Overview
Located in Mt. Robson Provincial Park, BC The Berg Lake Trail is a world-renowned hiking trail that travels through breathtaking country full of waterfalls, glaciers, lake and mountains ranges as far as the eye can see. Highlights include: Kinney Lake, Emperor Falls, Berg Lake and Berg Glacier, amongst the many other special spots awaiting to be discovered along the trail.
Berg Lake Trail - Key info
Distance 42km round trip
Difficulty moderate split over 2 days to Berg Lake. Challenging in 1 day
Elevation gain 800m
Time at least 2 days and 3-4 if possible to explore day walks from Berg Lake Campsite
Group dynamics - Expectations & adapting
Hiking trips give you the unique opportunity to mingle with a diverse range of personalities and characters that you may not encounter in your everyday life. As a group of mates we had previously lived and worked together but hiking trips are a different ball game, exposed to the elements and wild. Challenges arose and we had to adapt accordingly.
Just like any other sport, hikers have their own style and how they like to go about things. My mate Tommy was the guy who owned superlight weight equipment and liked to blaze the trail, whereas I tended to have more gear and take my time. Managing these things can be tricky, but luckily enough we were all pretty laidback people and were able to find reasonable compromises.
Originally we had planned to spend 2 nights out at Berg Lake campsite, however Andy’s sleeping bag got soaked and we made the decision to walk out a day early. I was pretty bummed to say the least. The scenery out near the campsite and beyond was jaw-dropping but the right decision was made in terms of group morale and Andy’s comfort. Besides we certainly made the most of our time out there.
Cabin culture, the allure of Berg Glacier & play
What else is there to do in the great outdoors except explore, enjoy each others company, appreciate the small things and hide in log cabins when its cold and wet to play games and drink warm drinks? I’m sure there are many things but these are some of the things that make me excited to go hiking.
After a day of cold and wet weather, with some snow for good measure, we fully appreciated Canada’s cabin culture. As the day lazed away, the sun broke just before sunset. and we had to go check out the views from the lakes edge. From the lakes edge, the glacier was very alluring and the idea to get as close as possible to it came to our minds. The light was fading, the risks were unknown and there was no clear way around there, if Mufasa knew about this he would have definitely told us to stay away..
Ultimately we decided to ditch the shoes and with each inching step closer we started to believe that it was possible to reach the glacier and return before dark. The base of the glacier was a humbling place, looking up into the sky and seeing it extend for hundreds of metres beyond, hearing the rumble and shake of ice moving far above, knowing that if even a small chunk broke off it could be game over. Perhaps this dance with the devil is what draws the adventurer in. You accept that some things are out of your control, resistance dissolves and acceptance takes its place.
Shared Experiences
There are many benefits of hiking and nature based activities and enhancing social bonds is one I strongly believe in
The experiences I shared with Matt, Andy & Tom are ones that I’ll cherish forever and when I look back on my hiking days with these guys it’s easy to see it brought us much closer together. The awe-inspiring locations certainly helped, although it’s so much more than that. It’s teamwork, decision-making, sharing and caring, giving your mate some chocolate that you want to eat all for yourself, checking in with how they are doing and playing frisbee in and amongst fields at the base of giants and so much more.
Things to consider
- Currently the entire trail is closed due to 2021’s extreme heat and flood damage
- Reservations for campgrounds MUST be made in advance – reservations are available from October 1st the previous year
- Prior to hitting the trails all campers must check in at the Mount Robson visitor centre during peak summer months before 3:30pm
- Camp fees are $10/pp/night with an additional $6 per campsite per night
- All campgrounds are equipped with pit toilets, grey water wash basins & bear proof storage lockers (if you’re an Aussie like I am that might be a strange concept to you)
- Snowbird pass is closed in May & June to allow for Caribou calving
- Berg Lake is located at the base of the highest mountain in BC, Mount Robson, which stands at 3,954m. Bring appropriate gear for all weather conditions; yes it can snow in summer
