Updated June 2026.
Guest Author/Photographer: Brian Hockenstein
Any local worth their salt knows that there are a ton of amazing hiking trails to stretch your legs out on top of both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, but for those looking to get a bit more of a sweat on, look no further than the Blackcomb Ascent Trails.
The Blackcomb Ascent Trails connect the Upper Village base area to The Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb Mountain. Divided into three distinct sections – Little Burn, Big Burn and Heart Burn – these three trails span 6.2 kilometres of beautiful machine-built singletrack in the spirit of the famous Grouse Grind – all uphill for maximum fun and fitness.
Clocking in at a total of 1, 200 metres (3, 937 feet) of elevation gain, it’s sure to get the heart going. So rest well, take food and water and think about hitting the slopes in the cool of the early morning for the best uphill hiking experience.
The Ascent Trails Breakdown
Little Burn
Length: 0.8 kilometres (0.5 miles)
Approx Time: 30 minutes
Elevation Change: 74 metres (243 feet)
Description: A mellow start to the adventure, the trail weaves its way up the forest between ski runs up to the Base 2 area on Blackcomb Mountain
Pass Info: No pass or ticket is needed for this section
Big Burn
Length: 2.2 kilometres (1.4 miles)
Approx Time: 75 minutes
Elevation Change: 494 metres (1621 feet)
Description: Hike through stunning old-growth, Coastal Rainforest to the Blackcomb Gondola Midstation. From here, you can choose to head back down, continue on foot, or transfer to the Blackcomb Gondola to ride up or down.
Pass Info: A pre-purchased ticket is required if you’re utilizing the lift system (there is a Midstation Download Only option)
Heart Burn
Length: 3.1 kilometres (1.9 miles)
Approx Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Elevation Change: 607 metres (1,991 feet)
Description: You’ll be rewarded with spectacular views at the summit if you continue to the trail’s end at the Rendezvous Lodge. Continue exploring via the PEAK 2 PEAK or head back down the Blackcomb Gondola.
Pass Info: A pre-purchased ticket is required if you’re utilizing the lift system
All Three Trails Combined
Length: 6.2 kilometres (3.9 miles)
Approx Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Elevation Change: 1, 200 metres (3, 937 feet)
Pass Info: A pre-purchased ticket is required if you’re utilizing the lift system
Hiking Safety Tips
- Mountain weather changes frequently. Check the weather before you go and carry extra layers.
- Bring water, snacks and sunscreen (hats and sunglasses are a good idea too)
- Know the last download time if you’re counting on the lift system for any part of your journey (look for signage, ask at guest services or check in with a lift operator if it’s unclear)
- Tread carefully. Stay on marked trails to avoid damage to the alpine ecosystem, and pack out what you pack in.
- To prevent surprising any animals, make occasional noise as you hike or wear a bear bell
- If you see a bear, do not approach it. Give it time to leave, or back away slowly if it approaches. Read more in our Bear Aware blog.
Note that there are no fires, camping or dogs allowed on Whistler Blackcomb.
Starting the Ascent Trails
Suitable for hikers with a reasonable amount of fitness, the Ascent Trails are beautifully built and a fun challenge for anyone who enjoys a bit of legwork. Starting in the Upper Village, at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, follow the Ascent Trail signs. It’s just 100 metres from the Blackcomb Base area, where you can escape the sun and cacophony coming from the kids’ activity area and escape into the cool forest.
It’s amazing how taking a few steps into the forest can seem like entering another world.
Little Burn to Big Burn
The first of the three sections, the Little Burn Trail, is a quick 0.8 kilometres with 74 metres of elevation gain and pops out at Base Two (it takes approximately 30 minutes). From Base Two, you’re on the Big Burn Trail, which is 2.2 kilometres long with 494 metres of elevation change, taking you to Blackcomb Gondola Midstation in about 75 minutes.
“These trails have been designed to showcase the beauty and diversity of Blackcomb Mountain while offering an exhilarating uphill hike with the option to download using our lift system. This allows guests to maximize the health benefits of a continuous uphill climb while avoiding the pounding of downhill hiking” Arthur De Jong, Mountain Planning and Environmental Resource Manager at Whistler Blackcomb
Anyone who’s been on a few hikes knows that while the uphill part might mean a bit more of a cardio workout, it’s the slog back downhill that is just killer on your body – especially the knees! And that’s precisely the beauty of the Ascent Trails: you get to hop on the gondola and download back to the base area, no knee-bashing torture necessary.
