20 of the Best Snowshoeing Trails near Vancouver
Table of Contents
Disclaimer: Winter hiking (snowshoeing) involves significantly more risk than summer hiking. Hikers should be prepared with appropriate education, training and equipment for all possibilities, including but not limited to avalanches. A mistake such as going off trail, getting lost or injured can be far more dangerous in winter than summer. You are responsible for your own safety, and while I am happy to give my opinion on this website as to the avalanche risk of a specific hike, do not take this as fact and please do your own research. Everybody has different risk tolerances and mine might be different to yours.
Just because the winter months may have set in in Vancouver, it doesn’t mean there aren’t an abundance of options for all ability levels to get out and enjoy nature. While many people might prefer to stay below the snowline in the winter months, many others are looking for that next winter wonderland adventure. There are plenty of options for all abilities to explore, though as always safety is top priority. If you are new to snowshoeing you should start with the beginner trails before working your way up to more challenging ones.
One thing I would encourage for anyone wanting to go snowshoeing is at the very least to go through the AvySavvy course offered by avalanche Canada before going out on a snowshoeing trail. Even if the trails you are intending to snowshoe on are totally avalanche safe beginner level trails, this course goes through the basics that everyone should know before heading out into the snow. If you plan to tackle some of the intermediate and advanced courses listed below I would say taking an AST-1 course beforehand is mandatory. While I’ve done my best to suggest trips that are mostly low risk, that does not mean the risk is zero and you should be knowledgeable enough to be able to identify avalanche terrain, understand when you are in a risky spot, and make safe decisions while out in the field.
You may also want to quickly read through how I plan for a hike in winter, which covers the basics of how I research avalanche conditions, snowline and the weather prior to any snowshoe trip.
Maintaining this website requires a significant investment of both time and money, if you find this website a useful resource, please consider making a donation using this button.
Beginner Snowshoeing Trails Near Vancouver
Beginner snowshoeing trails are generally very popular, easy to navigate and don’t pass through much steep/technical terrain. You can usually hike these at any time of day in all conditions and still see people around. These hikes are a great starting point for people completely new to snowshoeing who want to learn the ropes before moving on to more challenging trails. Many of these trails are actually so popular you often will not even need snowshoes, microspikes often suffice.
Difficulty: Very Easy
Distance: 4.5Km
Elevation Gain: 150m
Highest Elevation: 1,040m
Average Gradient: 6.67%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Very Low / Low
Time Needed:
– Slow: 2 – 3 Hours
– Moderate: 1.5 – 2 Hours
– Fast: 1 – 1.5 Hours
Bowen Lookout on Cypress Mountain is often one of the first snowshoeing trails a beginner snowshoer will end up on thanks to its very modest stats and simple terrain. Combining this lookout with an exploration around Yew Lake offers some wonderful winter scenery for very little effort, with most hikers finished in under two hours. Usually the trail is so well traveled that hikers will manage fine with microspikes, though if going immediately after (or during) a snow storm you might need snowshoes in order to avoid any post-holing.
The lookout over Bowen Island is a fairly rewarding one given the low effort of this hike, and this is a great choice for families with children wanting to experience snow without ever being too far away from their car.
Difficulty: Very Easy
Distance: 5.6Km
Elevation Gain: 165m
Highest Elevation: 1,054m
Average Gradient: 5.90%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Very Low / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 2 – 3 Hours
– Moderate: 1.5 – 2 Hours
– Fast: 1 – 1.5 Hours
Along with Bowen Lookout, Dog Mountain in Mount Seymour Provincial Park is another very popular beginner snowshoeing trail. Thanks to it’s straightforward stats, simple terrain, abundance of people and rewarding viewpoint, many snowshoers visit Dog Mountain every day, especially on sunny weekends.
