| Date: July 31, 2005 Place: Whistler Trail name: Singing Pass and Musical Bumps Location: Head north on Highway 99 to Whistler Village.
Turn right at Village Gate Boulevard. Shuttle Trip: Trailhead to Singing Pass (11.5km - about 3.50 hours) Elevation gain: 1,400m (4,620ft) - moderate trail |
 |
| Information board. Read it before you hike. If you intend to use the Whistler Mountain Gondola to descend from the Musical Bumps alpine route, check with Whistler Mountain for hours of operation. |
 |
| The trail starts at Whistler Village and parallels to Fitzsimmons Creek. There is a sign post at Singing Pass telling you the directions to Musical Bumps and Russet Lake (3 km from Singing pass). |
 |
| Gravel road - the (new) trail head leading to Singing Pass. |
 |
| After walking about an hour along the gravel road, we reach the (old) trail head. There is a toilet pit there. In the past cars can drive up the gravel road up to here. They don't allow it anymore. |
 |
| Looking east, across Fitzsimmons Creek, you can see the stern, grey peaks of Spearhead Range. The range consists of Blackcomb Peak, Decker Mountain, Mt. Trorey, Mt. Pattison, and Tremor Mountain. |
 |
| There are washouts, creeks, and scree along the trail. It is advisable to hike this trail in late July. |
 |
| There are four major creeks along the trail: Harmony, Flute, Oboe, and Melody. I believe this one is Flute Creek. |
 |
| Self-portrait. |
 |
| Water rushing down the creek. |
 |
| A big, big arrow pointing you to the right direction. |
 |
| Green, green meadow along Singing Pass. |
 |
| Strolling along Singing Pass and saying hello to oncoming hikers. |
 |
| Wild flowers carpet the whole meadow. |
 |
| White flowers (Sitka Valerian), Purple flowers (Lupine), and Yellow flowers (Mountain Arnica). Let me know, if I have misidentified them. |
 |
| Another view of Singing Pass Meadow with Blackcomb Peak at the backdrop. |
 |
| Junction to Russet Lake (3km) and Whistler Mountain Gondola via Musical Bumps (9.5km). There are three summits along Musical Bumps Alpine Route: Oboe, Flute, Piccolo. |
 |
| Hey, information board. |
 |
| Red heather on the meadow. |
 |
| Heading to Oboe summit. |
 |
| Oboe summit |
 |
| Looking back to Blackcomb peak |
 |
| A closer look. |
 |
| A panoramic view of Blackcomb Mountain Skill Hill and its Peak and Decker Mountain |
 |
| Heading to Oboe Summit. |
 |
| A panoramic view of The Black Tusk at top on Oboe summit. |
 |
| A closer look of The Black Tusk. |
 |
| Heading to Flute Summit. |
 |
| Reaching Flute Summit. The poles set off the ski-boundary. |
 |
| Poles mark off the ski-boundary |
 |
| Another Panoramic view of the Black Tusk on top of Flute Summit |
 |
| Further left of The Black Tusk. It looks like these are glaciers around Mt. Garibaldi. |
 |
| Sign Post on top of the Flute Summit. 5km to Whistler Mountain Gondola (about 2 hrs hiking). |
 |
| What does the hanging sign say? |
 |
| Flute Summit - 2012 meters high |
 |
| One more look on The Black Tusk. |
 |
| Some backpackers hurrying down from Flute Summit towards the foot of Piccolo Summit. |
 |
| We are too. |
 |
| Cheakamus River |
 |
| Trail leading up along the east slope of Piccolo Summit. |
 |
| And then down to a small idyllic pond - Burnt Stew Lake |
 |
| Hikers enjoy the view of Burnt Stew Lake |
 |
| Turquoise green water |
 |
| A view of the back side of Piccolo Summit |
 |
| A lot of Blue Lupine and Red Paintbrush along the trail |
 |
| Another view |
 |
| Heading to Gondola and you can see the Green Lake in the background |
 |
| Whistler Mountain Gondola is ahead. |
 |
| Sign post to Harmony Lake |
 |
| Right way! |
 |
| Harmony Lake |
 |
| A closer view of Harmony Lake |
 |
| Not ready for the pose yet |
 |
| Boardwalk along the lake. There is still a 15 to 20 minutes uphill hike to the Gondola. |
 |
| Hey. We are there. |
 |
| We are very happy to be able to get a free ride down to Whistler Village. We don't know how long it will take to hiking down the mountain. |
 |
| Whistler Mountain Gondola station |
 |
| A 15 minutes ride down to Whistler Village |
 |
| The Green Lake in the background and the (small) Lost Lake at the lower right. |
 |
| Red Columbine. We seldom see it in other places. There are a lot of them here, |
 |
| The name "columbine" mean "dove", (pigeon) for the five arching spurs sitting around a dish. |
 |
| A fly on Alpine Aster |
 |
| Sitka Valerian |
 |
| Mountain Arnica |
 |
| Alpine Fireweed (Broadleaf Willow-Herb) |
 |
| A close up look |
 |
| Lupine |
 |
| Medium look |
 |
| A closer look |
 |
| Bracted Lousewort |
 |
| Cow-Parsnip or "Indian Celery" |
 |
| Cow-Parsnip Note: It can cause severe blistering and rashes when handled. |
 |
| White Phlox |
 |
| Purple Phlox |