Unnecessary Mountain gets its peculiar name from the fact it once was part of the route to reach The Lions whereas now the route avoids it.  This now, unnecessary mountain, no longer needs to be climbed to reach The Lions.  Unnecessary is part of the amazing Howe Sound Crest Trail in Cypress Provincial Park and is one of the many beautiful peaks to be climbed if desired on the 29 kilometre trail.

• Very challenging & rewarding hike!
  
• Short, but steep trail
  
• Sensational views at the summit!
  
• On the Howe Sound Crest Trail
  
• Dogs & camping are welcome
  
• Relatively quiet, yet beautiful hike
  
• Accessible with snowshoes in the winter
  
• Unmaintained trail from Lions Bay
  
• Easy to lose the trail due to few signs
• Too challenging for most hikers

Vancouver Hiking Trails

Black Mountain Brunswick Mountain Burnaby Lake Burnaby Mountain Coliseum Mountain Crown Mountain Cypress Falls Deeks Peak Deep Cove Deer Lake Dog Mountain Goat Mountain Goldie Lake Grouse Hollyburn MountainKitsilano Beaches Lighthouse Park Lynn Canyon Lynn Peak Mt Elsay Mt Fromme Mt Hanover Mt Harvey Mt Seymour Mt Strachan Mystery Lake Pacific Spirit Rice Lake St Mark's Stanley Park The Lions Unnecessary 

Among the hiker friendly mountains (from Cypress north) on the Howe Sound Crest Trail are: Mount Strachan, St Mark`s Summit, Unnecessary Mountain, The Lions, Mount Harvey, Mount Hanover, Brunswick Mountain and finally Deeks Peak.

As Unnecessary lays in the middle of the Howe Sound Crest Trail, it has its own trail from Lions Bay which makes it a manageable day-trip.  The trail is well marked but very steep and overgrown.  It is sometimes compared, as so many other North Shore trails often are, to the Grouse Grind.  Harder, better views and no people, is the usual description.  Unnecessary Mountain is comprised of three summits, all three are reachable without technical skill.  The summit furthest north is where the original trail to the Lions is located.  The Howe Sound Crest Trail now goes around the east side of Unnecessary Mountain.

Discover Unnecessary Mountain at HikeInVan.com

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