Vancouver is blessed with huge mountains right on its doorstop. That is, after all, why most of us are here. For some reason though, we seem to forget that and go off driving hours to climb other mountains miles away. Today we decided to put that right and hike something new in our backyard. The objectives were Coliseum and Burwell Mountains, two peaks at the head of the Lynn Valley.

The hike is a classic west coast suffer-fest. After a quick 9km approach by bike along the paved Lower Seymour Conservation Area trail we stashed the bikes in the woods, then you go up. A whole lotta up. About 1400m to be precise. Straight up, no switchbacks, no messing. The you get some lovely hiking in the alpine across rocky slabs dotted with tarns, then you come back down the same way. Coming down hurts a lot more!

Heading up the lower part of the trail:

Once again there were lots of different mushrooms along the trail:

A cool twisted tree, long since passed away:

Short rest on the Seymour viewpoint:

The peaks further north are looking white from last week’s storms:

Another crazy looking fungus:

Nearing the ridge we get out of the trees and enjoy some boulder hopping:

On the summit of Coliseum with Cathedral Mtn behind:

Looking back at the city and the glistening Straight of Georgia:

Crown Mountain (behind Grouse). The stepped ridge centre-left is Widowmaker Arete, the closest true alpine climb to the city:

Looking East to the peaks north of the Fraser Valley, I like the regression:

Me and Angie on the summit of Coliseum:

Snowy slopes between Coliseum and Burwell:

The group on the summit of Burwell:

Vancouver from the snowy summit of Burwell. Its all downhill from here:

A cool tree on the way down the trail (HDR):

We all had pretty sore feet and legs by the time we got down, but it was another stunning fall day, and two more local mountains in the bag.