Mount Strachan/Hollyburn Mountain

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Mount Strachan/Hollyburn Mountain

After being kept up all night by whistle-blowing trains, air-braking trucks, splashing waves and a belligerent squirrel, I was eager to pack up camp and leave Porteau Cove Provincial Park in British Columbia on the morning of 2 October 2002. On my way back to Vancouver, I decided to visit Cypress Provincial Park and climb the double summits of Mount Strachan. Starting from the Cypress Bowl Ski Area, I followed the Howe Sound Crest Trail as far as the meadows west of Mount Strachan. A steep gully runs up from the meadows to the col between the north and south summits, but initial access to this gully is tricky as it is not well marked. While it is possible to scramble directly up the gully, I followed a flagged route which stayed mostly in the trees until near the col. From the col, I hiked easily up to the higher north summit (1454 metres) which was unfortunately shrouded by clouds and mist.

After a short rest, I returned to the col and hiked over the south summit before dropping down through the forest to a meadow full of blueberries. While I was stuffing my mouth with berries, I suddenly realized that a black bear was about 50 yards ahead of me. I alerted the bear to my presence, but he (I assumed the bear was male) seemed to pay little attention to me. When I yelled a bit louder, the bear scooted across the trail, but he didn't go very far before stopping to eat berries. Sensing that this bear wasn't aggressive, I calmly walked right by him and continued along the trail to the pass between Mount Strachan and Hollyburn Mountain. Having plenty of energy, I decided to traverse Hollyburn Mountain before returning to the parking lot along the Baden-Powell Trail.

Steeper than it looks. This is looking back down the gully from about two thirds of the way up.

It's better than seeing nothing! The clouds cleared a bit to allow this view of Bowen Island from Mount Strachan's north summit.

Another picture of Bigfoot? This is the black bear foraging in the meadow.

Okay, this peak-bagging is starting to get pointless. Sonny squats atop the 1325-metre* summit of Hollyburn Mountain. The twin summits of Mount Strachan are barely visible in the mist.
*This is the generally accepted figure for Hollyburn Mountain, but my GPS reading in 2016 showed 1336 metres.

I would return over 14 years later to ski up Hollyburn Mountain.

	This is looking back down the gully from about two thirds of the way up.
	The clouds cleared a bit to allow this view of Bowen Island from Mount Strachan's north summit.
	This is the black bear foraging in the meadow.
	Sonny squats atop the 1325-metre* summit of Hollyburn Mountain. The twin summits of Mount Strachan are barely visible in the mist. *This is the generally accepted figure for Hollyburn Mountain, but my GPS reading in 2016 showed 1336 metres.