A short 2 hr hike along the Howe Sound Crest Trail (West) from Cypress mountain gets you to St Mark’s Summit. Incredible to think the start of this hike is within 30 mins of downtown Vancouver and a testament to just how dramatic the BC landscape is. This place is incredible. You can easily keep going along the ridge and end up at the infamous Lions, via Unnecessary Mountain.

From the Cypress Mountain car park, the trail (technically, the Binkert Trail) begins just past the lifts and winds through a collection of small lakes and creeks before it begins to zig-zag up hill…

Yew Lake Interpretive Trail, Cypress Mountain

Once up on top of the Howe Sound Crest Trail it follows the natural ridge of the mountains offering some great views of the Lions through the trees…

Great viewpoints for the Lions along the Howe Sound Crest Trail (West)

Panorama of Howe Sound from St Mark’s Summit

One of the rocky outcrops on St Mark’s Summit – great perch to take in the views and have lunch

Lunch on a rocky outcrop of St Mark’s Summit, overlooking Howe Sound.

Summer super moon over the skies of Vancouver and Mount Baker in the US

Vancouver looking epic in the sunset