Mount Elsay in Seymour Provincial Park

Mount Elsay is a tough 16k roundtrip hike that takes you beyond Mount Seymour and the crowds into the desolate backcountry of Mount Seymour Provincial Park.  To get to the marked Mount Elsay trail you have to follow the trail to Mount Seymour.  Click on the map to the right to go to the beautiful, full size, printable map from the BC Parks site for Mount Seymour Provincial Park.  Though not detailed for navigating it will give you an overall look at the major landmarks and main trails.  Mount Elsay is a difficult and dangerous trail to hike if you are unprepared or poorly equipped.  The trail is often very difficult and losing the trail is very possible even in good weather.

The trailhead for Mount Seymour (which leads to the Mount Elsay trail) is easy to find once you have reached the main parking lot to Mount Seymour Resort.  To get to the main parking lot simply drive until you come to the end of the road and the end of the final parking lot (you will see ski lifts).

Looking towards the end of this long parking lot you will see a large, round wooden map board (indicated on the map below by the red marker).  Walk along the trees (directly up on the map below).  From here on there are frequent tree markers and signs directing you to Mount Seymour.  Follow this route until you get to the col between Second Peak and Third Peak where the Elsay Trail starts.

The Mount Elsay trail that branches off of the Mount Seymour trail is, at times hard to follow as it descends west of Mount Seymour into the depression between Second Peak and Third Peak.  There is a sign "Danger - Steep Terrain".  At this sign look left to find flagging tape marking the trail to take to Mount Elsay.  This trail will lead along the edge of Mount Seymour and a metal, "Mt Elsay Trail" sign.  The trail then gradually ascends toward the summit of Elsay.  At the ridge between the two mountains, Seymour and Elsay the trail forks.  Following the rock cairns to the right into the rock field will lead to the Elsay Lake trail which allows for a different route on your way back.  To reach Mount Elsay, instead head steeply up, bearing left toward the summit.

Directions to the Mount Elsay

From Highway #1 (Trans-Canada Highway) take Exit #22 Mount Seymour Parkway. Turn right onto Mount Seymour Parkway almost immediately and follow it 4.4 km before turning left onto Mount Seymour Road.  Follow Mount Seymour Road as it winds it's way up the mountain.  Drive to the end of the large parking lot at the end of the road. Start at the Mount Seymour Trail kiosk, to the left of the Mystery Peak chairlift.  Parking is free and there are no trail fees in Mount Seymour Provincial Park.  Parking for Mount Elsay (Mt Seymour Parking Lot): (49.367476837839554, -122.94919833540916)

