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This was a short-notice trip, posted 2 days before, after checking the weather forecast. As predicted, it was a mix of clouds and sun. We retirees chose a weekday as usual (Monday) to avoid crowds.
Three of us met at Park Royal North Park & Ride at 9:30am, and carpooled to the trailhead: Cypress downhill ski resort parking lot. We got our free back-country access tags and started hiking soon after 10am.
These north shore mountains have only had 20 cm of snow so far this season, followed by some thawing, rain and refreezing. Parts of this trail were icy — mainly the early steeper section climbing up to the Black Mountain plateau, which was then mostly bare ground. Micro-spikes were very helpful, but better still were “nano-spikes” (Yaktrax or similar) which could be worn on rocky sections without much wear. Of course poles were great too.
The various small lakes on the plateau were beautifully frozen over. Sunlight played hide & seek through the trees and a thin low cloud layer that we were sometimes above, sometimes below. Got some nice views of the snow-coated Lions, and the Tantalus Range further north. Exercise and sunshine kept us comfortably warm. An enjoyable day! 🙂
GPS track & data: gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/855c0a43e573b25d889ce6da3f2d918d/?layer=GaiaTopoRasterMeters
9km; 431m ascent; 2hr49min hiking + 52min stopped = 3hr42min total.
Posted trip: northshorehikers.org/events/eagle-bluffs-2019-12-09 (requires member login)
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