Stats, trail tips and important information regarding this trail are located at the bottom of the blog post. Unless explicitly noted, all pictures in this blog are owned by me and should otherwise not be used without expressed written consent.
Some hikes I just happen to stumble across, such as is the case with Stawamus Chief. Reading up on it, I learned that this majestic mountain is the second largest boulder of granite in the world? So you know what the largest one is? It’s Biblical and I’ll provide the answer at the end of this blog post. 🤷
I had been eyeballing some awesome Italian hiking boots for a long time, Zamberlans. These shoes are $300 USD so the price scared me away… until I found them in Canada! The currency exchange rate was quite favorable to the USD so I bought these for about $230 USD! Check em out… (these look quite a bit different now – in 2025)…
This hike starts out with a bang, you get an immediate glimpse of one of the most majestic waterfalls in Canada… Shannon Falls…
I never get bored with seeing amazing waterfalls, and North America is absolutely blessed with many. The start of the hike is dirt/rock trails and switchbacks. Check out this cool tree that has draping roots down the underlying rock…
As you keep hiking, your living hell begins! Haha, I’m mostly joking. But these steps are extensive and brutal…
I was pretty well conditioned when I did this hike but woah, we had to make frequent stops. For comparison, we saw a local pass by us like it was a casual stroll with a baby on their back. 😂 So if you are accustomed to hiking lots and lots of tall steps, then you may consider it easy to manage.
As you get pretty close to the top, you’ll need to use this chain to help yourself up. As you can see, it’s not a steep drop (yet!) but you’ll always want to exercise caution in these cases…
When you get to the top, the views are something you will never forget…
The Howe Sound in the background is just amazing. Howe Sound takes you to the Strait of Georgia and eventually the Pacific. I found this heart-shaped boulder to be quite intriguing…
So here are the panoramics I took at the very top. Ho-lee-chit…
How can this not inspire you to want to hike more? Stupefyingly beautiful. And here’s me at the tippy top doing a victory pose. And some more pics to show you the distance and breadth of the view…
And I’ll finish off with about as close as I was willing to get to the edge….
Keep in mind this is a gentle slope leading to an unobstructed, sheer drop of about 2,300 feet. Down to the parking lot. Pretty nuts huh?
I talk about this hike quite a bit in my conversations with people. It’s a very memorable hike and the views are breathtaking. Go check it out!!!
Answer: The largest boulder of granite in the world is the Rock of Gibraltar in between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
Total Distance/Time: 3.8 miles in hrs min
Calories Burned: 800
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Trail Features: Stairs, mountain views, ocean views, waterfalls, distant views, rocky climbs, chains for climbing (towards the top)
Best Time to Hike: Summer
Difficulty Rating: 8.5/10
Trailhead Coordinates: 49.6787210, -123.1556389
Trail Tips:
- The Stairs Can Be Brutal! Those stairs, man! If you’re well-conditioned you’ll be fine but they are no joke!
- Dizzying Heights. When you get to the top, there are some serious, sheer drops. Be careful. If you’re afraid of heights, the top of Stawamus Chief should be plenty wide enough to assuage your fears as long as you stay in the middle.
- Chains: There are chains you’ll need to use towards the top. Of course, you’ll want to exercise caution. As you can see, it’s not really a sheer drop but it may be difficult to do with a puppers.