Slhanay Peak Trail

Slhanay Peak Trail in Squamish is the quieter, tougher cousin to the Stawamus Chief, with fewer crowds and just as much payoff. This 6.1 km out-and-back route climbs about 640 m to around 667 m, and the “difficult” rating is accurate, mostly because of the steep grades. Expect around 3 to 3.5 hours on trail if you’re moving steadily and stopping at the viewpoints.

The hike jumps straight into business: the first kilometre to kilometre and a half is aggressively steep, rocky, and rooty, but shaded and dry in current conditions. After that, the grade eases off and you move through lush, almost rainforest-like forest, with fun bouldery sections and short side trails leading to viewpoints over Squamish, Howe Sound, and a standout angle on the Chief at Tony’s Lookout, complete with a bench. Many locals feel these viewpoints beat the actual summit, which offers more distant, partially filtered views to the north.

Right now the Slhanay Peak Trail is generally dry, not muddy, and not buggy, but it is very easy to drift onto offshoots, especially around junctions marked with random flagging. Download your route before you go, keep a GPS map open, and expect to pause often to confirm you’re on track. The descent is steep, loose, and slow on tired legs, so poles are highly recommended, especially if your knees complain on downhills. This trail sees far fewer people than the Chief, and works best from late spring through fall; in winter you’d want traction and extra caution on the rock and roots.