Photos & Trip Report by: Lauren L (@lolo.explores)
Fall in the PNW requires your adventure plans to be as flexible and versatile as the layers you wear so that you can be prepared for the ever-changing weather conditions. I recently put my new Mountain Hardwear apparel from Valhalla Pure Outfitters to the test on a multi-day trip exploring in the Sea to Sky area from Squamish to Whistler. While my initial trip plan was meant to take me on an epic overnight alpine hut adventure, the atmospheric river weather forecast had other plans for my time in the mountains. A stay in Whistler Village exploring the trails in the area is never a bad alternative and it’s a weekend getaway many only dream about.
Day 1: Murrin Provincial Park
I set off after work for the weekend, leaving the lower mainland behind and headed north for Whistler. Realizing I was going to be passing by one of my favourite spots roughly around the time of sunset, I figured why not stop and take in the view. Murrin Provincial Park is a climber’s playground with some hiking trails that navigate around the big rock slabs.
While it’s a relatively short trail with not too much elevation gain, it’s quite technical in places. Since I was going to be on the trail after the sun went down, I put the Dynama Pants on over a pair of leggings for extra warmth (however, there is also a lined version if you're looking for something with that built-in warmth).
These pants are stylish enough that you can walk through the city not looking like you are in hiking gear but stretchy and comfortable to not restrict movement on the trail, even when it came to climbing over boulder and rope sections. These are pants I could definitely see people even rock climbing in, or maybe that was just my thought at the time because of where I was. The pants also have a cinch on the ankle which helps keep them secure around your hiking boots as well.
While waiting around for sunset on a hike, it’s always an unknown battle of how cold it’s actually going to get, so I always have extra layers packed in my bag. I pulled out the Cabin to Curb Beanie to put on while sitting at the viewpoint waiting for the sun to set. It is fleece lined and extra warm. I’m not one to usually hike in a toque since I overheat easily and have such thick hair, but this beanie is perfect for staying warm while hanging out in the mountains and it fit snug on my small head.
Day 2: Cheakamus Lake
Whistler Village is surrounded by a network of trails which make for the perfect stroll along the river to enjoy your morning coffee. Waking up on day two, I realized the temperatures had dropped overnight into the negatives. I layered up with the Glacial Trail Half Zip over a merino tank and then put on the Ghost Whisperer Hoody. I always have a hard time regulating my body temperatures and can easily go from being too hot to freezing cold in a matter of minutes so I find having layers on me that I can take on and off as I go throughout my activities is always the best option for me when I head outdoors.
With the possibility of a few hours of a dry weather window, I continued my time in nature to a trail I hadn’t been on in years. Cheakamus Lake is a relatively easy and flat trail compared to my usual hikes, but it rewards you with a beautiful lake view surrounded by mountains. Plus, it gave me a chance to see how my layers really held up while moving at my faster hiking pace.
The Glacial Trail Half Zip is warm and cozy without being too hot. I found wearing it over a thin tank was the perfect layer while moving on the trail when the temperatures hovered just above freezing but it would also work great over a long sleeve base layer on even colder days. The fleece lining is soft against the skin and the longer sleeves and thumb hole allowed me to tuck my hands in to keep warm without needing gloves on. The neck zipper was comfortable and a good height that didn’t feel restrictive. An added bonus was that the chest pocket fit my phone perfectly, so it was easily accessible which is something I always struggle with where to put. I did find this top to be a bit on the baggy side and probably could have used a smaller size, so keep this in mind depending on how you like your tops to fit.
The Ghost Whisperer Hoody is such a lightweight non bulky down jacket, perfect for layering or on its own over a t-shirt. It easily packed down into its own pocket pouch to put in my bag for the trail but was great for an extra layer of warmth when hanging out at the lake. It has a cinch on the back of the hood and draw chord on the hem to make a snug fit to trap in the warmth. This jacket is so soft and slim fitting that it works even as an under layer with a rain jacket overtop, which is not shown from this trip, but can be seen later in this review.
