Strachan – Hollyburn – Black Mountain

Hiking Mount Strachan and Mount Hollyburn

Length: 16.3 km

Elevation Gain: 1076 m

Difficulty Level:: Hard (difficult terrains, a lot of ascending and descending)

Cypress Bowl is nestled among three mountains: Strachan, Hollyburn, and Black Mountain. It is possible to hike all three in a single day, but be prepared for a long and tiring day. I managed to do it, and I highly recommend completing the hike in the order I have listed here. Strachan has the best views.

Trailhead to Strachan

From the trailhead (the lodge), follow the Saint Mark’s Trail for about 2.5 km until you reach a short wooden bridge. There should be a faint trail on the right-hand side after the first wooden bridge (there may be a second bridge immediately after the first). Find and follow this faint trail. You are mostly follow a creek next to the trail, but don’t walk too close to the creek because it’s wet and slippery. This section is known as Christmas Gully.

Christmas Gully is steep and rocky. Combined with water splashing from the creek, the trail can be very slippery in places. This is also why descending through the gully is not recommended.

Don’t forget to stop and look back from time to time as you ascend Christmas Gully, as there are good views of Howe Sound and the surrounding islands.

After gaining more than 300 metres of elevation in a relatively short distance, you will reach a small plateau and a T section. Strachan North Peak is to the left, while Strachan South Peak is to the right.

I highly recommend visiting the North Peak first. The ascent to either peak is short and not particularly steep, but the North Peak offers much better views. There are no major obstructions, and from the summit, you are rewarded with 360-degree panoramic views as far as the eye can see. On a clear day, you can even see Mount Baker. Of course, you will also have great views of the iconic Lions, Mount Seymour, and Howe Sound.

After coming down from the North Peak, continue straight towards the South Peak. Again, do not try to descend through Christmas Gully.

At the South Peak, you will see a chairlift station, so do not be surprised if you run into tourists. It is not uncommon to see people up there wearing jeans and sneakers.

Strachan South Peak to Hollyburn

After you have had enough of the South Peak—although, to be honest, there is not nearly as much to see there compared to the North Peak—follow the Strachan and Hollyburn connector towards Hollyburn.

Along the way, you will come across the site of a plane crash that occurred in 1963.

Eventually, you will reach the Collins ski run. You will know it is a ski run because the route suddenly becomes wide and open. Descend Collins for a short distance, and look for a faint trail on the left marked with a ribbon. It can be easy to miss. This is the Hollyburn–Strachan Trail. Follow it all the way to Hollyburn Peak. The trail is not technical but from time to time it gets steep.

The views from Hollyburn are partially blocked by trees, but it is still a worthwhile destination.

After spending some time at Hollyburn, you have two options for returning to the parking lot. The first is to descend via the Hollyburn Trail on the south side of the peak. The second is to retrace your steps back to Collins and descend the ski run to the parking lot.

I have always descended via the Hollyburn Trail. Taking Collins may save some time, but you may be exposed to the sun for the entire descent.

Once you are back at the parking lot, take some time to rest at the lodge before continuing to Black Mountain.

Base (Lodge) to Black Mountain

From the lodge, follow the signs towards Black Mountain. The trail is generally wide but very steep. Hiking poles are recommended, as some sections can be slippery, and by this point in the day, you will likely already be tired after completing Strachan and Hollyburn.

Just before reaching Black Mountain’s peaks—either the North or South Peak—you will come across Cabin Lake. After a long day of hiking, it can be a great place to take a dip and cool off.

From the lake, turning right will take you to the North Peak, while turning left will take you to the South Peak. I have read reviews saying that the South Peak does not offer much of a view, and I only visited the North Peak.

To be honest, the North Peak does not offer many views either. There is a small opening with a view of the Lions, but most of the surrounding views are obstructed by tall trees.

Of the three mountains, Strachan is my favourite. Its unobstructed 360-degree views and spacious summit make it, in my opinion, the highlight of the entire Cypress Bowl adventure.