Hike "The Lions"

To find the trail head drive to Lions Bay on Hwy. 99 . Take the right exit on Oceanview Road . Turn left on Cross Creek Road , then right on Center Road . Go left on Bayview and left on Mountain Drive . About 2 km. turn left on Sunset Drive . There is a small lot just before the gate . If this is full you have to go back down the hill and park at the school on Bayview Road . If you do get turned around or lost don't worry Lions Bay is not that big and there are only a few streets that go up hill .The trail starts out on a logging road and is a good warm-up for your legs for the trip to come. After about 30-45 minutes of steady walking you will come to a fork in the road , take the road on your right . There is a cute little sign posted on a tree to the left of the road pointing the way . In a short time there are peek-a-boo views of Howe Sound though the trees aftre which the road starts to narrow into a trail . You should reach Harvey Creek in about 1 1/2 hrs. there is a slight descent here and if it's a hot day this is a good spot to stop for a break , soak up the cool air and refill your water bottle . After you rock hop across the creek it's back up hill and this can be strenuous for new hikers . The bulk of the elevation gain is ahead of you . After about 2 1/2 hours of climbing on switchbacks , over or around huge logs and rocks you'll reach a viewpoint . The waters of Howe Sound & Lions Bay are far below and you can see the slope of Mount Harvey with it's clearcut to the north . The rocks in this area are flat should you decide to put up a tent and explore the area for a few days . Going southeast from here up a rocky slope are wide open views , and the Howe Sound Crest Trail , which is 200 m above you . The day I was up the North Shore Search & Rescue group were on an outing and remarking the trail as well . Once you are on the rocky slope the trail is easy to pick up just follow the muddy boot prints and all the orange dots . The guys did a really good job of marking all the way to the top . Once you make your way up to the top of the ridge you will see Unnecessary Mountain to the south and the West Lion above you . As you head away from Unnecessary Mountain ( northeast ) there is one last bump to ask your tired legs to get you over . Look around at the view and think about the great lunch you are going to have and that should give you energy to make this last little climb . Once you hit the top the Lions are before you .