Situated across the Burrard Inlet, just north of the hustle and bustle of Vancouver city, lies the North Shore Mountains. Before the Lions Gate was built to connect the city with the mountains, hikers and skiers alike would cross the Burrard Inlet by boat or canoe, and then proceed to hike up the mountains via the Hollyburn Ridge. This was back in the 1920's and early 1930's. Today, the North Shore Mountains with it's many beautiful peaks are now a part of the Cypress Provincial Park. From West Vancouver, the park is easily accessible via a paved road that takes you up to a ski area which also played host to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
In the winter, the park is overcrowded with skiers trying to do all the different ski runs. It is truly a winter wonderland, especially after the first major snowfall of the season.
The park offers many activities, besides the usual culprit of skiing. To really appreciate the diversity it has to offer, one should explore past the ski resort and into its vast 11.63 sq miles of protected area. For comparison, the island I was born in, Penang island, is roughly 113 sq miles. Cypress Provincial Park would cover a tenth of the island!
A major network of interconnected trails makes this place a hikers haven, for even the most experienced and initiated ones. There will always be something new waiting to be discovered, be it during the winter or summer seasons.
The Friends of the Cypress Provincial Park has been working hard to preserve it's natural and historical values. One such area within the park is the Hollyburn Lodge. It was here that it all started among backcountry skiers and hikers, reflecting the pioneering spirit of the 1920's and 1930's. Many cabins were built and still exists till today; some even restored to its full glory. These cabins surrounded by hemlocks and lakes, can be seen via the Hollyburn, Jack Pratt and West Lake Trail.
For the more adventurous, starting from the same place, one can hike to the top of Hollyburn Peak via the Hollyburn Ridge. This is the very same ridge that many thrill seekers from the heydays took to reach the top and skied down the slopes of Hollyburn. The hike takes one through many tarns and watery features, meadows and groves of hemlocks. The round trip hike took us about 3 hours with some stops for photography. During the warmer months, do come prepared with face nets as the bugs are very active during this time of year.
Also be a look out for black bears!
On November 23, 1963, a T-33 Shooting Star jet (also known as the ace maker) crashed in the area of what is now known as the T33 ski run, just north west of Hollyburn Mountain. For those who want to pay their last respects to the lives lost here, they can do so via an alpine trail called the Mt. Strachan Trail that leads one to the crash site.
The hike started off smoothly until the first major stream crossing (Cypress creek?) near the junction of Baden Powell and Mt. Strachan Trails. Once we crossed over, we lost the trail. At that time, the trail had not yet been cleared for the hiking season.
There were many blow downs obscuring the path. On top of that, we had to deal with the snow, which made it hard to discern the correct path to take. The orange markers were few and far in between.
Most of the time, we just headed uphill towards the peak, and took the way with the least amount of resistance. It's a good thing that we had our Alltrails app on. We basically followed a previously recorded track and managed to come across a part of the plane wreckage. This reassured us that we were on the right track.
After scrutinizing and photographing a part of the wreckage, we continued up hill till we finally arrived at the south peak. This was the second highest point of Mount Strachan. We then contemplated whether we should make a return loop via Christmas Gully and Howe Sound Crest Trail. We could hear water rushing through the gully. Seeing that it was already late in the day, we decided that the best return route was to take T-33 and Collins Trail which switches back down to the parking lot following the ski runs. Overall, this hike would be better experienced if there weren't as many blow downs and ice. Its a good thing that we had our microspikes and poles with us. As for the views, they are one of the best. We could see Howe Sound, several islands and the two peaks called the Lions guarding the pathway from above.
Of course a visit to the North Shore Mountains is never complete without visiting the back-country trails. One such trail is the Howe Sound Crest Trail which traverses over many major peaks along the Pacific Range. One such peak is St. Mark's Summit. The Howe Sound Crest Trail is a 29-km backpacking trail that connects the Cypress ski area with Porteau Cove.
The St. Mark's Summit hike was our very first hike we did in November 2017 after a heavy snowfall the day before.
The hike is about 3.6 miles to the summit, with an elevation gain of about 2,000 feet. The trail crosses over many creeks, and steep cliffs with great potential spots for avalanches. It is not advisable to hike during the winter months due to such risk. So be sure to check on the weather situation before attempting it.
There is a steep section that switches back and forth through hemlocks and pine trees, and it was covered with snow. We wished we had some light traction device mounted on our regular trail runners; as the ground was slippery and wet.
Once we reached our intended destination marked by a post with 'Saint Mark's Summit' written on it, we were perplexed as we didn't have a view but was surrounded by snow. This is the peak??
Soon we realized that the snow drift was way above our heads and what we needed to do was to climb up onto it for a view! So we clambered over the snow mound and voila there it was the entire view of Howe Sound.
Cypress Mountains and it's close proximity to the city is truly a gem for Vancouverites. This is where one can experience the ocean and the snow on the same day; which surmises the expression "from sea to sky".
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