Day 3: Brandywine Falls and Brohm Lake
On day 3 of my trip, I woke up to a rainy forecast but with warmer temperatures than the day before. I figured it would be the perfect chance to test out some rain gear and go chase waterfalls, one of my favourite rainy-day activities. Brandywine Falls is a perfect roadside stop for any tourist and the surrounding trails in the area make for a fun day exploring in the forest. I decided to wear the Butter Up Half Zip with thin leggings for the day to accompany the Ozonic Stretch Rain Pants and Jacket I packed in my bag to have handy for when the rain started. In warmer weather (around 10 degrees Celsius) I personally prefer a thinner layer and if wearing anything under rain gear, I will definitely overheat if it’s too thick of a layer. These layers made for a perfect option for a misty day on the trail.
The Butter Up Half Zip is a super soft and thin base layer with an anti-odour and moisture-wicking material. I was hesitant at first since the top fits pretty snug, but I ended up being surprised with how well this shirt did it’s advertised job. It did not leave sweat marks as I anticipated it might, nor did it trap in the smell from a full day on the trail. The long sleeve with thumb holes kept the sleeves down around my hands too which was an added bonus since most base layers don’t have thumb holes. I never overheated in this shirt and can definitely see myself trail running in it in the future. It was also the perfect layer for under the rain jacket as well.
One item of clothing I can’t live without in fall/winter in the PNW is a good rain jacket. The Ozonic Stretch Rain Jacket is super lightweight and packable. It fits nicely over a base layer or down jacket and the soft stretchy material does not restrict movement and it did not trap in the heat and make me overheat while moving on the trail. This is a jacket I can see myself not only hiking in but also trail running in.
With my adventures weekend coming to an end, I started to make my way home towards the city. I definitely got lucky since the expected big rainfall had been limited to only a light drizzle at times. So, testing my luck, I stopped for one last quick hike before I made it to Squamish. Brohm Lake is surrounded by a few low elevation trails but with the bridge still out for construction you have the choice of doing an out and back or a larger than normal loop around the lake. Since I was short on daylight hours and had not yet been to the south end viewpoints, I opted for that portion of the trail. Part of the trail was an old logging road before it branches off into a single track less manicured portion of the trail. It was definitely damp out at the time and the trails are mostly forested with a few viewpoints sprinkled in.
Let’s talk about the pants though. If I’m totally honest, I hate wearing rain pants. I have always found them to be too restrictive and cause me to overheat so I will always choose to go without unless I’m really forced to, which has only been twice on record in my life which says a lot considering how much time I spend on the trail. The Ozonic Stretch Rain Pants however have made me re-think my view on rain pants. They are so stretchy and comfortable, they allow you to move freely on the trail, are not baggy or bulky over a base layer which makes them have a flattering fit and they do not make noise while moving like many other rain pants do.
I would definitely recommend these pants to someone wanting rain pants, but with an added note that the length measurements are a little off from the online size guide and I found these pants to fit a bit on the shorter side. They have a buckle on the bottom that could help strap the pant over your boots to keep the moisture out of your shoes, but I was not able to use this feature since they were too short for me and raised above my boot when walking. I would consider getting a longer length in these pants, which is something I wish I now had.
The big rainfall hit my trip during my final stretch of the drive home. So, the real question is, how waterproof were the rain layers? While I didn’t get to test that out fully on my trip, I have since worn the rain gear out closer to home, both on super wet days as well as in a big windstorm. My layers underneath stayed completely dry while the outer layers were in fact wet. The jacket and pants definitely kept the moisture out and they are thin enough that they wicked away the moisture and dried quickly for when I chose to stash them away in my bag.
This was my first time ever wearing anything from Mountain Hardwear so my final thoughts are positive. The fabrics and materials of the clothing are all soft and breathable and they do not restrict any movement on the trail. The extra features make them functional for their intended purposes and the different options available provide a set of perfect layers for any kind of weather that might come your way. Besides the few sizing issues, which could have been easily fixed with an exchange of the items, I would definitely recommend all of these clothes.
If you are able to try the items on in store at Valhalla Pure Outfitters, I highly recommend doing so instead of relying on online measurements. Across the board, I did notice that I fit an extra-small in all the tops the best as compared to my usual size small with other outdoor clothing brands but stuck with size small in the bottom layers since I didn’t want them to be too snug.