Climbing Evans Peak in Golden Ears Provincial Park

It was described to me as “a short but killer workout”. People who know my affinity for suffering know that a description like that would draw me in. When the word ‘scramble’ was added, I immediately pulled out my hiking to-do list. And when we were hit with the glorious combination of a long weekend and a sunny day, I knew the moment was right. The new trail? Evans Peak, in Golden Ears Provincial Park in Maple Ridge.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I had never actually been to Golden Ears park before. Golden Ears peak itself, somewhat notorious, had long been on my list, bumped from year to year as I ran out of summer weekends, but no other trail had yet to inspire me to schedule a trip out there. And after finally experiencing the park first hand, I can say that is a shame! Despite only being about an hour and a half drive from Vancouver, the park was surprisingly quiet for a hot and sunny long weekend, and the number of different treks and trailheads means the traffic was well spread out.

You can find this hidden gem by driving to Golden Ears Park and making for the West Canyon trail parking lot. Unfortunately, the Evan Peak trail isn’t posted on the park map, so you’ll want to make sure you know what you’re looking for before you start. Begin at the trailhead directly left of the signboard (West Canyon trail). Very quickly, you’ll want to take the turnoff for the Viewpoint trail (luckily, the sign for that one is pretty hard to miss!). You’ll continue on this trail for a little while, crossing a creek. As you go, watch for a turnoff on your right. There will be a bright flag and a small sign that marks the turnoff for Evan Peak. The route is flagged, with signs posted at at junctions, so route finding should not be an issue.

From the first junction, the trail begins to climb quite steeply. This is the hard part. For some extra suffering, try it the day after a heavy rain like we did. Keep your head down and power up this section, because I promise it gets better. This is actually about 60% of the entire elevation gain, so you can feel confident that the worst is over when you finally reach the blessedly flat ridge at the top of this first grind.

The ridge offers a short break with some small glimpses of Alouette Lake between the trees. Many people stop here for a rest and a snack. When you’re ready, continue on up the ridge. You’ll pass a lovely waterfall on your right, and also get a nice view of the rounded, rocky head of Evans Peak, which you’ll shortly be ascending.

This section of the trail ascends more gradually, and includes some flat sections and creek crossings. We even saw a couple small patches of snow lingering in the shade here. There is one more major junction waiting for you, but once again, it’s well-marked. Keep right, following the sign for Evans.

As you’re nearing the end of the trail, you’ll encounter a few sections of scrambling (ie: hiking that requires the use of your hands to pull yourself up). It’s easy climbing however, as there are lots of sturdy tree roots, rocks, and even ropes to pull yourself up. On the beautiful hot day we had chosen, there was a small backlog of people in these roped sections, as people went one at a time and moved slowly. It was nice to stop and rest in the shade however, and enjoy the dog-induced chaos as owners tried to ferry their furry and nervous friends up these steep slopes.

Soon after the scrambles, we broke free of the trees onto the summit ridge. The top of Evans peak is much longer than I thought, consisting of a long, narrow ridge that offers a variety of views the farther down you traverse. Definitely walk all the way down to the end to enjoy all the angles. On one side, you’ll see Alouette Lake and the surrounding peaks of the park. At the far edge of the ridge, you’ll find the iconic notched peak of Mount Robie Reid (one of my bucket list trips). On the other side of the summit, you’ll see a deep valley and the sharp massif of Golden Ears Group supporting Blanshard and Edge Peaks. That’s definitely worth a return trip to the park!

The summit was expansive, the sun warm, and my lunch very filling, so we settled in for a long and sleepy rest on the open rock, discussing the mechanics of hot dog eating contests and watching the boats drift on the surface of the lake below like dragon flies. A low boom signaled a late-season avalanche on a distant peak, and the bass from a boat party below occasionally made its way up the valley to our viewpoint.

After a very extended break, we retraced our steps down the mountain. With all the recent rain, I was very grateful for the fixed lines as I negotiated slick rock and piles of mud on the steeper sections. While the final descent was a little hard on the knees, as rapids descents always are, the intense morning had given way to a serene and lazy afternoon, perfect for an easy trek back to the parking lot. While it was a short trip, only 1.5 hours to the summit, and another 1-1.5 hours down, it was definitely a workout, and the quality of the trail was such that I’ll definitely be adding Evans Peak into my regular hiking rotation.

Trail Stats

As mentioned, this hike could be completed in about 3 hours (at a fast pace), but at a moderate pace, plus some time to relax on the summit, I’d allow 4 to 6 hours for this one. The total roundtrip distance we completed was about 8 km (5 miles), and the total elevation gain was about 900 m (2953 feet). That’s right. Like 900 m in 4 km. Get ready to sweat.

As a newbie to Golden Ears, I’m very excited to explore the park! Leave me some trail recommendations in the comments below!