Howe Sound Crest Trail

Statistics

Directions

To reach the southern trailhead from the city of Vancouver, cross either the Lions Gate Bridge or the Ironworker's Memorial (Second Narrows) Bridge. Follow Highway #1/#99 west to exit #8, signed as "Cypress". Follow Cypress Bowl Road north as it winds it's way up the mountain to the ski hill area. Park in the main parking lot at the end of the road, near the park information sign. A parking pass is required to park in the Cypress Bowl area during the summer - either an annual BC Parks pass or a $3 daily pass paid using the machines at the parking lots.

The northern trailhead is located off of Highway #99 (Sea-to-Sky), 22 km north of Horseshoe Bay. Continue to the Porteau Road road exit and park in the large parking lot on the east side of the highway. Construction of the widened highway as well as a new luxury home development in the area have affected access to the northern portion of the route. The initial portion of the trail has been replaced by a new gravel road and the Deeks Creek Trail has been destroyed.

Details

(Note: Rough description for Deeks Lake, renamed and merged into Howe Sound Crest Trail entry)

The trial climbs steeply for a short while until it meets up with an old logging road, where you turn right. Follow the road until you pass a pond and turn left at the fork, where the trail steepens again until the you reach Phi Alpha Falls and Deeks Lake.

Keep going past the lake to Hanover Lake and the Howe Sound Crest Trail.

For a detailed description of the trail from south to north, with photos: see http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36856

Photographs

GPS Waypoints

South Trailhead (Cypress Bowl)	N49.39537 W123.20245	10U 485310 5471428
Deeks Lake	N49.51628 W123.21162	10U 484682 5484872
Phi Alpha Falls	N49.51832 W123.21423	10U 484494 5485100
North Trailhead (Porteau Road Parking Lot)	N49.54521 W123.24043	10U 482607 5488095