More Hikes Near Mount Elsay

Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver is a beautiful and astoundingly huge network of hiking/walking/biking trails.  An estimated 8 million hikers, walkers, rollerbladers and cyclists visit the park yearly.  The wonderful spider web of trails throughout the park add up to a staggering 200 kilometres, which explains how the park generally feels serene and relatively quiet most days despite its phenomenal popularity.  Any visit to Vancouver should include a wander around Stanley Park.  Everything about it is beautiful.  The seawall, the huge trees, the ocean views, small beaches, the gardens.  The Vancouver Aquarium is a great sight to see as well as the various landmarks scattered throughout the park.  The pitch and putt golf course, the seaside swimming pool, the Theatre Under the Stars, the Nine O'Clock Gun, Siwash Rock and of course the Hollow Tree.  Finally, seeing the Lions Gate Bridge from below as you pass under via the seawall is quite a sight.  Pacific Spirit Park surrounds the University of British Columbia on the shores of Georgia Straight.  The park has a beautiful array of trails, 73 kilometres in total, that run along beaches, some old growth forest and even a bog.  The network of trails interconnects so often that you can do small 15 minute sections if that is all you are after.  Pacific Spirit Park is one of Vancouver's most popular parks and located in the wonderful and expensive neighbourhood, Point Grey.  You can wander the park for hours if you want as there are an endless number of trails heading in all directions. Burnaby Lake Regional Park has a series of trails that add up to 9k if done in a circular route around the lake.  There are in fact 19k of trails in the park.  The various trails include the 2.6k Cottonwood Trail, the 1.8k.  Brunette Headwaters Trail, the .8k Avalon Trail which connects the Burnaby Equestrian Centre with the Southshore Trail.  The 3.4k Southshore Trail, and the smaller trails, Conifer Loop, Spruce Trail Loop and the Pavillion Trail.  Burnaby Mountain is just 30 minutes east of downtown Vancouver and has a nice network of trails with fantastic views of Vancouver, Burrard Inlet and beyond.  The trails link to the wonderful Trans Canada Trail.  The trails are all fairly easy and well laid out. All combined the trails probably add up to less than 10k, so expect to wander around for 1-3 hours.  Burnaby Mountain is located at Simon Fraser University high above, and overlooking Burrard Inlet.  The views north are of Vancouver making it a popular location to view the Celebration of Light fireworks festival on English Bay. Deer Lake Park is a mecca for outdoor activities and cultural life in Burnaby.  Whether you want to visit and art gallery or see and outdoor concert, Deer Lake Park is the place you will find it.  Your kids will love the park for the beach, the playground, the water activities and the Burnaby Village Museum.  So much to see and always something happening, make Deer Lake Park fun for everyone.  In the summer months the park comes alive with outdoor concerts and lake activities and in the off season it is a relaxing park to go for a quiet walk around the scenic trails.  The beautiful Cypress Falls trail has two nice waterfalls to see as well as an impressive forest of old growth Cedars and Douglas Firs.  The trailhead to Cypress Falls Regional Park is located in West Vancouver, just off the Sea to Sky Highway(99).  From the trailhead to the lower falls is easy to follow.  There are quite a few smaller trails that join the main trail leading to various connecting routes to the main trail. Mystery Lake is an easy, well marked trail that leads to a cute mountain lake that is perfect for relaxing, swimming or having a picnic.  It is just 1.5k to the lake and like the rest of Seymour Park dogs are welcome.  The trailhead is easy to find once you have reached the main parking lot to Mount Seymour Resort.  Just look for the signs for Mystery Lake on the frequent trail signs.  The trail starts off by ascending up the ski slopes of Seymour for a few hundred metres.  This section is fairly steep, though not terribly difficult.  This trail takes you under the Mystery Chairlift and into the trees, away from the ski runs.  The trail then winds through the forest and out to another ski run where you get your first great view of Vancouver far below.  The Goldie Lake trail in Mount Seymour Provincial Park is a cute, self-guided interpretive trail that runs around this small mountain lake.  Although it is only 4 kilometres(roundtrip) for the normal loop trail, there are some side-trail variations that can lengthen and vary the route to almost 6k. Flower Lake is one of these trails and well worth the look.  The busy Mount Seymour trail in Seymour Provincial Park is a locals favourite.  It is challenging and an excellent workout at 4k from the trailhead to the summit.  The views are phenomenal.  On a clear day you can see as far as Vancouver Island as well as amazing views of Vancouver, the lower mainland and the Gulf Islands.  Located in the beautiful Mount Seymour Provincial Park there are several hikes in the area.  There are a few easy lake trails like Mystery Lake and Goldie Lake.  At the far end of the Baden Powell Trail, in the cute town of Deep Cove is home to the fantastic Deep Cove Lookout trail.  Also known as Quarry Rock and the Grey Rock Trail, the Deep Cove  Lookout Trail is amazing.  The wonderful trail crosses numerous creek bridges to get to the impressive lookout with views of Deep Cove and Indian Arm far below.  Indian Arm is a 20k fjord that cuts deep into the mainland.  The slopes on either side are heavily forested and steep and therefore have seen little human development as compared to the heavily populated regions nearby.  The hike is fairly relaxing.  There is free parking off Panorama Drive and the trailhead is marked with a Baden Powell Trail sign. Everyone knows the Grouse Grind as the fantastically popular 2.9k, workout in Vancouver.  What is less known is that it is the gateway, or rather back door to some amazing hiking in the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park.  Dam Mountain, Goat Mountain, Crown Mountain, Norvan Falls, Coliseum Mountain, Lynn Peak and quite a lot more lay across the horizon from the top of the Grind.  Whether you start at the base of the Grind or at the top of the SkyRide, the beautifully addictive Grouse Grind is, for many, just the beginning of the trail to so much more. Lynn Headwaters Regional Park begins several kilometres away at the Lynn Valley trailhead and beautiful trails follow Lynn Creek for 7k to Norvan Falls.  Lynn Peak is a beautifully forested hiking trail is a local favourite running route comparable to the Grouse Grind.  In 4.5k the trail rises 730 metres and hardly ever in a straight line.  There are a few good viewpoints on the hike to Lynn Peak.  It is convenient hiking trail, close to downtown Vancouver as it is only about a 30 minute drive away into the magnificent rainforest of North Van.