Mount Strachan Hike at Cypress Mountain.

Mt Strachan is the easiest peak of the Cypress Bowl Ski Area and one in all many least well-known hikes too. Nonetheless, I’d argue it’s the simplest Cypress Mountain hikes for intermediate-advanced hikers.

There are some steep, technical sections, a plane crash, and beautiful views (once you go on a non-cloudy day!). Do you have to’re looking for hikes near Vancouver, guarantee to try the Mount Strachan path.

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Mount Strachan hike

From the very best of Strachan, you’ll get magnificent views of The Lions and Garibaldi to the north along with views of the Howe Sound and Vancouver Island to the south.

Compared with completely different Cypress hikes, equal to Eagle Bluffs and St Mark’s Summit, Mt Strachan is far much less well-known and travelled (although rising in fame!). The trail is normally correctly marked, nevertheless you’ll ought to management the trail markers. 

One distinction between Mount Strachan and many completely different native Vancouver hikes is that it could be merely hiked as a loop path, pretty than an out and once more hike.

This data will aspect the trail from Cypress Mountain, by the use of Bowen Lookout, and down the T-33 ski run the place the stays of a Royal Canadian Navy  T-33 Jet lie. 

Learn to get to Mt Strachan 

Mt Strachan is best hiked from the Cypress Bowl downhill ski house. You presumably can park with out value inside the larger automotive park. Nonetheless, if there’s any chance you’ll be out earlier 8 pm then you definately positively’ll should you should definitely park sooner than the gates to stay away from your automotive being locked in. 

From downtown Vancouver, head over Lions Gate Bridge and adjust to indicators to Whistler to hitch Freeway 99 headed north. Then, take indicators to Cypress Ski Area. The trailhead is about half-hour away from Vancouver, counting on website guests. 

Know sooner than you go

• Always apply go away no trace ethics. Uncertain what these are? Get a refresher right here.
• Just because it’s spring inside the metropolis, there’s normally nonetheless snow inside the native mountains until July. 
• Carry bear spray with you on all BC mountaineering trails. Get further bear safety concepts proper right here!
• Questioning what to pack for Vancouver day hikes? Proper right here’s a mountaineering packing document!
• Refresh your memory about mountaineering safety with BC Journey Sensible.
• Don’t go away residence with out your 10 requirements. They could save your life!
• Canines are allowed on a leash. 
• Confirm path conditions and Mount Cypress local weather beforehand.
• This map from MEC is sweet for North Shore mountaineering and Cypress mountain trails. 

Mount Strachan Hike

Most people hike Mount Strachan in a clockwise loop starting from the car parking zone for Cypress Mountain resort downhill ski house.

You possibly can too hike it the alternative path, nevertheless going up Christmas Gully is kind of a bit easier than coming down it!

Bowen Lookout

Starting on the car parking zone for Cypress ski resort, head within the path of the ski house with the first lodge in your lefthand side until you attain the Cypress Provincial Park signboard and map.

On the bottom of the Lions Particular Quad Chairlift, there’s a path marker heading into the forest signposted ‘Howe Sound Crest Path’. Observe this route into the woods. 

In a short while, you’ll arrive at a small junction. Proper right here, you could proceed straight, following indicators for Bowen Lookout pretty than Howe Sound Crest Path for a further scenic hike. Or, take the Howe Sound Crest Path path. You’ll end up on the same place. 

You’ll then uncover the Eagle Particular Quad Chair in your left, nevertheless maintain going straight into the meadow and within the path of Yew Lake.

Then, make a correct on the junction marked for Bowen Lookout. After a short, small climb inside the forest, make a left on the sign for Bowen Lookout after which left as soon as extra once you attain the gravel avenue.

That’s the place you’ll come to once you didn’t take the route by Yew Lake. 

The road is flat and likewise you’ll cross over a small bridge sooner than beginning to climb uphill over a sequence of switchbacks. The last few of these switchbacks sooner than Bowen Lookout are pretty steep.

Do you have to’ve on no account been to Bowen lookout, I extraordinarily advocate it. You’ll see a sign pointing downhill and left off the trail you’re strolling and it’ll add about 500 metres to the hike. 

