It felt like the first day of summer. Sure, it was the end of July, but until now it had been more like fall. Just when we started to give up on it, the sun magically appeared and people started to post photos of it on Facebook, captioning ‘What is this unknown object in the sky?’. It happened to be on the day that a colleague of mine was driving to Joffre lakes and I decided to join. I had seen photos of the three incredible lakes, each with their own charm, and I’d wanted to visit but didn’t know how to get there.
My colleague came to pick me up and her housemate joined in as well. I had never been in Pemberton even though it’s so close to Whistler. During the drive up the landscape slowly changed. The road was squished in between the mountains, but the valley slowly got more space. In Pemberton it was wide, with farms all over the place. When we arrived at the Joffre lakes parking lot it was already pretty busy. We weren’t the only ones catching these long awaited rays of sunshine in this gorgeous place.
In about 5 minutes you reach the first of Joffre lakes. We just had a quick look and kept walking. From here the path takes you up the mountain over some fairly steep sections. Effort is rewarded by the beautiful second lake. You could go for a refreshing swim, but the water is incredibly cold. A tree has fallen into the water and it’s a popular spot for photos. I walked over the log, slowly getting my feet wet. They were freezing. I couldn’t make it very far. Never mind the swim, I’ll just stare out over the water, looking at the reflections of the mountain.
From here, there is a little bit more to go. The track becomes a bit trickier since you have to climb over some rocks and there is some more mud involved. The total length to the third lake is only 10km though. Lake number three is huge and you can walk around part of it towards the campground. From the lakeshore you see an impressive glacier. There are plenty of beautiful spots to picknick and relax, so even if it’s busy you can still have your own private spot. The way back is super fast. I love the hike at Joffre lakes. It is rewarding straight from the start and seeing something beautiful in three stages makes you want to continue and see more. The clear, blue water can definitely compete with what I’ve seen in Alberta!
