Last week some friends and I hiked Joffrey Lakes in Pemberton, BC. I had done this hike before during the summer season, but there was something very special about doing it in winter! Of course the lakes themselves were frozen over and covered in a sheet of snow, but still getting to experience a hike in the mountains was enjoyable all the more.
Location: Joffrey Lakes is located just a 30 minute drive out of Pemberton, and has a decent sized parking lot. Due to it being the off-season, we were 1 of 2 cars in the whole lot! The road leading up to the parking lot was plowed, yet snow-tires are recommended as there are some steep climbs and winding roads.
Duration: The hike itself is 7.4km round trip with 485m of elevation gain, and is generally estimated to be around 4 hours round trip. Due to it being snowy, we took around 1.5 hours to hike up as the trail was empty and we had the proper gear, but around 2.5 hours on the way down, as the temperature had dropped slightly and there were some icier patches that we wanted to be careful on.
Type of terrain/difficulty: The terrain is relatively easy, as the elevation is slow and gradual, and the trail is not overly tedious (never needing to use hands and knees). The trail is very scenic as it meanders through the forest, passing by the first lake after the first 300m, and then the next two lakes at km 2.8 and 3.6.
Packing Essentials: The trail is quite far from civilization, and cell reception was spotty and sometimes null. For the summer season, the trail is so busy and park rangers are always present that having a satellite radio such as an In-Reach is likely not needed, however for the winter season this was a good precaution in case anything were to happen. We also had all our 10 essentials with us (see my other post for the full list), as well as wearing fully waterproof gear, cramp-on attachments or snowshoes, and balaclavas and sunglasses to protect our face from the snow. Pro-tip: Bring warm soup or chili in a thermos!! We had the most delicious meal at the final lake, definitely worth carrying the extra weight 😉
I would highly recommend this hike for the summer or winter season! Be sure to plan ahead to reserve a spot in the summer, as the reservations fill up incredibly fast!