Christmas Gully

Once you’ve walked once more to the place you left the trail, you’ll proceed strolling uphill until you enter into the forest as soon as extra and the trail flattens out.

It’s not prolonged sooner than you come all through a severe junction. There’s a useful path map of the realm and, as you head left, there are some pretty views of The Lions.

This path walks by the use of the forest nevertheless is pretty flat and likewise you’ll cross a view streams proper right here and there. It’s the equivalent technique you go as once you’re mountaineering to St Mark’s Summit. 

Don’t get too distracted by the beauty of the forest. It’s a must to pay attention to you should definitely don’t miss the turnoff for Mount Strachan.

At about 3.5km into the hike, you’ll attain Strachan Meadows the place there are two small picket bridges crossing over the creek.

The trail to Mount Strachan is in your correct between these two bridges. It’s pretty arduous to determine at first; seek for an overgrown path headed into the comb. I uncover using a downloaded map on the AllTrails app helps to you should definitely’re headed the right technique. 

There’s some flagging on the branches, so maintain your eye out for them. 

The trail then opens up proper right into a steep climb usually known as Christmas Gully. You’ll should climb al one of the best ways to the very best of proper right here. Given that house is roofed in shade, the snow proper right here lasts late into the summer time season. Do you have to’re mountaineering in Spring or early summer time season be prepared for this.

The trail begins to go to the left of the gully and into the bushes.

After about 10 minutes, you’ll come once more out into the gully. Take care when making your technique to the very best as a result of the rocks may very well be slippery. 

The two summits

Once you’ve reached the very best of the gully you’re almost there! There are two summits to Mount Strachan: the north is to your left and the south is in your correct.

Take the north summit first by following the trail in your left. This route features a steep, uncovered scramble nevertheless the view is an amazing panorama of the North Shore and surrounding mountains. 

Everytime you’ve beloved the view on the north summit, retrace your steps to the clearing on the prime of the gully and make your technique to the south peak straight ahead of you. This summit has good views of Howe Sound and downtown Vancouver (or so I’ve heard, the view was shrouded in mist as soon as I did this hike!). 

The following part of the trail is form of tough to hunt out, so get that AllTrails app out. You’ll want to head to the Southern (far) side of the summit until you come to the very best of the Sky Chair chairlift.

It’s a must to really pay attention to uncover the flagging and maintain to the path as shut as doable. I’m optimistic we went spherical in circles just a bit bit at this degree!

The trail is down and left from the chairlift and it dips into the bushes the place it turns right into a neater to adjust to, define path as soon as extra. It’ll start heading downhill steeply after which zip-zags by the use of the bushes.

Then, you’ll come all through the wreckage of the T-33 jet the place the fuselage and engine components can nonetheless be seen. 

The T-33 plane wreckage

The T-33 plane that you simply simply come all through crashed in 1963. The two Navy crew members had been in teaching all through the time of the Chilly Battle when the lethal crash occurred. Do not contact or take away any of the wreckage out of respect. 

To proceed the trail from proper right here, head downhill until you come out at a big gravel avenue /ski run which you adjust to all one of the best ways once more proper all the way down to the lodge and car parking zone. 

In the event you want to make the hike longer, you could take the “Outdated Strachan Path” as marked on the trail map linked above, which in the end hyperlinks up with the Baden Powell path. Nonetheless, that’s steep and supplies rather more distance. Another choice is to hyperlink the Mt Strachan path with the Hollyburn Mountain path. This works good once you’ve obtained a shuttle between the downhill and cross-country parking heaps (or once you don’t ideas strolling up the road!). 

Mt Strachan hike statistics

Know the necessary hike particulars of the Mt Strachan path, BC. 

• Mount Strachan Hike Downside: Cheap (some steep sections, path marking not on a regular basis obvious)
• Distance: 7.2km
• Elevation: 500m
• Time: 3-5 hours

What to pack for Mt Strachan

Completely different Cypress Mountain hikes

Do you have to’re looking for completely different native hikes and further Cypress mountaineering trails, do this document:

• St Mark’s Summit hike
• Eagle Bluffs
• Hollyburn Peak
• Bowen Lookout
• All Vancouver mountaineering trails (along with Squamish & Whistler)

Closing Updated on March 9, 2023 by Hannah