Most overnight camping missions I go on tend to be just me, Sara, and the dog. So it was a fun treat to go re-visit Joffre Lakes with a crew of friends. Joffre Lakes is always a beautiful hike to check out, and I have been numerous times, but I had heard they recently put a new variation on the trail that visited a nice waterfall, so I was very excited to get a chance to see it.
With friends in from Ontario and also up from Vancouver, we started hiking up on a beautiful Sunday morning. On our way up, we counted 45 campers hiking down that had stayed there overnight (there are not that many campsites available)! Luckily, our Sunday-Monday choice was a good one - we only encountered 2 other camping groups up alongside us.
Another unique part to this trip that had me excited compared to years' past was a new toy I had recently acquired, a 10-stop ND filter, which allows you to take long exposures during broad daylight. Once we reached the third lake and set up camp, I took off with the dog and explored the neighbouring glacial streams. Hoping for a clear starry night, I was bummed to see the clouds roll in, but it made for a great sunset.
If you live in or near the Sea-to-Sky corridor, Joffre Lakes is a must-do for the area, probably the most bang for your exercise buck in terms of a beautiful hike.