The effort / reward of Dog Mountain is certainly up there, offering very nice views from the summit overlooking Burnaby and the City of Vancouver, as well as northwestern views of the North Shore Mountains. Similar to Bowen Lookout hikers will often manage with just microspikes due to the high traffic on this hike, though again snowshoes may be warranted after recent snowfall.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7Km
Elevation Gain: 460m
Highest Elevation: 1,326m
Average Gradient: 13.14%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 3.5 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 2.5 – 3.5 Hours
– Fast: 1.5 – 2.5 Hours
Hollyburn Peak is another snowshoe trail located in Cypress Provincial Park, though this one certainly packs more of a challenge than Bowen Lookout, with some steep climbs throughout, especially at the end.
This hike is also well traveled, easy to navigate and covers mostly simple terrain. The final climb up to the summit is steep, though most manage just fine. Snowshoes are more likely to be needed here than Bowen Lookout and Dog Mountain, but you may still get away with microspikes due to its popularity. Hollyburn Peak is popular with families and dog walkers looking for a short outing to some excellent views. From the summit you will be able to see an abundance of peaks, namely the Lions, Mount Strachan and Crown Mountain.
Difficulty: Very Easy
Distance: 7Km
Elevation Gain: 120m
Highest Elevation: 630m
Average Gradient: 3.42%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Low / Low
Time Needed:
– Slow: 3 – 4 Hours
– Moderate: 2 – 3 Hours
– Fast: 1.50 – 2 Hours
Despite being known for its snow, Whistler doesn’t actually have a huge amount of options when it comes to snowshoeing. The Whistler Train Wreck is one of the more popular snowshoeing trails in the area, taking hikers through some scenic, snowy terrain around the Cheakamus River. The hike passes through (or culminates at) the Whistler Train Wreck, the site of a train crash in 1956. Graffiti artists have painted the leftover carriages over the years, making for a somewhat surreal site in the middle of the forest.
This hike is also a popular one in which snowshoes may not always be needed, but if you continue beyond the train wreck on the Millar Creek Trail you’re sure to find some deeper snow as most people stop at the train wreck site before returning to the car.
Difficulty: Moderate from the gondola
Distance: 7.5km from the gondola
Elevation Gain: 415m from the gondola
Highest Elevation: 1,349m
Average Gradient: 11.06%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 3 – 4 hours from the gondola
– Moderate: 2 – 3 hours from the gondola
– Fast: 1.5 – 2 hours from the gondola
Passing over the popular Snowshoe Grind, Thunderbird Ridge and Dam Mountain are a duo of peaks accessible from the top of the Grouse Mountain gondola. Hikers have the option of either hiking up to the gondola via the Grouse Grind or BCMC Trail, or they can take the gondola up and begin the hike from there. Taking the gondola makes this a fairly straightforward outing, hiking up makes this a far more difficult affair.
These two peaks offer some very rewarding views on a sunny day, and the trail to reach them is mostly straightforward. This hike is far less popular versus the other North Shore hikes on this list, likely because of the high fee for the gondola (or arduous climb up from the base of the mountain), but there’s still usually a well worn trail you can follow. Grouse Mountain resort usually mark the trail with poles, so navigation shouldn’t be too challenging.
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 6.00Km
Elevation Gain: 300m
Highest Elevation: 1,588m
Average Gradient: 10.00%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Low / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 3 – 4 Hours
– Moderate: 2 – 3 Hours
– Fast: 1.5 – 2 Hours
While not located in BC (or even Canada), Huntoon Point is an excellent snowshoe trail accessed from the Mount Baker Ski Resort in northern Washington. This is around a 2.5 hour drive from Vancouver, so it’s more than managable as a day trip, plus the rewards far outweigh most of the offerings in Vancouver for incredible views for little effort.
Hikers park at a full 1,300m elevation, with Huntoon Point a mere 3km (one-way) simple hike to the summit. This is an extremely popular area, so there will be plenty of people around, many with families and dogs. The views of Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker are incredible from the summit, and more adventurous parties can hike deeper into the backcountry for a fuller day trip. You can often get away with just microspikes thanks to the popularity of the region, but snowshoes will be warranted at times as Mount Baker sees some of the deepest snowpack in the world.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.8Km
Elevation Gain: 474m
Highest Elevation: 1,407m
Average Gradient: 13.94%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 3 Hours
Pump Peak is another very popular snowshoe trail in Mount Seymour Provincial Park, offering some of the finest North Shore views from any of the popular winter trails. This trail is generally well marked, easy to follow and very well trafficked. Again you won’t always need snowshoes, but they’re always useful to bring in case the snow gets deep, as it often does towards the end of the trail.
