Tricouni Peak

The best scramble and summit combo I’ve done since arriving in Canada. Absolutely fantastic day trip from Vancouver and highly recommend it. And with numerous locations to camp along with a number of other peaks to get up from the same point, this is definitely worth an overnight stay or two.

The trailhead is located about 45mins past Squamish – take the the Squamish River Valley FSR to just past the powerstation and trail for High-Creek Falls before turning onto Branch 200 up into the mountains. You’ll need a pretty capable 4×4 to make it to the car park at the trail head, but I’ve hear a rumours of some subarus being seen up there.

From the carpark, the very overgrown and incredibly muddy trail (wear gaiters!) follows the creek for about 2.5km.

Following the Tricouni peak trail along the creek to the first lake.

After about 1.5 hours following the trail along the creek and meadows you finally arrive at the first lake and get your first good views of Tricouni peak. This first lake has a island in the middle, which I need to come back and get to with an SSGoodTimes.

First lake en route to Tricouni Peak. Tricouni in the far distance. Trail leads off in right of pic.

A quick pause at the first lake to grab a snap of these idiots in front of Tricouni in the distance.

A short hike for another 10 minutes and you arrive at the second lake, which has more camping options.

Crystal clear turquoise water at the second lake on the way to Tricouni Peak.

From this second lake we jumped over the creek and circled around the left hand side of the lake, making our way towards the waterfall.

The second lake on the way to Tricouni peak. With trail around left hand side, once jumping over the creek.

Once around the lake you get a much better view of the waterfall.

A view of the waterfall that falls out of the third and final lake on the way to Tricouni peak.

Once at the waterfall, scramble up the right hand side towards the trees, where you’ll find a couple of little warn out trails through the bushes and up to the third lake. Watch out for loose rock.

Looking back down at the lakes we've already gone past.

Looking back down at the lakes we’ve passed on the way to Tricouni Peak.

Atop the waterfall that drops down into the second lake.

The water flowing off the mountain and through the lakes is the cleanest I’ve ever seen. We brought a good few litres home without any sterilizing and it was absolutely beautiful. A great spot to fill the water bottles before the ascent really begins!

Andres fills his water bottle with the cleanest water known to man. Almost at the third lake.

A little way past the top of the big waterfall and once you’ve taken on a lot of fresh water, you arrive at the shores of the final and third lake to gaze upon Tricouni and get familar with the route up.

The simply breaktaking third and final lake on the way to the summit of Tricouni Peak.

The simply breathtaking third and final lake on the way to the summit of Tricouni Peak.

The very pointy peak of Tricouni makes it easily recognizable. We circled around the left hand side of the lake before scrambling up the bolder feel along the edge of the greenery (basically keeping left). Definitely take a moment to pause and look back down at the third lake…

Looking back down at the third of the Tricouni Peak lakes… en route to the summit.

A short while after scrambling up the bolder field you’ll reach a ridge which is the opening to a large gully that leads north (left) slightly away from the peak. Not an obvious route, but it avoids the somewhat impassible cliff directly ahead.

The first large gully on the way to Tricouni Peak.

We followed this gully for until there was a clear break in the cliff to the right hand side that gave us an opportunity to turn right (west) and scramble up into the zone that sits between the cliff to our right and the upper snow-capped areas. Once up and into this zone, you can get a much clearer view of the next stretch of the scramble (in the below photo, Tricouni peak is tucked in at the back, almost hidden from sight).

Our view of the real Tricouni peak somewhat obscured by this fake summit in front.

From this point we headed over the rocks and snow to the right of the above picture, where we reach the crux and most technical section of the scramble.

Andres on the rocks just a head of the crux.

Andres blends into the rocks (right of pic) just a head of the crux section into the final zone.

The crux itself is fairly short and only moderately exposed, which makes for a fun little technical section.

Andres negotiating the crux on the way to Tricouni peak (actually snapped on the way down).

Andres appearing at the top of the crux.

Once, over this crux you follow a ridge only a short distance…

Andres on the ridge having made our way up the crux and approaching the final scramble to Tricouni.

At the end of the ridge, you have the final bolder and snow field.

Final snow covered bolder field below Tricouni Peak (again, snapped on the descent).

Tricouni now clearly in view. Take the snow or the bolder field on the left of the picture to the point at which the snow is closest to the summit ridge (right of picture). Another little crux here (somewhat loose so go careful), will take you up onto the final section of the ascent.

On the final ridge to the summit looking down at what we’ve come up.

Once on the ridge, the views are breathtaking – providing amazing 180degree views of the surrounding area. The summit, just a short scramble further up the ridge.