I camped at Whistler’s summit — here’s what helped me get through the trek

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It’s not every day that you get to camp at the summit of Whistler mountain. In fact, most of the time it’s not even possible.

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Camping in-bounds at Whistler Blackcomb is generally prohibited, except for a once-yearly event called the Summit Sleeper with Helly Hansen. Attendees win a spot through the online contest, which started in 2022. And this year, I was lucky enough to attend.

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Arriving early on a sunny, slightly smokey Saturday morning, we met the group at the Helly Hansen store in Whistler Village. After sorting out some last-minute gear, we started the trip up to the top of the mountain via the Blackcomb and Peak 2 Peak gondolas.

Once at the top of Whistler, we hiked toward Whistler’s Glacier Bowl, which would be our campsite for the night. After setting up our tents and enjoying a brown-bag lunch, we got ready to hike up to the start our Whistler Mountain’s Via Ferrata tour.

The four-hour tour sees you hike up toward the Saddle and then, using an engineered vertical pathway of metal rebar rungs, ropes and fixed cables, climb up to Whistler’s peak.

Having done a Via Ferrata in the Bugaboos, I was prepared for that part of the experience. The process of clipping and climbing made the time pass quickly, and before I knew it, we were at the top. If you haven’t yet tried a Via Ferrata  — which mans ‘iron path’ in Italian — I highly recommend that you do. It’s an amazing introduction to rock climbing, but you do have to be okay with heights.

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At the top, we enjoyed the impressive views, which include a stunning glimpse of Black Tusk.

Thankfully, we were able to take the Peak Express chairlift back down before we hiked back to camp as, I’ll admit, my legs were a bit wobbly by that point.

After dinner at the Roundhouse Lodge, we boarded a bus to take us back up to the Top of the World Summit for a private experience at the Cloudraker Skybridge suspension bridge and Raven’s Eye Lookout followed by an amazing performance by Canadian singer-songwriter Ruby Waters.

While magical by any means, the overnight experience was definitely made easier thanks to a few key pieces of gear.

Here are the four items that were MVPs of my Whistler camping experience.

Women’s Relay Backpack RECCO, $280 CAD

My review: When I say this bag can hold a lot, I mean it. I was able to fit all my necessary clothing and personal items for the trip, along with camp shoes, bug spray and more into this pack with easy. The lightweight style means you can pack it full without worrying about being able to lift it. And the added straps, snaps and pockets on this pack ensure there’s more than enough room to fit in all your extras such as a charging power bank, sunscreen and a toque. I even slipped a slim paperback book in there in case of any downtime that allowed for some reading.

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Bonus points for the fact that the 42-litre capacity backpack boasts an added safety feature of a RECCO reflector for search-ability while you’re out on the trail or in the back country.

Women’s Verglas Hooded Down Jacket 2.0, $400 CAD

My review: The packing list for this trip suggested a sleeping bag that was rated to -10C. In August? I thought, before grabbing my lighter-weight sleeping sack. Turns out, the overnight chill at the top of the mountain is no joke. So, this lightweight down jacket kept me warm from sundown through to the morning.

Designed to be an all-season outerwear garment, the hooded down design is lightweight and packable, but high performing. It’s also DWR treated, which means it is water repellant — though it’s definitely not a rain jacket or shell. It also happens to have a super soft, duvet-level feel to it, which can be a real bonus when you’re in the rugged outdoors.

Crew Sun Hat, $55 CAD

My review: This sun hat has become my ride or die. It’s that good. It’s the ultimate pack-able sun hat, in my opinion. I’ve worn it to the lake, on the trail, while riding my horse, on the mountain — the list goes on. The one-size-fits-most style features a big (but not too big) brim for added sun protection, along with an adjustable chin strap so it won’t go ‘see ya’ while you’re out adventuring.

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I have it in the Grey Fog shade, which is great because it doesn’t attract the sunlight like the black version might. But, the lighter colour means it does carry some of the scars and stains of all of its use. On the plus side, this sun hat is also machine washable.

Women’s Vinda Light Tur Pants, $140 CAD

My review: I typically hike and camp in my go-to lululemon gear. But climbing can be a whole different beast. It’s nice to have a sturdy material that can withstand all of the bumps and scrapes of a vertical ascent.

For this trip, I tested the Vinda pant, which is a multi-season outdoor pant with a straight fit (I do find Helly Hansen bottoms fit somewhat small). Made from a quick-drying fabric with UPF 50-plus sun protection, these pants feel super lightweight. They also breathe well, which was essential during the Via Ferrata climb when things got, well, sweaty. 

The pants feature an elastic waist with an added drawstring so that you can snug them up when climbing or hiking. Plus, they pack down nice and small, which means they make a great spare pant for a multi-day backpacking trip. They’s sure to become a go-to pant for my outdoor adventures going forward.

The writer was a guest of Helly Hansen, which did not preview this story before publication.

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