Hiking/Trail Riders
The Whistler Adaptive Sports Program has two Trail Riders for rent. The Trail Riders will allow people of all abilities to explore Whistler's beautiful hiking trails as well as allow the entire family to enjoy a sport together.
Personal Trail Rider rentals are $20 per day. Contact us for availability and purchase your rental online.
For custom outings, group bookings and rentals please contact us.
Organized Hikes 2011 - Tuesdays
In a hiking program developed with children, youth and adults with developmental disabilities in mind, numerous interesting short hikes are provided. These hikes allow for enjoyable exercise and an educational outdoor experience.
Hikes are led by staff and volunteers with a thorough knowledge of the area. Information about the local flora and fauna is provided to connect the clients with the natural environment.
Preparation is important and all hikers are required to bring water, snacks or lunch, a hat, sunscreen and proper rain gear in wet weather.
Hikes are offered every Tuesday morning or afternoons mostly from 10-12 and 1 to 3pm from May to October. Some of the hikes do require more time as indicated below with the hike descriptions. With a heavy snowpack this year (2011), Alpine hikes will be delayed until late Summer and Fall. Alpine hikes require 4 hours to complete.
The specific hike for each date will be determined closer to the date to allow consideration of time of year, present conditions, and individual client preferences and needs. Here are the descriptions for some of the most popular hikes:
Cheakamus Lake
This hike requires 4 hours to complete. Some of the extra time is required for transportation to the trailhead located 7 km up Whistler Mountain on a rough logging road. This hike provides beautiful views and wildlife spotting opportunities. This is one of the few hikes where you can reach a beautiful mountain lake with no elevation gain. The trail meanders from new growth to old growth forest, alongside the beautiful Cheakamus river, ending with a great picnic opportunity at Cheakamus Lake. 2 hours of easy walking is required for this hike.
Function Bear Dens
This is a great hike that's not in any of the trail guides – a real local's experience. Located between the south end of Alta Lake Roadd and Function Junction is a beautiful forest hike with a very special feature – abandoned bear dens in old growth cedar trees. This hike has very little elevation gain and takes just a little over an hour to complete.
Alpine Hiking
There are numerous hikes located on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain. Hiking access is by The Whistler Gondola. Hikes vary in length from 45 minutes to 4 hours. Most alpine hikes do involve elevation gain and in some cases a moderate one. With a heavy snowpack these Alpine hikes will be reserved for late Summer and Fall.
Lost Lake Nature Walk
This hike conveniently starts from Day Lot 5 but still provides a diverse nature experience. This trail is a pedestrian only trail in the Lost Lake Trail system. It starts out crossing over Blackcomb Creek and follows the creek for much of the journey to Lost Lake. The hike is mostly through new growth which affords lots of bear activity and the possibility of a sighting. It's always interesting to spot their markings on so many of the trees. This is a fairly easy hike with some elevation gain and a few spots with tricky footing. This hike is a 2 hour loop.
Blueberry Trail
The trailhead for this hike is at the Bus stop at Barnfield Place on Crabapple Drive. The trail immediately departs the residential area to rise above Alta Lake. There is a short steep start to the hike but otherwise has a slow elevation gain and decline throughout. It's a particularly interesting hike in the Fall with an abundance of different mushrooms to identify. On warmer days a picnic on one of The Blueberry docks is definitely in order. This hike is a loop taking just over 1 hour.
Emerald Forest
The Emerald Forest Trails are located between Lorimer Rd and Alpine Meadows and between the Valley Trail and Westside Rd. Numerous walking and biking trails meander through the forest in this area. Access is made from the bottom of Lorimer Rd and the Valley Trail is used to create a loop. Many options exist and these easy hikes can be completed between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.
Low Rainbow Lake Trail Loop
The trailhead for this hike is located on Westside Rd at the Rainbow Lake trailhead. There is a gradual elevation gain to start the hike. The trail is through a well developed forest with lots of new growth but also some very old trees. A bridge located at the high point of the trail crosses 21 Mile Creek and provides a view of a small waterfall. This loop is completed in approximately 1 hr.
Suspension Bridge Cheakamus River
The trailhead for this hike is at The High Performance Athletes center at Cheakamus Crossing. This hike has a gradual elevation gain until arriving at the halfway part of the loop. The highlight is the suspension bridge spanning across the Cheakamus River. This hike takes almost 2 hours.
Ancient Cedars Loop
The trailhead for this hike is on Cougar Mountain up the main dirt road to the signed trailhead. There is a moderate elevation gain until the halfway point is reached. The trail leads through an impressive forest to a small stand of ancient cedars considered to be approximately 1000 years old. Bugs can be bad in the lower part of the hike and participants need to be willing to wear long sleeves and pants and to use bug spray. This hike requires an additional 45 minutes of transportation time and take an additional 2 hours to complete.