The Alps of Chilliwack // Mt Lindeman and Upper Hanging Lake
- Greg Luesink
- Jul 20, 2024
- 3 min read
I'd hiked Mt Lindeman twice, I loved it so much I had to show the crew! Jas and my UFV pals: Jag, Jenna, Eli, and Carl. #Squad
In June of 2023, I graduated from the Kinesiology Program at UFV. I met a ton of amazing friends in that 5 years, and have enjoyed staying connected since moving on into the world. In particular, my classmates Jag, Jenna, Eli, and myself got along really well, so we have continued to hang out despite living in different cities in the Fraser Valley. They even came to Jas' and my wedding, which was really fun to share with them! We also all stayed connected with our favourite professor, Carl, sports psychologist extraordinaire.
For a reunion of sorts, we were keen to get out on a hike together, with Jas too of course. As I perused my mental library of destinations in the Chilliwack River Valley, a few options stood out. Mount MacFarlane is an absolute classic, but can see a lot of foot traffic. Mount McGuire is a landmark visible from town, but consists of a long FSR slog due to a washed out bridge. Mount Lindeman on the other hand, is less well-known yet still requires a 4x4 vehicle to reach the trailhead. My friend Ben graciously let me borrow his Hilux for the adventure, and we all piled into the truck to set off to Mt Lindeman!
We parked in front of a berm and piled out of the overstuffed car. There isn't really a "trail" to follow per se, the path is really just an overgrown FSR that turned into a creek bed. Hopping and skipping over the flowing water to dry footing, we arrived at a dead end that I didn't recognize. After a rather embarrassing amount of time poking around for the trail, I finally checked a different map on my phone and realized that the trail had split off uphill behind us!
From then on was a steep slog, and we took our time through the second lush growth forest. My friends Kevin and Ihor were on their way down after an earlier start and bumped into us under the towering trees. We chatted for a little while, and they warned us about an upcoming ground-wasp nest in a bushy section.
Sure enough, we spotted a shrub-filled stretch in front of us. Our group huddled together to plan our attack. Quick as we could, Carl then Jas then Eli then Jag followed by myself and Jenna all sprinted through the brush.
Just as I feared, I felt the searing sting of the wasps on my legs. Jenna, last in line, was yelping and hollering behind me. She stopped mid-path to swat at the wasps, so I called out to her to keep running!
On the other side, we re-grouped, nursing our wounds. Somehow, Jas was the only one who escaped unscathed. Jenna was not so lucky and had been stung 5+ times, while the rest of us had been tagged at least once.
As we walked off the stings, the trail opened up to the beautiful marsh that sits under an amphitheatre of tall walls and waterfalls. In fact, the trail climbs adjacent to the biggest waterfall, fed by melting snow in the rocky bowl above. I dunked my head in the rushing water, and the others followed suit, for a small bit of relief from the heat.
We arrived at the saddle overlooking Upper Hanging Lake, a stunning vista! Unfortunately, smoke had rolled in since the morning, obscuring some of the distant mountains like Baker. Jenna was feeling quite sore from the stings, so she and Jag headed down to the lake while Carl, Eli, Jas, and I headed up the last incline to the summit of Mt Lindeman.
After enjoying the summit for a time, we headed down to meet Jag and Jenna at Upper Hanging Lake for a dip in the frigid lake. And frigid it was! Each time we jumped in, it was a mad dash to swim back to shore and climb out.
Soon, it was time to return down the trail. We descended the waterfall trail, past the marshy meadow, through the second growth forest, and halted.
We have to go through the wasp section again...
I had spotted an alternative parallel path as we sprinted through the brush on the way up. So, I led the charge this time, bounding through the path, only getting tagged once. Meanwhile, Jas somehow avoided getting stung all day, but the others all got tagged at least one more time.
We made it back to the truck and headed home. What an adventure! It is especially fun to share a favourite spot in the mountains with friends. Apart from the potential ground wasps, Mt Lindeman should be high on your list!
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