Elfin Lakes & Diamond Head Expedition

Expedition Highlights

☀️ Flawless Alpine Conditions

The weather throughout the 3-day trek was absolutely perfect—clear, sunny skies provided uninterrupted views of the surrounding Garibaldi backcountry peak system.

🏕️ Campcraft & Bear Safety Mastery

At the campsite, Sharon demonstrated proper backcountry safety by guiding me through correctly rigging and hanging our food bags on the shelter's bear cache structure.

🐟 Swiss Army Knife Tactics & Selfless Trail Spirit

Brian shared his expertise on opening a pink salmon tin using my Swiss Victorinox knife kit. Standing at 185 cm with broad shoulders, Brian proved to be as selfless as he is dependable—carrying the blue water container back and forth between the shelter sink and Elfin Lakes multiple times to ensure all fellow backpackers had fresh water.

Trail Logs & Visual Journal

Day 1 — July 19, 2026

Patrick, Sharon and Brian watching 2026 FIFA final at Totem Hall in Squamish

1. Pre-Hike World Cup Final at Totem Hall Before making our way up to the trail, we made a pitstop at Totem Hall in Squamish to watch the thrilling 2026 FIFA World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina.

Day 2 — July 20, 2026 (Part I)

Patrick and Brian's back view photo on the way to Diamond Head

2. Ascending Towards Diamond Head Sharon captured this great candid shot of Brian and me looking south toward the distant alpine campground nestled far below us in the valley.

Day 2 — July 20, 2026 (Part II)

3. Reaching The Gargoyles Peak I successfully pushed to the summit of The Gargoyles, while my teammates held ground just 30 meters below the final peak. From here, looking toward the base of the imposing Atwell Peak, you can spot the dark, unassuming mound of Diamond Head.

Day 2 — July 20, 2026 (Part III)

4. Solo Summit Assault on Diamond Head I pushed on alone to complete the final ridge line to Diamond Head. The wind was fierce, echoing through the solitude, but maintaining constant radio contact with Brian provided immense warmth and confidence while he and Sharon held position. I crossed a 300-meter snowfield with firm snow (zero postholing and safe avalanche angles), followed by a manageable 200-meter final ridge scramble to reach the summit.

Day 3 — July 21, 2026

5. Final Team Photo at Elfin Lakes Campground Our full group photo on the final morning before breaking camp, returning to the trailhead parking lot, and heading back home.

Official Backcountry Authorization

Pacific Northwest Outdoor Association (PNOA)

MT. ASSINIBOINE EXPEDITION PASS

Official Expedition Team Entry & Clearance Board

Pass Holder Sharon

Expedition Leader Patrick

Target Objective Mt. Assiniboine

Target Date August 2026

Qualification Trail Elfin Lakes / Diamond Head

Assessment Result PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS