Opinion:
I’ve done this trip so many times I could almost do it blindfold. (Not that I would want to for the first couple of hundred metres thanks to the dog owners who let their pets poop all along this part of the trail…) The trek up through the forest was welcome on a warm sunny day, and the views from the summit were as excellent as ever. Perhaps not as interesting a hike as Mt Seymour, but still a very pleasant way to spend a few hours.
Fact
The warm, sunny weather of this past week has seen off a fair bit of snow. The first couple of metres of the trail are snow-free before you get into the usual minefield of dog poop. Beyond that the snow is mostly firm but got pretty slushy in the sun. We didn’t use snowshoes, relying on YakTrax/microspikes again. Going off trail led to moderate postholing but nothing too terrible, rarely even knee-deep.
Visibility was good. We could see the Lions, the Sky Pilot group, Garibaldi and Mamquam to the north, Crown, Grouse, Cathedral, and Seymour immediately east, as well the Cheam Range, Slesse, Border Peaks, plus of course Shuksan, Mount Baker, and the Twin Sisters (not to be confused with the original name for the Lions). The snow-capped mountains of Vancouver Island floated above the haze.
Orange poles still mark the trail as far as the top of the cross-country ski area. After that – well, you just keep going up until you run out :-)
Someone had had a small campfire right on Hollyburn summit, and didn’t bother to clean it up. Plus the part-burnt wood didn’t look like it was packed in… :-/
Best of all, the crowds have gone, so if you can deal with the crappy snow, it’s the perfect time to head up to Hollyburn.
Whisky Jacks were about but didn’t really bother us. A few Steller’s jays hung out in the trees, a red-tailed hawk soared overhead, and the ravens played in the breeze.
Distance: 6.8 km
Elevation gain: 430 m
Story
Still in my head…
Being. Outdoors. 