A coast mountain hike in September

One thing I definitely want to do while in Vancouver is one of the more beautiful mountain hikes. For logistical reasons relating to an excellent potential guest at the party on the 16th, it would be best to do so either that morning (time permitting) or one one of the days before or after.

The four possibilities that stand out to me are:

1. Crown Mountain: Accessible by climbing Grouse Mountain and continuing onwards, Crown Mountain offers an even better view of both Vancouver and the Coast Mountain range. All told, the hike probably takes about six hours (such as I recall from when I last did it with Sarah Pemberton) and can be a little bit tricky at the top, especially if it is windy. One advantage is that no cars or drivers would be needed to get there.
2. Petgill Lake: Located beside the sea-to-sky highway up to Whistler, this hike includes both an alpine lake at 750m elevation and a subsequent overlook with a grand view of Howe Sound. It is among my favourite hikes ever. It took about six hours when last I did it with my father.
3. Stawamus Chief: Climbing the centre and northern peaks of the chief offers two nice views for a reasonable amount of legwork. While a bit crowded and a bit of a drive, the view over that sheer face is an inspiring one. Six hours is a reasonable timescale to climb both, as I recall from when I last did it with Jonathan and my father.
4. Mount Gardner: A bit of a dwarf compared to some of these others, Gardner has the advantage of being on Bowen Island, which means a nice twenty minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. Because Bowen is between North Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast, the climb affords numerous excellent views of both. It only took about four hours when last I did it with Meghan.

Who is interested in coming along? Also, could those who are please vote for one of the above. Suggesting alternatives is also welcome. My vote is for Petgill Lake, provided transport can be arranged.

PS. My injured camera has been returned, restored to health. Curiously, it seems like they opted to both clean the CCD and replace the lens assembly. That must have been where the leak introducing the dust was located. One nice feature of it being repaired rather than replaced is that the numbering of the photos will not start at zero. If it had, many of the new images would have filenames identical to those already on here. The camera is slightly noisier zooming in and out than it was before, but it seems to be dust-free. The money I had set aside to replace it if necessary has been added to the dSLR fund.

Update: 27 August: The hike is to take place at a sensible time on the morning of the seventeenth (the day after the big party in North Van). The destination remains undecided.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan