Unnecessary Mountain


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What:  1548m.  An intermediate climb with good partial views.

Where:  Unnecessary Mountain is located on the Howe Sound Crest Trail above Lions Bay, BC.

Difficulty: 2/5  Well-marked trail
Runnability: 3/5 Popular HSCT offers a good warm-up.
Peak view: 4/5
Clear views of surrounding peaks and islands of Howe Sound
Scenery: 4/5 Old growth, second growth forests. Ocean views.
Children: 3/5 Challenging from distance perspective
Dogs: 4/5 Not much water

Route overview:  Unnecessary Mountain is located on the Howe Sound Crest Trail (HCST) between Lions Bay and Cypress Mountain. 

Trip distance:  From Lions Bay, exit off #1, roughly 9 km.  From Cypress parking lot, roughly 7 km.

Trip time:  From Lions Bay, anticipate 2.5 - 5 hours.  Add an hour or so if you have to park a long way from trailhead in Lions Bay.  From Cypress, plan for 2 - 4 hours.  This assumes a moderate running pace and some contingency for getting lost.

Safety: 

  • Cellular coverage is inconsistent.
  • GPS spotty under tree cover
  • Firehall in Lions Bay.  Ski lodge at Cypress.
  • Recommend you bring your Baggers Companion

Name Origin:  Named by climbers in the 1920s who found it to be an obstacle in their route to the West Lion.

Headwaters for:  Some small streams.

Getting there:  From the north:  Drive to Cypress Mountain Provincial Park.  Park in paid lot.  Take Howe Sound Crest Trail (HCST).  From the south:  Drive to the Lions Bay exit off Highway #1.  Parking is a challenge.  Best to drive to the trailhead and descend to where there is legal street parking.  Warning:  Locals don't like you being there and they ticket!

Route Details:  Unnecessary Mountain is on the Howe Sound Crest Trail (HSCT).  There are 2 routes:  From the south (Cypress Park) or the north (Porteau Exit) on the HSCT.

Cypress (1.5 - 3 hours)

  • from the Cypress Mountain parking lot, follow wide and well-marked HSCT around the ski lodge to Strachan Meadows
  • trail narrows considerably and goes over St. Mark's peak

Lions Bay (2 - 4 hours)

  • park where you can.  Trailhead is clearly marked with a map and small kiosk
  • take gravel forest service road uphill approximately 3 km.  Do not go left onto smaller trails into watershed
  • HSCT to the Lions is popular and clearly marked.  Continue south along the ridge to Unnecessary

 

Neighboring peaks:

  • Bagger Challenge peaks St. Marks Mountain and West Lion are relatively close.  Several other Howe Sound peaks are baggable within same day by a strong runner

Submitted by:  Ean Jackson and David Crerar

More information: 


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