Note that you need to have pre-purchased a Blackcomb Ascent Trail Midstation Download Only Ticket to take advantage of this at this point on the trail. Or, you could buy a Blackcomb Ascent 1-Day ticket and continue your ascent via gondola. Pricing and tickets can be found on the Whistler Blackcomb website.
A Little Eco Education
There are lots of really nice signs and places to stop and take in the beauty of the old-growth Coastal Rainforest. Trail creators Whistler Blackcomb have done a great job of explaining all the different types of trees and other plants – even the most hardened of locals might be surprised to find they don’t know all the different tree types found on the hill. A blanket of moss adds an almost surreal look to the incredible forest ecosystem.
Beautifully built bridges, chains along rocks and even a few staircases make sure there’s plenty of variety in the trail. While there are not so many built features as to take away the nature-ey feel, it’s a lovely touch that makes it easy to recommend the trail to people looking for a less technical ascent.
The Trees of the Ascent Trails
Western hemlock, Yellow Cedar, Western Red Cedar and Douglas Firs dominate the Coastal Temperate Rainforest that the Ascent Trail winds through, with some of these giant trees reaching as old as 250 years old and as big around as a bus.
“Coastal Rainforests cover less than 10 per cent of the world’s land surface. This surface area is quite small on the global scale, but the impact of this ecosystem is great: rainforests can be some of the most productive areas on Earth…Plants absorb carbon in the atmosphere as well as sunlight, thereby producing sugars within their leaves, a process called photosynthesis. This process releases oxygen back into the air as it removes a lot of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere. The vegetation in rainforests is responsible for nearly one-third of the world’s oxygen production. Furthermore, between 40 and 75 per cent of the world’s biotic (or living) species live in the world’s rainforests, making these areas rich in biodiversity.” Canadian Wildlife Federation Coastal Rainforest Factsheet
About two-thirds of the way up, the Big Burn Trail exits the forest for a brief second and allows for a perfect spot to take a break and take in the view of the valley below before re-entering the last, and perhaps most beautiful section of trail.
The Beauty of Big Burn
Incredibly lush and mossy sections of trail are interwoven with gently babbling creeks, creating a sense of truly being in another world, far away from the hustle and bustle of Whistler. Here you can forget how close you are to the ski runs and ski lifts and be transported to a much simpler place, one where you don’t need anything but the power of your own two feet to enjoy nature at its finest.
This is the beauty of the Ascent Trail – it offers a completely different experience than what we’re used to being given on the mountains, something much more approaching the solitude and gentleness of the backcountry we so often seek. You really feel like you’ve truly made contact with the low-mountain ecosystem, as opposed to just skimming right over it on a chairlift on your way to higher pastures. It’s the perfect complement to the 50+ kms of alpine hiking trails higher up on the resort.
Heart Burn Trail
If your legs are able to continue, the last section of trail, aptly named Heart Burn, ascends to the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb through impressive old-growth forest and treats you to spectacular views close to the summit. It’s 3.1 kilometres in length, with an elevation gain of 607 metres, which takes around an hour and 45 minutes.
The promise of ce cream and cold beverages at the Rendezvous Lodge might give you that extra energy to make the last push.
Ride the Gondola Back Down
You can pre-buy a Blackcomb Ascent 1-Day Trail Ticket, which gives you access to any of the gondolas once you’ve reached the top. You could hit the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola across to Whistler Mountain, check out the incredible views from the Roundhouse and then download.
Blackcomb Base Area
Back down in the Blackcomb Base area, wind down with a drink and a snack at one of the many fine establishments and enjoy a toast to a job well done. There’s something innately satisfying about any activity that hinges on your own personal fitness, and the Blackcomb Ascent Trails are a great way to get that feeling of accomplishment.
Kudos to Whistler Blackcomb for recognizing that many people actually enjoy getting sweaty on their way to a cold beer. Not everything in life is easy, and it’s not meant to be.
