Hiking Mount Killam and Pender Hill
Two different videos of two different hikes on the Sunshine Coast, BC
Mount Killam hike on BC’s Sunshine Coast
On the day of the hike, my trip begins with a ferry ride to Gambier Island. Once I'm off the boat, the actual hike starts on Gambier Road, with the first real trail section branching off West Bay Road. It took about 25 minutes to get to that point, and from there, the real adventure began.
At the first fork in the road, I took a right and followed the Maple Leaf Trail. This section was straightforward, with a well-marked path that eventually transitioned to the Green Maple Leaf Trail. It was here, after about an hour of hiking, that my group paused for a snack, which was a welcome break before tackling the more challenging uphill portions ahead.
One thing to note about Mount Killam is that it can be a pretty dry hike. The creeks that crisscross the area are often dry, especially after long periods without rain in the summer. Bring lots of water with you as the uphill climb is a grind.
One of my favorite sections of the hike was a mossy stretch where the trail softened underfoot and the dense forest opened up just enough to let in a bit of light. Hiking with three people has its perks; with an odd number, two people can chat while the third lags behind and is able to enjoy a bit of personal time on the trail. Or, in my case, talk to the camera. 🙂
We finally reached the top after a grueling 2,400 feet of elevation gain over 4.2 miles. It took us about two and a half hours to get there, with three short breaks along the way. The view from the summit was stunning and provides a sweeping panorama that makes the climb worth it.
Three times is enough
In the end, while Mount Killam offers a sense of accomplishment and some beautiful views, it’s not a hike I’ll rush to do a fourth time (video of my first time and my second time). Nor is it the a hike I’d recommend to people visiting the Sunshine Coast, BC.
First, you need to take a ferry to Gambier Island, which is an extra expense and means you’ll be trying to time the hike down to coincide with your boat ride back. Next, you spend a not insignificant amount of time walking a logging road and that's not amazing. Lastly, it's also easy to get turned around on the way up to the lookout so ideally, you'd want to go with someone that knows the way.
Better choices for Sunshine Coast hikes
There’s a great view at the top but overall, Mount Killam doesn’t measure up to some of the other trails on BC's Sunshine Coast. There are a lot of hikes I'd recommend before this one. Start with Soames Hill, and work your way up to Pender Hill, Mount Daniel, and then Mount Elphinstone. If you have your heart set on hiking to the top of an island, check out the Keats Island Lookout instead.
And speaking of Pender Hill…
Here’s a short video of hiking up Pender Hill
We're going to hike up Pender Hill in Pender Harbour and have lunch at the top. We've done a video of Pender Hill already, so this isn’t a full video about every step of the hike, but instead just a short summary of a fun outing!
This hike is pretty much all uphill. There’s only a short part at the start that’s level but beyond that, it’s all elevation.
After making our way up the trail, we reach the top alive and well. Pender Hill is a gorgeous spot with incredible views that make the trek up worth the effort.
We did this hike in 45 minutes and feel pretty good about ourselves. I'm sure there are lots of young people that could sprint to the top in 20 minutes but if we allow one minute for every year old we are, we did fine.
It took us 22 minutes to come down. Obviously coming down is faster.
Connect with Val & Paul
We're Val and Paul and we're a married couple who live on BC's Sunshine Coast! We moved from Alberta to Gibsons in 2014 and love our life on Canada's West Coast! Subscribe to our YouTube channel and email newsletter and you'll learn what it's like to live in the most beautiful place in Canada.
Val Labrecque is a REALTOR® with RE/MAX City Realty Gibsons.