Stage 6 of the Sunshine Coast Trail covers 13.6 km from Confederation Lake to Tin Hat, with 1,157 m of ascent and 675 m of descent. The highest point is 1,134 m. Allow about 6.5 hours of walking, plus breaks.
Distance, climb and elevation come from the Outest route data. Difficulty and time are estimates from distance and climb; your pace will vary with heat, pack weight and photo stops.
Free open shelter with an enclosed sleeping loft for 6 on the shore of Powell Lake (km 81), with an outhouse, picnic tables, fire pit and swimming dock. It sits about 0.5 km off the main trail down a side path.
Boat taxi from Powell Lake Marina to Fiddlehead Landing and back, named on the qPAWS hut page; useful for a short section hike or an exit. Not confirmed on an operator website.
Free insulated cabin for 10 with a pellet stove and a 360-degree view just below the summit of Tin Hat Mountain, the halfway point (km 90). There is no water at the top: carry it up from the last creek.
Checked online in October 2026. Places marked "not confirmed by the operator" are listed on OpenStreetMap, on the trail website or in tourism listings but could not be checked on their own current page. The trail huts are free, cannot be booked and fill up first come, first served, with one night per hut, so carry a tent. No permit or fee is needed; qPAWS asks for a $5 donation per person per night.
Emergency: call 911. Signal is patchy: carry a satellite messenger. Emergency & health guide
Pharmacies, ATMs, shops and stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hospitals and health centres checked online.
The full stage works offline in Outest, with the route, elevation, water and village points, and a trail guide you can ask about conditions and the next place to sleep.