01/09/2025
29th September– 10th October 2024
In Banff, we met Lůca – who instantly became our ultimate Canadian partner in crime, through sunshine and snowstorms alike. Now she’s off chasing her next adventure in New Zealand, but first she’s making a short break in Mexico. Since her flight leaves from Vancouver, we came up with the perfect plan: a farewell Canadian road trip — and, surprisingly, our first ever road trip together. We’ve done plenty in Banff, but somehow never hit the road, so this felt like the right time to fix that.
Of course, we want to make a few stops along the way, but the main focus is Vancouver Island. We’ve got about 12 days total, with one day reserved for the drive there and another for the way back.
Lůca and I actually start our adventure a day earlier, because on September 28th we’re running a half-marathon — Melissa’s Road Race. Filip and Lůca showed up as our emotional support squad, basically dropping us off like kids at school and picking us up again once we survived the run. That same evening, Lůca had a shift and became our personal bartender after the race — which makes me wonder how our road trip departure the next morning is going to go, haha.
Day 1 (September 29, 2024)
We kicked off our road trip bright and early at 8 a.m., running mostly on excitement (and not much sleep). With more than 800 km to cover, it was clear this first day would be all about the long drive.
Our first real stop was Revelstoke – cafe with Lůca’s favorite coffee brand, perfect place to stop for a little break. Revelstoke doesn’t exactly offer too many choices, and on top of that, we had to make sure they had gluten-free and vegetarian options. In the end, we went for poke bowls—and honestly, after the previous day, they hit the spot perfectly.
From there, it was another 400 km until we reached Seton Lake around 6 p.m. The lake had just the right setup for tired travelers: picnic tables, good views, and space to stretch. Lůca had packed a big pot of dhal, which she cooked the previous day, so dinner was as simple as firing up the camp stove.
An hour later, we made a short stop at Duffey Lake, just in time for the sunset. The lake sits right by the road, so it was only a quick pause. We had also planned to stop at Lillooet Lake, but by then it was pitch dark. Eventually, we all agreed we had already seen enough beautiful lakes for the day and preferred to continue driving. Fortunately, our planned overnight spot was close by, right next to the trailhead leading to the Train Wreck hike.
Day 2 (September 30, 2024) — Panorama Ridge Madness
Good weather called — a sunny day ahead — while Day 3 threatened rain. We switched plans accordingly and decided to tackle the legendary Panorama Ridge today. By 7 a.m., Lůca was already brewing fresh coffee, and shortly after 8 a.m., we were hitting the trail.
This wasn’t just any hike — it’s about 33 km round-trip with 1,643 m of elevation gain. It’s not a stroll, especially at the start. The first kilometers are steep and unglamorous, winding through forest with zero views, which is not rewarding. But a few kilometers in, the trail opens up into meadows painted with autumn’s gold and amber, contrasting beautifully with glaciers and peaks, some of them covered with a snow. Views are simply breathtaking.
We hiked slowly, taking in the view—and frequently snapping photos. From afar, we even spotted a bear of the trip (at a safe distance, of course).
Around 1 p.m., the trail grews tougher. We huffed and puffed, but the payoff was worth it. By 2 p.m., we reached the ridge and beheld Garibaldi Lake in its full turquoise glory. Walking Panorama Ridge is by far our favorite experience in British Columbia so far — challenging, yes — but unforgettable.
Just as we reached the top, the weather is changing every single minute. It’s pretty windy at the top, so we put on, all of our layers and start with photo madness. After few minutes typicall mountain weather showed up. Thunder rolled and snow began to fall. Only nature can do that.
On the descent, we met a bunch of hikers asking how much farther it was and whether they should turn back. A few looked like they were ready to call a helicopter but if they are that far away, we are trying to motivate them, because those views are literally worth every step.
We made a quick stop down at the lake, but honestly, lakes always look best from the peaks. Near the end of the trail, we found an older guy sitting on a rock, looking uncomfortable. He had a leg cramp. We offered help, but he just needed a moment to rest. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any magnesium to relieve it. Still, we offered to walk with him slowly — but he politely declined. We walked down, and once at the parking lot, we decided to wait just to see he made it safely. And he did — crisis averted.