The views for much of the trail are very rewarding, none more so than the summit itself. Hikers should take care not to continue beyond Pump Peak as this quickly enters into avalanche terrain. I would suggest Pump Peak as your first outing, but if you’ve done a few of the other beginner options, Pump Peak is a great test.
Other Beginner Snowshoe Trails Near Vancouver
There are plenty of other beginner snowshoe trails near Vancouver as well as the above that you may want to consider:
- Lightning Lakes Loop – This is a very popular snowshoeing trail in Manning Park, forming a loop around the (typically frozen) Lightning Lake. The full loop is around 8.5km, but hikers can go as far as they want before returning back to the parking lot. This is a good family option as the trail is so easy. Since the lake is usually frozen you can often just go out onto the lake and snowshoe as far as you want before returning back.
- Nairn Falls – At just 3.5km Nairn Falls is a very short outing, but the views in the winter are quite scenic. Given the long drive I would perhaps only suggest this if you are in the area anyway.
- Joffre Lakes – The incredibly popular Joffre Lakes is much less busy in the winter, probably because the lake is frozen and snow covered, so you can’t see its beautiful blue hues. That being said the wintery scenes are still stunning, and the trail to reach the first lake is very easy. You can also usually go out onto the lake itself once it is frozen, and if you choose to you can continue up to the third lake.
Intermediate Snowshoeing Trails Near Vancouver
Intermediate snowshoe trails move beyond beginner trails, either because they’re more physically or technically challenging, they’re less popular and they might pass through some more challenging terrain. These snowshoe trips may require an element of self-navigation as they often are not maintained by a provincial park, and planning may be necessary to ensure conditions are favorable for a successful outing. Avalanche risk is still low but not non-existent. The likelihood of needing snowshoes may be higher on these as well, since these trails may be less busy.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8Km
Elevation Gain: 435m
Highest Elevation: 1,217m
Average Gradient: 10.8%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 3 Hours
While the distance and elevation gain of Eagle Bluffs are largely similar to Hollyburn Peak or Pump Peak, the beginning of this hike is a steep one. Furthermore, the trail beyond Black Mountain is not maintained and as such it is not that well marked. Hikers must navigate themselves to the bluffs beyond Black Mountain, so I would not consider this a beginner snowshoe trail.
That being said, Eagle Bluffs is another popular option on Cypress Mountain, and despite the lack of maintained trail, it’s usually popular enough that the route is very obvious and the terrain is pretty straightforward. The view from the bluff is well worth the effort on a clear day.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8.5Km
Elevation Gain: 690m
Highest Elevation: 1,869m
Average Gradient: 16.24%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 3 Hours
Zoa Peak is a popular trail for both snowshoeing and ski touring. On a sunny winter day you can be sure there will be plenty of recreationalists out enjoying the mellow slopes of this mountain in the Coquihalla Recreation area. There are actually two peaks on Zoa, a lower subsummit and a higher summit. The lower summit actually offers the best views, with the higher summit mostly forested and involving some annoying travel through steep terrain to get there. Many parties stop at the subsummit.
You won’t find many markers or signs while on this trail, but the route is usually obvious by simply following the plethora of skin tracks. An offline map would be useful in case these tracks are buried in fresh snow. Most of the trail passes through low angle terrain, making this a safe and simple option for those stopping at the subsummit. Travel to the true summit does involve some steeper, avalanche potential terrain.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8Km
Elevation Gain: 750m
Highest Elevation: 1,432m
Average Gradient: 18.75%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 3 Hours
Elk Mountain is a popular year-round hike in Chilliwack that offers exceptional views above the Fraser Valley. At 8km and 750m elevation gain, this is a short and steep hike suitable for most parties.
