Ist Snowshoe of the year.

Destination: Cypress Mountain Snowshoe
Location: West Vancouver BC
Duration: 2 hour round trip
Rating / 10: 8
Extreme factor: moderate high (if you summit the tusk)
Cost Factor: $20 if you need to rent snowshoes
In Attendance: 50+ beginner, intermediate & advanced snowshoers!
Group recommendation: 2 people is good
Description: We lucked out and woke up to a gorgeous winter day in Vancouver. Sun shining, fresh powder snow on the mountains, and the cold temperatures, made for a perfect day to summit cypress peak on snowshoes. Our teams from West Van, Kits, and White Rock met early in the morning to avoid the afternoon crowd, but arrived to find many had the same idea we did! A quick group shot of our 50+ group and we divided up into our respective categories.

Our group was to hike up the mountain to Hollyburn peak. This was the most advanced of the 3 groups, and anyone up for a good challenge can complete this one. We began the climb at a moderate pace, climbing up small peaks along the way and stopping several times along the way to enjoy the gorgeous view and snack on trail mix. It honestly could not have been a more perfect day. This was my first time going up, and have heard many tell me what a great climb it is, but to experience it is something else. Crystal clear blue skies, the sun reflecting off the ocean below; we were all in awe.

The final climb to the peak was the steepest and we really had to dig the toes of our snowshoes in as we were climbing to avoid sliding back down. One smart man in our group brought poles, and we were all in envy (he’s done this one before!). Nonetheless, we all made it and were rewarded with a breathtaking 360 view of our beautiful province. The City, harbour, and ocean to our south, and endless snow covered mountains to our north. A rest at the top, pictures, high fives, and we were ready to head back down. Now, this was the fun part. Sitting on the back of our snowshoes we were able to slide back down the mountain.

The fresh powder snow made this a lot of fun! All of us laughing and having fun like kids as we slide down on our bums. A tip for next time is to strap crazy carpets on to your camel pak (we saw several coming up with this idea). Coming down was a lot faster then going up, and we took some time to have fun in the snow; climbing up small peaks and attempting front flips into the powder.

Back at the bottom we met up with the other 2 groups before departing off the mountain. All said we were back in Vancouver sipping hot chocolate by 12noon. I defiantly recommend this to all in the city (the experience and views in your own backyard are hard to beat!), and anyone passing through who has a morning to spare and wants to see the city from a different view.

Next stop: Alaska