While it might be the second coldest November 23rd in Vancouver’s recent history, there’s no denying what a beautiful , sunny day it is. No matter where in the city you live, if you have a vantage point towards the North Shore Mountains, your eyes have probably been fixated on the sparkling slopes. There’s been at least one traffic accident today on the Lion’s Gate Bridge (heading north) – no doubt it was someone who’s eyes were gazed upon the hills instead of the road.
Here are some of the fantastic vistas we took in today:
There are literally dozens of individual mountains in the North Shore group. The most familiar are:
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.
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.
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.
