Last week a couple of good friends of mine told me that in preparation for their Mt Kilimanjaro climb this coming fall they are going to do regular hiking here around Vancouver and area. Their first major hike was The Lions. These are a couple of very large rock structures that resemble sitting lions when seen from the city of Vancouver. The bridge between Vancouver and North Vancouver bears their namesake (Lions Gate Bridge). The Lions are at about 1500m (5000ft) above sea level, and the start of the trek to reach them begins in the village of Lions Bay (BC, Canada). The return trip is about 15km. I recommend the guide book “103 Hikes in Southwestern British Columbia” for more details.
I did this trail a couple of times in the past, and my friends’ hike reminded me that I had some videos. My videos are from a September hike. Take a look at the approach to the Lions in my short video below (about 3 min):
This is a challenging hike, especially if you plan on climbing one of the Lions. The final approach to the base of the Lions is completely exposed. You will need to make your way over and around some large boulders, and in the summer it’s a sizzler! Bring plenty of water. The short video below (about 2 and a half min) shows what you can see when you reach the base of the Lions (spoiler alert!):
Take a look at some of my photos from the hike:
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- Howe Sound, looking Southwest
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- Lions Bay, below and behind the trees
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- Looking Southeast, Capilano Lake, North Vancouver, and so on
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- Looking West, Strait of Georgia
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I know this post is about 18 months old but I just discovered it while reminiscing. Beautiful photos and vids, Bart. I did this hike a very long time ago – must have been 1974, with my Grade 10 class at Balmoral in North Van. I did it again in the early ’80s and not much had changed – it looks to me from your vids that there have since been some significant changes to the route, such as that foot bridge (is that near the start in Lions Bay ?). In particular, I remember a meadow just when you leave the woods, with some large outcrops pefect for picnicking on. When I went with the school, we happened to be there on a day that a local hiking club was going up the East Lion. They were kind enough to let the few hardiest of us to use their ropes to reach the top – it was well worth it and, as you can see, a memory to last a very long time
Charles, thank you for sharing your memories! Although the post may be a bit older, I keep the comments open because the Lions are not going anywhere
The bridge you refer to crosses Harvey Creek, and is about midway up the trail, as you leave the old logging road trail. The meadow with the outcrops is still there, and you’re right, it is perfect for picnicking!