Hiking Coliseum Mountain in the North Shore Mountains
Contents
Coliseum Mountain Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 10.50Km
Elevation Gain: 1,350m
Highest Elevation: 1,441m
Average Gradient: 25.71%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 6 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 5 – 6 Hours
– Fast: 4 – 5 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: July – October
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: Some light forest scrambling up roots / branches, as well as a few roped sections. No real exposure.
Coliseum Mountain Trail (From Seymour Valley)
Note that the below trail continues to Mount Burwell, which is an optional extension to Coliseum Mountain.
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°21’01.1″N 123°00’53.6″W
Note, these coordinates are where you would park and begin your bike ride to the start of the hike.
Coliseum Mountain Trail (From Lynn Headwaters Regional Park)
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°21’35.0″N 123°01’40.3″W
Coliseum Mountain Overview
Coliseum Mountain is a peak located in the backcountry of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park in the North Shore Mountains, offering panoramic views of nearly all of the North Shore peaks.
The are two standard routes up to Coliseum Mountain, with the most popular beginning in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, requiring a long, mostly flat and rather boring plod along Lynn Creek before the real climb eventually begins just before you reach Norvan Falls.
The other route, and the one described here, begins at the Lower Seymour Conservation Area, and instead of a long, flat hike, you cycle the first 10km to the trailhead on the paved Seymour Valley Trailway, cutting out the long plod you have to take on the Lynn Headwaters route. This is a faster route as cycling the trailway is far quicker than hiking along Lynn Creek. You also get to summit the nearby Paton Peak on this route, unlike the Lynn Headwaters route.
Either way you go, after the initial long hike or bike ride, both routes ultimately end with an incredibly steep and adventurous trail up to the mountain, you just have to decide whether you prefer to cycle or hike the beginning.
From the summit of Coliseum Mountain you will be treated to an expansive and incredibly varied view. On a clear day you will be able to see Mount Seymour, Crown Mountain, Mount Burwell, Cathedral Mountain, the Lions, Hanes Valley, Downtown Vancouver, the Needles, Grouse Mountain, Mount Harvey, Brunswick Mountain and much, much more. The views are never ending up there.
Since Coliseum Mountain is in the backcountry of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, it is closed for large parts of the year when this terrain becomes treacherous under snow. Check the Lynn Headwaters website to see if the park is closed, it is typically open once the snow has melted and the backcountry is deemed safe, usually opening sometime in July and closing once the snow returns, usually in October.
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Is Coliseum Mountain worthwhile?
Coliseum Mountain is a very steep and challenging hike from either approach, but the views from the top are well worth the effort to get there. These are some of the most varied views you will get from any North Shore summit, providing insights into innumerable peaks, many of which you may have already been atop of.
How difficult is the hike to Coliseum Mountain?
With an average gradient above 25% this is undoubtedly a very steep hike throughout. That being said, it’s also a fairly short hike at just over 10km. While you will certainly be physically challenged, it shouldn’t last too long and as such I’d sooner consider this a difficult hike rather than a very difficult hike.
Technically speaking Coliseum Mountain is quite the adventure. The trail is rugged throughout, with a lot of maneuvering over roots, logs, rocks, branches, bluffs & loose dirt. At times you will be using your hands to climb steep slopes, even pulling yourself up ropes next to bluffs. Coming back down you will likely be butt sliding at times. It’s never really exposed but it’s certainly a technical hike in almost every sense.
Coliseum Mountain Route Information
Note that there are two linked trails above, the standard route from Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, and the Seymour Valley route. The description below will be describing the Seymour Valley route. Also note the Seymour Valley route actually continues on to Mount Burwell, which is an optional addition if you choose to do so.
The parking lot for the Seymour Valley route to Coliseum Mountain is at the Lower Seymour Conservation Area (see coordinates). There are gate hours to access this parking lot, so do check them before heading out. Once you’ve parked you will then have to bike the 10km Seymour Valley Trailway to the trailhead.