In the winter the trail often begins snow free but ends in a winter wonderland. At the very least hikers will need microspikes to navigate the steep, icy slopes, but after recent snowfall snowshoes may also be needed. Hikers can also continue beyond Elk Mountain to Mount Thurston, though this is usually a bit more involved in terms of route finding. You are likely to need snowshoes beyond Elk Mountain as the trail is much less popular to Mount Thurston.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 12Km
Elevation Gain: 660m
Highest Elevation: 1,646m
Average Gradient: 11.00%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 5 – 6 Hours
– Moderate: 4 – 5 Hours
– Fast: 3 – 4 Hours
Round Mountain in Garibaldi Provincial Park is a popular spot in the winter with ski tourers thanks to its mellow slopes and lovely views, but it’s much less traveled by snowshoers. The trail up to Red Heather Hut is simple to follow, but beyond there hikers will need to self navigate to the summit. With a map this should be fairly straightforward.
If you’re looking for a longer day you can continue on to Elfin Lakes, though in snow this 22km trail can be quite demanding in certain conditions.
Hikers should note that tire chains are required in the winter to park at the upper lot due to icy conditions, but without chains you can park at the chain up area, adding 2km each way to the hike.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 12.10Km
Elevation Gain: 690m
Highest Elevation: 1,737m
Average Gradient: 11.40%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 5 – 7 Hours
– Moderate: 4 – 5 Hours
– Fast: 3 – 4 Hours
Another great snowshoe trail in the Coquihalla Summit Recreation Area is Iago Peak. While not as popular as Zoa Peak, this is still a moderately popular trail, especially with ski tourers. Much of the trail follows an old FSR before departing into the forest, where navigation can be tricky without a map. You’ll soon reach a mellow ridge up to the summit of Iago Peak, where the views are outstanding. This hike is nicer than Zoa Peak but a little less traveled, so I’d only suggest it for parties that are confident on a hike where they may not see anyone and where they be required to navigate themselves.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8.75Km
Elevation Gain: 640m
Highest Elevation: 1,436m
Average Gradient: 14.62%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 3 Hours
Cartmell Peak is the highest summit accessed from Sasquatch Mountain Resort, offering some beautiful views over Harrison Lake and the peaks beyond. The trail is mostly easy to follow through mellow terrain, however one drawback is the steep, rugged road to get up there. Sasquatch Mountain Resort may charge a fee to access this trail, and they also set markers out
Hikers can also extend this hike to include the nearby Mount Klaudt, though the views from this summit aren’t as good as Cartmell’s and the route to get there can be a bit more involved.
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 16.50Km
Elevation Gain: 1,185m
Highest Elevation: 1,534m
Average Gradient: 14.36%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 8 – 10 Hours
– Moderate: 6 – 8 Hours
– Fast: 4 – 6 Hours
Mount Mulligan near Squamish is another peak that is popular within the ski touring community thanks to its mellow slopes and scenic views. It’s not that popular within the snowshoeing community, though you will usually find a well worn track up to the summit thanks to the skiers. The majority of the hike ascends a well worn FSR before self-navigating to the summit by ascending a mostly moderate grade slope. The avalanche risk here is minimal, and the views are very rewarding looking out towards the usual Squamish peaks like Sky Pilot, Mount Habrich, the Chief and plenty more.
While the stats for this hike put it into the difficult category, most of the gain is earned by climbing a moderate gradient logging road, so you might be surprised how quickly you can knock this off. There are no markers or set trail to follow on this hike, so an offline map will be required.
Other Intermediate Snowshoe Trails Near Vancouver
There are plenty of other intermediate snowshoe trails near Vancouver as well as the above that you may want to consider:
- Mount Kelly – This is another fairly popular snowshoe trail in Manning Park through mostly simple terrain. The views from Kelly aren’t the best, but hikers can continue along the ridge towards Nordheim Peak to get some realy open views of the region. Going all the way to Nordheim Peak is a physically draining challenge best left for spring conditions.
