Mount Seymour

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July 31^st, 2013

Another day another mountain. This time it’s Mount Seymour in North Vancouver. To quote from BC parks website it’s

“4 km. Suggested hiking time, 2.5 hours. Elevation change, 450 metres. This busy trail starts near the north end of the top parking lot, traversing Brockton Point and First and Second Pump Peaks. From the summit there is a panoramic view of Vancouver, the lower mainland and, on a clear day, the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island. This hike is rated moderate to difficult”.

Of course you also have to come down again so you can double the distance and time - although Matthew had us laughing when he declared, close to the summit, “when I get up to the top I’m not going to come down!” Unfortunately this wasn’t Grouse. There was no cable car to take us down. There was absolutely nothing for miles and miles and miles.

The boys have done so well. I’m very proud of them. The last time we came to Vancouver we had to avoid the harder hikes as Matthew was just too young. Now (although he’s still only 9) we can tackle so many more of them.

And Mount Seymour is certainly the most demanding climb we’ve done yet and in part due to the fact that it has several peaks before you reach the “real” summit. Rather stupidly we missed this little fact and lost count of the times we genuinely thought we had made it to the top. But you know immediately when you do reach the summit. The panoramic views are just incredible and apart from the far off snow covered peaks there is nothing higher than you for miles. An amazing feeling!

The only downside were the bugs. A constant battle to keep them away and it’s not until a day or so after that we discover just how much they were attracted to us. As I write this a day after our hike I’m resisting the constant urge to scratch! I certainly don’t remember it having been such a problem before.

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Photos

The Summit
Finally!!

Descending the mountain
Wouldn't want to do this in the rain - the trail is a bit hair-raising in places!