Trip Report: Backcountry Skiing Gin Peak, BC

Feb 9th, 2025

Gin Peak is a popular hiking and backcountry skiing destination in the Callaghan Valley, near Whistler, British Columbia. The peak offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, including Rainbow Mountain, Mount Callaghan, and the Tantalus Range.

In winter, Gin Peak is a well-known backcountry ski objective, offering good descents and reliable snow conditions.

• Elevation: ~1,880 m (6,168 ft)

• Distance: ~12-14 km round trip

• Elevation Gain: ~1,000 m

• Time Required: ~5-7 hours (round trip, depending on conditions)

We couldn’t have asked for a better day in the Callaghan—bluebird skies, crisp air, and solid avy conditions made for an amazing tour up Gin Peak. The ascent started from the usual route, weaving up through the trees. Fair warning: that section is STEEP. It was a real grind, and with the icy conditions, skins weren’t gripping as well as we would’ve liked. A few annoying moments, but we powered through.

Once we finally broke out of the treeline at Hanging Lake, it was all worth it. The alpine opened up into a winter wonderland—perfectly blanketed snow. With conditions looking good, we decided to do a couple of laps on the slope facing the lake. The snow was soft, and turns were smooth, making for some of the best skiing of the season. We noticed options to ski down both mellow and steeper runs, which makes Gin Peak a great spot!

Going up in the forest

Looking down: Hanging Lake

The route going up to Gin Peak

The lake was frozen enough so we were able to ski on it. Make sure you get enough speed on the way down so you don't have to skate the whole way back across!

Some possible runs down the Peak

The path to the summit had some exposed sections, but nothing technical.

The one downside is that there are a lot of snowmobile tracks, ie. be careful because I fell in a deep one on the way down lol

We, however, did not see any snowmobilers out there.

Overall, it was an awesome day out in the Callaghan! Gin Peak is a great spot with varied terrain, making it a fun objective for both experienced skiers and those newer to backcountry skiing. The steeper sections provide a good challenge, but the mellow laps near the lake make it accessible too. Would definitely recommend!