- Fat Dog Trail – This is another fairly popular snowshoe trail in Manning Park, though at 15km it’s certainly a long one. Thankfully the elevation gain isn’t the most challenging, with the gradient pretty mellow throughout. If you want to make life easier you could just do the Cambie Creek Loop portion of the hike.
Advanced Snowshoeing Trails Near Vancouver
Advanced snowshoeing trails will generally require hikers to have a sound knowledge of self-travel through snowy environments, including avalanche knowledge and equipment. These trails generally require self-navigation, in-field decision making and favorable avalanche conditions. Snowshoes are pretty much guaranteed to be required on these hikes, and there’s a good chance you will be breaking trail in the backcountry, reliant entirely on yourself to reach your destination and return back safely. I would only suggest these hikes to experienced parties who have worked their way up through the beginner and intermediate trails first. I would not attempt any of these trails without having taken AST-1 courses.
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 10.50Km
Elevation Gain: 970m
Highest Elevation: 1,803m
Average Gradient: 18.48%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 5 – 7 Hours
– Moderate: 4 – 5 Hours
– Fast: 3 – 4 Hours
Gin Peak is a very popular ski touring summit accessed from Whistler Olympic Park. Thanks to it’s popularity there is usually a well worn track leading the entire way to the summit, making this an excellent snowshoe trip for your first foray into the backcountry. The views from Gin Peak are stunning on a clear day, especially of the nearby Rainbow Mountain.
Most of this hike follows an obvious, yet steep trail through the forest before you find yourself at Hanging Lake, where the views really open up. You will want a map for this hike as the route is not marked, especially from the lake when many ski tourers go off in a number of directions depending on their objectives for the day. From the lake the route up to the summit has some steep spots, but as long as you go the right way in appropriate conditions, risk should be quite low.
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 11.7Km
Elevation Gain: 940m
Highest Elevation: 1,898m
Average Gradient: 16.07%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 6 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 5 – 6 Hours
– Fast: 4 – 5 Hours
Another fairly popular snowshoe and ski touring trail in the Coquihalla Summit Recreation Area is the Flatiron. While a little more challenging than Zoa Peak and Iago Peak, the views from the Flatiron are outstanding, especially as it gets to close up to the impressive Needle Peak. Needle Peak itself is mostly a summer scramble that shouldn’t be attempted in snow, but the Flatiron is far more mellow and offers just as rewarding views.
The trail starts off as a steep grind through the forest before mellowing out into a more moderate ridgeline ramble. The views the entire time on the ridge are fantastic.
The trail in the winter will not be marked and you can’t always guarantee there will be ski touring or snowshoeing tracks to follow the whole way, so an offline map would be necessary to navigate to the summit.
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 14Km
Elevation Gain: 1,100m
Highest Elevation: 1,645m
Average Gradient: 15.70%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 6 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 5 – 6 Hours
– Fast: 4 – 5 Hours
Beginning from the same trailhead and following much of the same route as Mount Mulligan, Anif Peak is a great snowshoe trail in Squamish that offers some amazing views from the summit on a clear day. This is a bit more involved than Mount Mulligan, with much steeper terrain to reach the summit, hence it’s considered an advanced snowshoe trail. The final climb up has a few short, steep rolls that will put your snowshoes to their limits, and some parties may want to bring an ice axe just in case.
It is possible to combine Anif Peak with the nearby Mount Mulligan, though that would make for a long and tiring day. Some parties may stop on the subsummit before the ridgeline to the summit in the photo above, but the views of Sky Pilot , Garibaldi and Mount Habrich even from there are fantastic.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.60Km
Elevation Gain: 510m
Highest Elevation: 1,767m
Average Gradient: 15.45%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 5 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 3 Hours
The Mount Baker area is a haven for excellent snowshoeing, and despite being in the US it’s no further of a drive than Manning Park or the Coquihalla from Vancouver. While Huntoon Point is a very popular and easy to follow snowshoe trail, Mazama Dome is more involved, but it also provides even better views.