The trailway is a wide, paved path without any vehicle traffic, and makes for a pleasant trip that shouldn’t be too challenging. Large parts of it are flat, with the odd mild hill throughout. It should take most people around an hour each way. At around 9.5km you should pass by a gravel road to your left, which is where the trail begins. If you reach Stoney Creek Picnic Area you have cycled too far and need to turn back. You can cycle or push your bike up the gravel trail about 500m before reaching the actual trailhead, locking your bike to one of the trees along the way (or stashing it in the bushes).
The trail immediately enters the forest and runs adjacent to a dried up creek filled with boulder debris. Almost immediately it becomes a very typical North Shore trail, beautiful forest, pine needles everywhere, lots of fallen trees and very rugged footing throughout.
The first kilometer or so of the hike will climb around 300m and will mostly be steep but straightforward. At around the 580m mark you’ll have a small viewpoint looking towards Mount Seymour and Runner Peak. This is a great place to take a quick break and catch your breath.
The trail continues in the usual manner initially, before soon reaching bluffs and rocky outcrops. You’ll be using your hands to climb up roots and branches, and there will be a rope assisted section you’ll need to navigate. The trail continues as a mixture of very steep forest terrain, with the odd light forest scramble thrown in. Navigation is largely straightforward, with the trail now well marked and pretty obvious for the most part.
There’ll soon be a couple more roped sections to navigate, and a lot more steep terrain, but eventually the trees will start to thin out and you’ll see some views through the treeline. At around 1,000m elevation you’ll break out of the treeline entirely and reach a cairn in the trail. Going left will continue along to Coliseum Mountain, and going straight will take you to Paton Peak. Since Paton Peak is so close it makes for a great stop on the way, and the views from here are actually pretty great. You’ll also be able to see your objective, Coliseum Mountain, looming further ahead.
Once you’re ready to continue, head back to the cairn junction and instead continue along the trail. The trail will now descend back into the forest, losing around 50m in elevation. Most of the technical scrambling is behind you now, but as you continue along the trail you’ll cross over one small boulder field, before soon reaching a much larger boulder field that you will now ascend. At the top of this boulder field you will join up with the standard route coming from Lynn Headwaters. Take here not to end up descending this trail, instead continuing up towards Coliseum Mountain.
The trail continues to be relentlessly steep, passing through a few more sections where you will need to climb up using roots and branches. Once you reach around the 1,300m mark you will finally break out of the treeline and the views for the remainder of the hike will continue to get better and better.
The remainder of the hike is now simply following the markers along the ridgeline leading towards the summit. At times the trail might not be obvious, and I took a wrong turn at one stage, but it’s always easy to find your way back. After following the ridge for less than a kilometer you will reach the summit, marked by a cairn. The views will now be breathtaking in every direction.
If you want a slightly longer adventure you are able to continue even further to Mount Burwell, which is a fairly simple ridgeline walk that should only add an hour or so to your day, and offers a pretty nice view of Cathedral Mountain and Palisade Lake, otherwise you simply return back the way you came.
When should I hike Coliseum Mountain?
Hiking to Coliseum Mountain is restricted for a large part of the year due to the closure of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park backcountry. Usually the backcountry will open in July, and close again once the snow returns, typically in October. Make sure to check the Lynn Headwaters Regional Park website for updates on closures.
Top Tip
There are no water sources anywhere along this hike until you get to the summit, where there is a small tarn that you can use to refill your bottles, make sure to take plenty!
The trail is largely easy to follow, but I still advise bringing a map as this is not a frequently hiked route and you might be on your own to find the way.
I do advise continuing on to Mount Burwell, it’s a short addition and offers some nice views as well. Most people stop at Coliseum Mountain, so it should be quieter on Burwell also.
If you have never hiked to Norvan Falls and want to combine two hikes, you could always take the Lynn Valley route, go to Norvan Falls, then continue up the trail to Coliseum Mountain.
