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Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains

April 1st, 2008 by Miss604 | 8 Comments »

Okay technically, they are not in Vancouver but after posting some photos from Mount Seymour recently I was asked about the North Shore Mountains. The Lions fit in the middle somewhere, but those not from around here (or maybe even some locals) might not know just exactly where they are and what they’re called.

Here’s a quick rundown courtesy of wikipedia.

Cypress Group

Black Mountain (1217m) A forested summit overlooking Horseshoe Bay. Ski runs on the northern slopes are managed by the Cypress Mountain Resort.

Hollyburn Mountain (1325m) A popular hiking destination. Commonly known as Hollyburn Ridge and the location of an old alpine recreation community dating back to the early years of the 20th Century. It is the site of the only groomed cross-country ski trails in the Lower Mainland.

Mount Strachan (1454m) Ski runs on the southern slopes are managed by the Cypress Mountain Resort.

Photo Credit: Richard Eriksson on Flickr

Grouse Area

Mount Fromme (1185m) A large forested summit dome, often seen but seldom visited. This mountain is noted for the mountain biking trails on its south slopes.

Grouse Mountain (1231m) Site of a very popular ski area, and the popular hiking trail Grouse Grind.

Goat Mountain (1401m) Another popular alpine hiking destination, very conveniently located near the top of the Grouse Mountain aerial tramway.

Crown Mountain (1504m) An exposed granite pyramid ringed by sheer cliffs.

Photo Credit: Stephen Rees on Flickr

Cathedral/Lynn Range

Lynn Peak (1015m) A small forested mountain, nevertheless a popular hiking destination due to ease of access.

The Needles (1258m) An isolated series of ridge-top summits north of Lynn Peak.

Coliseum Mountain (1441m) A remote alpine area consisting of a series of gentle granite exposures.

Mount Burwell (1541m) A remote granite dome located at the limit of legal backcountry access.

Cathedral Mountain (1737m) Among the tallest and most prominent of the North Shore Mountains, but off-limits due to its location within the GVRD watershed.

Fannin Range

Mount Seymour (1449m) Good trails and convenient access by road make Seymour a local classic hiking area. Downhill ski area in winter.

Mount Elsay (1419m) A remote backcountry peak located beyond Seymour.

Mount Bishop (1509m) A rarely climbed peak in the remote northern region of Mt. Seymour Provincial Park.

Lions Area

The Lions (1654m) Probably the most famous peaks in the North Shore Mountains. These mountains, a pair of twin granite domes, are visually distinctive and can be seen from much of the Greater Vancouver area.

Mount Harvey (1652m) An isolated alpine peak located near the Lions.

Brunswick Mountain (1788m) The highest of the North Shore mountains, located north of Mount Harvey.

Photo credit: penmachine on Flickr

So the next time you’re cruising down the Horizon run up at Cypress, you’ll know you’re actually on Mt Strachan, and if you’re snowshoeing the Discovery Loop up Grouse, you’d actually be on Dam Mountain.

I’d really like to explore more of the local mountains, especially with some hiking in the summertime. Maybe I’d finally be a tourist in my hometown start with the Grouse Grind. Good times.

Posted in local mountains, vancouver

Mount Seymour Local Skiing at its Best

March 30th, 2008 by Miss604 | 6 Comments »

One conference for women in business, another that bridged all realms of traditional and digital media, and a concert at the Commodore. You could say it’s been a pretty full weekend so far over here but it didn’t end with that.

I headed up Mount Seymour this afternoon and despite forgetting to wear my goggles and getting whipped in the face with all their fresh powder, it was an really great time. Lines were short, the snow was crisp, and I was pretty much given the rockstar treatment - I even ended up getting a great tshirt all because of this here blog.

Three hours in I was also treated to a snowmobile ride up to Mystery Peak and I gotta say, it was fast, bumpy, slightly scary, and amazingly fun. I’ve been going to Seymour for over 10 years because it’s inexpensive, not too overcrowded, and the views are breathtaking. Not only can you see downtown and over to Vancouver Island, but you also get an eastward view clear across the Fraser Valley.

Mount Seymour fast facts:

Mount Seymour was virtually unknown to most of the residents of Vancouver and vicinity until the late 1920s [BCParks]

In January of 1936 Mount Seymour Provincial Park was opened

In 1954 business was booming on the ski hill with 150 cabins for visitors [VancouverHistory]

The government retained overall ownership until 1984, when it privatized its operation as part of a cost cutting measure. [wiki]

There are some fun articles from the 1930’s up on the Hollyburn Heritage Society’s website

Today Mount Seymour offers skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, tobogganing, dog sledding, two terrain parks, over 600 acres

Having this scenery close off my weekend is something I could really get used to (along with the Canucks beating Calgary 6-2). The snowboarding season in Metro Vancouver is far from over so check out Seymour’s spring skiing schedule.

Posted in family, local mountains, snow, snowboarding

let it

November 10th, 2006 by Miss604 | 4 Comments »

mmm snow I have a couple fun links on my sidebar under “Vancouver Info” where you can find some webcams located around the Lower Mainland. (Also noted on my recent metblogs post). One that got some of my co-workers very excited this afternoon was a view of Cypress Mountain. Because there was snow. Yes, snow.

I’ve been snowboarding for 12 years now. Ever since I tried skiing for the first time in the French Alps (Chamonix) I knew that snowboarding was where it’s at.

I learned to board at Mount Seymour with my best pal Anne. No lessons, just two teenage girls with boards carving up the slopes. Since then I’ve been to Seymour many times, couple season passes, Cypress, and Whistler, but I’ve still never hit Grouse. Is it worth the trip? (Yep, still haven’t been since I wrote this post)

We didn’t attempt any extreme sports last year or at all really, since John still doesn’t have BC Medical. As long as nothing breaks and that trusty old snowmobile doesn’t have to rescue him from anywhere (the bills would be horrible… oh yeah and it would suck if he hurt himself too :p). I’ve been able to get him on my benefits for work so maybe he’d let me give him a lesson…

Posted in local mountains, snowboarding

Archive for the 'local mountains' Category

Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains

Mount Seymour Local Skiing at its Best

let it

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