Snowshoers will need to self-navigate to Herman Pass, which does cover some steep terrain but is usually very popular with ski tourers, so there are frequently skin tracks to follow for much of the way. You’ll then need to climb steeply up to a ridge situated between Mazama Dome and Mount Herman, before following said ridge to the summit. While the stats for this hike are fairly moderate, the terrain is more complex, with favorable avalanche conditions and avalanche preparedness a must. Even more adventurous parties could complete the Table Mountain circumnavigation, which is a stunning looped snowshoe, but even more technical than just going straight up to Mazama Dome.
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 11.8Km
Elevation Gain: 975m
Highest Elevation: 2,204m
Average Gradient: 16.52%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 7 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 6 – 7 Hours
– Fast: 5 – 6 Hours
Accessed off Duffey Lake Road near Pemberton, Mount Chief Pascall is one of the easier snowshoe trails in amongst some absolute giants in the Joffre group of peaks. Most peaks here are technical mountaineering objectives, but Mount Chief Pascall is a fairly straightforward ascent up, at least to the ridge. The end is a steep climb where an ice axe might be useful, so some parties may choose to stop before there, but even so, the views from the ridge are outstanding.
This is another popular ski touring area, so usually there will be a well established set of skin tracks leading up to the ridge. Still, snowshoers will need to be equipped with an offline map as there are no markers or trails to guide you. While avalanche risk is mostly low on this trail, favorable conditions and avalanche gear/preparedness are a must.
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 18.20Km
Elevation Gain: 1,175m
Highest Elevation: 1,834m
Average Gradient: 12.90%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 8 – 10 Hours
– Moderate: 6 – 8 Hours
– Fast: 5 – 6 Hours
Mount Sproatt is a fairly popular ski touring objective in the winter located slightly west of Whistler village. There are a few different routes up to Mount Sproatt but they all usually involve self-navigating through somewhat technical terrain. The route here begins on the Rainbow Lake trail before climbing up through a valley on the northern edge of Sproatt.
An offline map is a necessity for this one, and given there are a few different ways up you can’t always be sure there will be skin tracks, so a strong party would be useful for breaking trail through the snow. The terrain on this route is mostly mellow, just long, so expect a tiring day. The views from the top are outstanding.
Other Advanced Snowshoe Trails Near Vancouver
There are plenty of other advanced snowshoe trails near Vancouver as well as the above that you may want to consider:
- Mount Ann / Annette – This is a fantastic snowshoe trip in the Mount Baker region, though it does require confidence navigating in the backcountry, and it’s also a physically demanding day. Often there will be skin tracks to aid you on your way, but don’t go relying on them.
- Vantage Peak – This is another unbelievable snowshoe hike in the Duffey Lake Road region near Pemberton, but the steep climb to the summit isn’t for the faint of heart. You will want an ice axe and mountaineering crampons for the final push. That being said, even if you stop before the summit the views on this hike are incredible.
- Alpen Mountain – Alpen is a rarely trafficked summit located near Squamish. Most of the hike is a logging road walk, but the final climb up to the summit is steep and bushy. Self-navigation and favorable avalanche conditions are a must here.
- Memaloose Peak – A hike to Memaloose Peak is a steep, self-navigated affair through the forest, before breaking out onto a ridge and soaking in the wonderful Manning Park views.
- Mount Harvey – While more popular in the summer, Mount Harvey is another good option on the North Shore for more ambitious snowshoe trips. You will want favorable conditions for this steep climb up through the forest, and take care with any cornices along Harvey’s ridge.
The possibilities are pretty endless once you move onto advanced snowshoe trails. The beauty of snow travel is you can really blaze your own path. No longer are you required to follow a marked trail, you can go anywhere you want as snow will be covering the bushes anyway. There are lots of hikes on this website for advanced snowshoeing outings, and many more I’m yet to do. Feel free to take a look through the Hiking Database for ideas, you can filter it by seasonality to help in your research for snowshoe appropriate hikes.