Ancient Cedars

Ancient Cedars

A protected grove of ancient old-growth cedars; the forested out-and-back 5-km trail offers fabulous viewscapes to the east side of the valley and the cedar grove itself contains trees up to 900 years of age. This excellent example of biodiversity values in the Whistler Valley was set aside for public enjoyment after a group of citizens fought to have it preserved.

Protection and guardianship are at the heart of the Geopark philosophy. We ask that you treat the land with the same reverence as its original inhabitants, and not remove anything from a site but what you’ve brought to help preserve it for future generations.

  • easy out-and-back trail
  • really big trees
  • really, really big trees

GEOLOGIC CONTEXT:

A remnant of the type of old-growth forests and sizeable trees that once occupied the Whistler Valley before the days of logging.

HOW TO SEE IT:

VISITOR INFORMATION

Approximately 10-km north of Whistler Village turn west onto the Cougar Mountain Forest Service Road. Drive 4.5 km on the serviceable gravel road to the trailhead parking area.

Services:

Parking, washrooms.

Hazards:

Wilderness backcountry and sensitive ecosystems; stay on marked trails; always carry bear spray in the backcountry.
MAP & LOCATION

Decimal Degrees (DD)

50.195390, -122.964780

Degrees Decimal Minutes (DDM)

50° 11.7234' N   122° 57.8868' W

Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS)

50° 11' 43.404" N  122° 57' 53.208" W

What Are Pillars?

The Fire & Ice Aspiring Geopark comprises four main geological pillars referenced in all interpretive material: (M)ountain Building, (G)laciation, (V)olcanism and (C)ollapse.

MOUNTAIN BUILDING

Mountain building can involve several processes that contribute to the formation of mountains, such as the collision of tectonic plates that result in folding, faulting, metamorphism and the creation of subduction zones associated with volcanic activity and igneous intrusion.

GLACIATION

Glaciation refers to landform phenomena associated with the formation, movement and recession of glaciers and ice sheets. In temperate latitudes such as British Columbia, montane glaciation at higher altitudes is the norm while continental glaciation occurred during Ice Ages like the recent Pleistocene.

VOLCANISM

Volcanism is the eruption of subterranean molten rock (magma) and gasses onto the surface of the planet and includes the production of volcanic landforms and the effects of eruptions and flowing lava on pre-existing surface formations.

COLLAPSE

Collapse is a term that refers broadly to both slow processes of destabilization and erosion by wind, water and ice, as well as rapid processes like rockfall and landslides.

Whether acting as primary or secondary forces, one or more of these processes figure in the creation of each geosite.