We camped that night in the same parking lot as the previous day, ready to tackle the Train Wreck hike tomorrow.
Interesting Panorama Ridge Fact & Permits
- Scenery: Panorama Ridge offers panoramic views of Garibaldi Lake, Black Tusk, and the surrounding alpine meadows — truly some of the most stunning terrain in Garibaldi Provincial Park.
- Trail stats: The full out-and-back hike clocks in at approximately 17–19 miles (10–13 hours) with around 1,600 m (5,280 ft) of elevation gain — a very long (and hard) day hike.
- Permit: To hike to Panorama Ridge (via Rubble Creek trailhead), you’re required to have a free day-use pass, which must be reserved online on BC Parks’ site two days before your hike, starting at 7 a.m. — and yes, they book out fast.
- Alternate routes: Many hikers choose to camp overnight at Garibaldi Lake or Taylor Meadows (with reservation-required campsites) in order to split the climb into two parts, but it’s still doable in one full day if you’re well-prepared.
Day 3 (October 1, 2024)
Today was more about driving with a few quick stops along the way. We kicked things off at Train Wreck, where in 1956 a freight train went too fast, hit a rock wall, and derailed. Some of the cars were impossible (or too expensive) to remove, so they’ve stayed there ever since – now covered in graffiti and turned into an outdoor art gallery. Getting there is half the fun, with a suspension bridge and a trail running alongside crystal-clear river water.
Next came a coffee break in Whistler at the stylish Rockit Coffee (because no road trip is complete without caffeine). From there, we drove on to Brandywine Falls – beautiful, but with the rain pouring down like crazy, we didn’t stick around too long. We skipped a few lakes we had planned, partly due to weather, partly because… let’s be honest, once you’ve seen Garibaldi Lake, regular lakes just don’t stand a chance.
To stretch our legs, we hiked up Shannon Falls Pools – 9.5 km with 526 m elevation gain. The trail runs under a gondola and through forest with occasional views, and although we had a tight schedule, it felt great to move again. At the pools we snapped a few photos, then hurried down because sunset was waiting for us at Murrin Loop Trail Lookout. And honestly? Perfect timing. Golden light, ocean views, a touch of running to make it before the sun dipped.
The day wrapped up with a late-night drive closer to Brunswick Mountain, so we’d be ready for the big climb tomorrow – and still catch the ferry to Vancouver Island after.
Day 4 (October 2, 2024)
We are getting up early—or at least made a good attempt, haha. The weather didn’t look promising, but we hoped it would clear. We spent a long time walking through the forest, so the fog didn’t bother us much at first. But as soon as we reached the section where we should have had ocean views, we started silently praying the fog would move. Occasionally, we caught glimpses of the scenery, but mostly it just hung stubbornly. When we hit the part that’s trickier for us with our fear of heights, I wished even harder for the fog to disappear… or at least not thicken.
At times, my nerves got the better of me, while other moments I couldn’t have cared less which path we took. Just when we thought we’d reached the summit, we realized it was a false summit. We tried snapping photos whenever the landscape opened up, but most of the time we could only see the trail akad and even that would vanish at the most inconvenient moments.
We scrambled across a section that neither. Lu was immediately on the other side, I was strugling a bit there and Lůca just didn‘t like it, and when we tried to navigate Lůca, the fog rolled in so thick we couldn’t see each other and because I know that feeling I tried to move as close as possible to guide her safely. Finally, we decided we’d had enough from this spot – cold, frustrated, and knowing the view wouldn’t improve, we turned back.
The return hike went surprisingly smoothly, and by around 6 PM we were back at the car, heading to Horseshoe Bay for the ferry to Vancouver Island. With about an hour before boarding, we wandered around, checking out local restaurant menus, but ended up just at the liquor store grabbing a few beers for the evening.
The next day we’d start our adventures at The Abyss, so after a late arrival we called it a night.