Every weekend during the spring to fall months my loving husband claims I am trying to kill him.
You see every weekend I take him and our hound dog Bella out on a hike.
I love hiking. It is not only a workout; it is also a form of meditation for me. A chance to get away from reality and be in the present, if only for a few hours.
Loving husband, on the other hand, finds it quite the opposite. He finds hiking to be hard, sweaty work, which is best experienced once in a while – not every Sunday.
Too bad for him that he is married to a trainer.
In today’s column I share my top 10 hikes in the Lower Mainland.
To make my top 10 list the hikes had to be quiet and void of crowds (you will not find busy hikes like the Lions, Dog Mountain, Eagle Bluffs and Quarry Rock on my list).
The hikes also have to be dog-friendly and easily marked.
They also have to be within a 60-75-minute drive from home, be a bit challenging (if I want to go for a walk I will head to the dike), and have some sort of viewpoint, water feature and/or vantage point to enjoy lunch from.
10. Lynn Peak, North Shore (Four hours, intermediate). This hike is tough, like Grouse Grind tough, however without the crowds and with an amazing view at the top. 9 kilometres, 720-metre elevation gain.
9. Brothers Creek Loop, West Vancouver (four hours, beginner-intermediate). Located within the British Properties this hike takes you through old growth forest, with a bridge crossing over a beautiful waterfall. 7 kilometres, 350-metre elevation gain.
8. Mount Seymour, North Shore (Five hours, intermediate-advanced). This is a tough, yet beautiful hike. There are three peaks you can summit and each offer amazing views of the city and surrounding mountains. 9 kilometres, 450-metre elevation gain.
7. Lindsay Lake Loop, Buntzen Lake (Six-eight hours, advanced). Loving husband and I did this on our anniversary a few years ago and apparently this is when he began to suspect that I was trying to kill him. This hike is very challenging, but very beautiful. It has a little bit of everything: forest, bouldering, a lake and a ton of viewpoints overlooking Vancouver. 15 kilometres, 1020-metre elevation gain.
6. Allouette Mountain, Golden Ears Provincial Park (Eight-10 hours, intermediate-advanced). You can really escape into the wild with this hike. You will find amazing alpine views, beautiful wild flowers, breathtaking sights all while getting a heart-pumping workout. 20 kilometres, 1,000-metre elevation gain.
5. Norvan Falls, North Shore (Five hours, beginner-intermediate). Lush forests with a waterfall - who wouldn’t want to hike this trail? Loving husband and I used this trail a lot last year when we were training for the West Coast Trail. 14 kilometres, very minimal elevation gains.
4. Mount Fromme, North Shore (Five hours, intermediate). Mount Fromme is located just east of Grouse Mountain. We have done this hike in the snow (New Year’s Day last year), the early fall months and in the dead of summer. It’s a fantastic trail that is far less travelled than many of the other trails on my list. 10 kilometres, 880-metre elevation gain.
3. Sumas Mountain, Fraser Valley (Six hours, intermediate). We have done this hike a few times and we love it. Even loving husband does not mind this hike, which says a lot! 13.5 kilometres, 715-metre elevation gain.
2. Diez Vistas, Buntzen Lake (Six-seven hours, intermediate). Named Diez Vistas for its 10 views, this hike is one of my all-time favourites. In fact, we just did it again last weekend. Wait till viewpoint #3 for lunch – it’s got the best view. 15 kilometres, 460-metre elevation gain.
1. And my favourite hike of them all is…Big Cedar to Kennedy Falls, North Shore (Five hours, intermediate). This hike is stunning. You will encounter very few people while you pass though old growth forest (including a tree they call Big Cedar, which is estimated to be 600-years old), ending at spectacular waterfall. 10 kilometres, 150-metre elevation gain.
PJ Wren is a local personal trainer and writer who can be found dragging her loving husband and her dog Bella on any one of these trails every weekend. You can also reach her at: www.fitnesswithpj.com.
