for the pics she took of me above!)