July 19, 2021 -- Stats: 37 km (20 km cycling) / 1972m gain / 1544m high
Words of advise: The gates are open 7:00am - 9:00pm. Get there shortly after they open. You'll need the time. It took us 6 hours MT to summit, at a nice relaxed pace. Also, take lots of water. The only water source is up on the ridge between the two peaks.
When I saw this hike in the "105 Hikes in and Around Southwestern BC" book, I thought, "Why'd he have to put that hike in there???' I was not looking forward to doing it, knowing it'd be very challenging. I'd done Coleseum Mt. and that was a very long day. This peak is 1 km past Coleseum!
Then my hiking buddy, Dave Walton advised me to buy a North Shore map and go via the route from the Seymour Valley Trailway paved bicycle path (that leads to Seymour Lake), turning left 10 km in, parking our bikes and continuing on the steep route that would eventually connect to the main Coliseum Trail. In the end, we hiked 8 km less than if we'd gone the original way via Lynn Headwaters Region Park.
How can you tell we're not proffessional bikers? We looked rather silly as cyclers sped by in their form fitting clothes, helmets and shiney bikes. But I didn't care. Anything to get there.
Just before the Stoney Creek picnic area, we turned onto a gravel road to the left and soon parked our bikes in the bush. About 20 minutes later we got to the trailhead.
This rough trail rises steeply (over 900m) to connect with the Coliseum trail up on the ridge. On the map it reads: "not sanctioned trail - very steep - not maintained - use at own risk".
Old growth cedars at the lower elevation alongside a dry creek bed.
We maintained the "Case pace" which I knew was necessary for this difficult hike.
We have never seen this Copper Bush bloom before.
Nearing the ridge, looking north towards Cathedral Mt.
There were two major dips on the way to the peaks.
The first tarn. Case makes use of it.
northeast
Almost at Coliseum's summit. Looking out for the cairns.
View of Cornet Lake and Cathedral Mt. from Coliseum's summit (1441m).
Looking at Grouse Mt: Goat Peak to the left and Crown Mt to the right -- west.
The tarn between the two peaks.
Mt. Burwell was another km hike. And as you can see, it wasn't level. There were several ups and downs.
The double Cornet Lakes.
Made it!!! Palisade Lake -- west.
From Grouse Mt. to the Lions to Sky Pilot and even the Black Tusk to Cathedral Mt. towards Golden Ears to Mt. Seymour to the east and the city of Vancouver -- west to south.
Just to prove I made it.
Looking back at Coliseum Mt. and Seymour to the left.
We couldn't linger too long. Half an hour was it. We made it back to the truck at 8:30pm.
Up hills before going down again.
No color saturation on this pic. These were the true colors.
Refilling our water containers.
Bye bye Seymour Lake -- northeast.
Case says on the other side of the planet the bark on these dead trees swirls in the opposite direction.
This graph show the way up. The flat part was the bicycle path.
The paved bicycle path started at Rice Lake in north Vancouver.
4 hikes to go in BC for the "105 Hikes in and around Southwestern BC" book...
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