Hiking Magnesia Peak near Lions Bay
Contents
Magnesia Peak Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 16Km
Elevation Gain: 1,385m
Highest Elevation: 1,590m
Average Gradient: 17.31%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 9 – 10 Hours
– Moderate: 7 – 9 Hours
– Fast: 6 – 7 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Year-Round (Winter Preferred)
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Magnesia Peak Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°28’14.5″N 123°14’05.3″W
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.
Magnesia Peak Overview
Magnesia Peak is an unofficially named and lesser known summit in the North Shore mountains, typically accessed from Lions Bay via Magnesia Meadows, or when passing through on the Howe Sound Crest Trail from Cypress Bowl to Porteau Cove. Many people at least pass by Magnesia Peak while traversing the Howe Sound Crest Trail, but most likely won’t bother to actually ascend to the summit, even though it’s only around a 120 vertical meter detour on the way.
As a standalone hike Magnesia Peak is a relatively rare objective, with most people preferring to hike other, more prominent peaks in the area such as Mount Harvey or Brunswick Mountain. While these peaks are no doubt fantastic hikes, Magnesia Peak is also a stunning summit, offering incredible panoramic views in every direction, and makes for a worthy trip in itself.
Many of the North Shore peaks, especially those accessed from Lions Bay, make for difficult and technical winter objectives. The only frequently hiked summit in the area during the winter is really Mount Harvey itself. Magnesia Peak is a year-round possibility and perhaps even preferred in the winter when snow covers the otherwise rugged terrain, but hikers should expect to be alone for most of the day and should be confident at navigating unmarked, somewhat technical backcountry terrain. In winter hikers should be prepared with snowshoes, microspikes and an ice axe. Mountaineering crampons should likely be taken but may not always be necessary. The trail itself passes directly beneath the north face of Mount Harvey, crossing several avalanche paths on the way, therefore avalanche preparedness and favorable conditions are a must.
Since this hike starts in Lions Bay, parking is 2WD accessible but fills up very early on a sunny weekend, regardless of the time of the year. Hikers should aim to be parked before 7am if they want to secure a parking spot in the small lot. There is overflow parking throughout the Lions Bay community but you may end up parking a decent distance away from the trailhead. This is also a pet friendly hike.
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Is Magnesia Peak worthwhile?
Magnesia Peak is a significant hike to one of the lower summits in the area, overshadowed by the nearby Mount Harvey and Brunswick Mountain. There is no official trail to the summit and as such only the more fervent peakbaggers even know this peak exists.
That being said, Magnesia Peak offers stunning panoramic views from the top, with particularly unique views of Mount Harvey throughout. Despite its unofficial status and challenging stats Magnesia Peak is absolutely worth a trip, especially in winter.
How difficult is the hike to Magnesia Peak?
This is a pretty challenging hike both physically and technically. At almost 1,400m elevation gain and 17% average gradient hikers are in for a long and tiring day, especially in snow. Thankfully the ascent is mostly moderate throughout, with few stretches that are exceedingly steep but few that are mellow either. Much of the elevation gain is on fast travel terrain, with an actual trail leading to almost 1,000m, with the last 600m self navigated.
Technically the hike is mostly straightforward until you reach around 1,000m where the trail ends and you begin navigating yourself in the valley between Brunswick Mountain and Mount Harvey. There is some technical micro terrain here, including a tricky creek crossing and potentially some steep traverses depending on the exact route you take. There should never really be any exposure though.
Magnesia Peak Route Information
The trailhead for this route to Magnesia Peak begins in the ever popular Lions Bay parking lot at the end of Sunset Drive. As mentioned this parking lot fills up fast, especially on a sunny weekend, no matter the time of the year. This is mostly because there are so many popular hikes all beginning from Lions Bay, none more so than Tunnel Bluffs. An early start is strongly recommended if you want parking at the trailhead, otherwise you’ll have to find parking which is sporadically spread out through the community and could very well lead to a longer day.
The trail begins the same as every hike from this parking lot, with a steady grind up the relentless Lions Bay switchbacks, which is just a rugged gravel road. There’s not much to say about the first 2km other than to just get past it as fast as possible. At the 2km mark you’ll reach a well signed junction where many people will turn off to head towards Tunnel Bluffs or Brunswick Mountain, but you’ll want to continue along the trail in the direction of Mount Harvey / the Lions. The trail flattens out here a little, and the next 500m will be a more mellow stroll.
After this 500m stretch you’ll reach another junction where almost everyone else will continue straight on, but you will turn left onto a small, narrow trail leading into the forest. From here on out there is a good chance you won’t see anyone for the rest of the day as this trail does not lead to any of the more popular objectives in the area.
The trail remains a moderate gradient but is now more rugged than the spacious gravel trail you were just on. It narrows the further along you progress, and you very well might have to deal with some deadfall across the trail in sections. Still, travel is mostly straightforward and fast. After following this trail for around 1.5km you’ll reach a clearing with a boulder chute. In the winter this is an avalanche chute that sees fairly frequent activity, running a long way down the mountain. You may even see avalanche debris from a recent avalanche, like I did. After crossing this chute the trail continues for a few hundred meters more, passing below the imposing Mount Harvey while weaving in and out of the forest. There might be some light bushwhacking at times depending on the exact route you take, just make sure to stay south of the creek for the time being.
At some point you need to cross over the creek, with people usually crossing anywhere between 1,050m and 1,120m. Take care in the winter to ensure any snow crossing is well supported. Once on the other side of the creek you will continue to follow it northeast, and this is the tricky micro terrain that you’ll need to navigate. There are a couple of options here and depending on which season you go will impact your route. The preferred option in winter is to stay low in the valley, staying near the creek and following it as it ascends up towards Magnesia Meadows. This option likely won’t work too well in the summer when the creek is flowing. Instead, there is usually a well flagged trail on the south side of the creek that remains high above it, but it traverses across a steep slope in some complex terrain. In the winter this was challenging and required an ice axe and mountaineering crampons due to the steep gradient, but in the summer it should be more manageable.
Either way you’ll continue to follow the creek up where soon enough the steep, heavily forested terrain gives way to more mellow, less densely forested meadows. The views will begin to open up here as well, with some great views of Mount Harvey. Depending on which route you took you’ll now come out at a duo of small lakes, which obviously will be snow covered in winter. The cliffs beyond these lakes will look impassable, and they are, so you’ll now want to work your way clockwise around to the north of these lakes to around 1,350m, at which point you’ll need to traverse to the east on some steep terrain, though still manageable in snowshoes.
After a brief climb you’ll join the Howe Sound Crest Trail in an area known as Magnesia Meadows. There is a bright red emergency hut here, and this is a popular spot for campers to set up for the night on their journey along the HSCT thanks to a persistent tarn nearby providing a reliable water source. Magnesia Peak should now be pretty obvious as the high point along a ridge just north of the emergency shelter.
You’ll now climb up to the first of two bumps, which is steep but unexposed. This first bluff will be a little tricky to get around, requiring you to shimmy across the rocky face to the western side before climbing up through some trees. The top of this first bluff offers incredible views but it’s not the actual summit, which lies further along the ridge at the top of the next high point. You now simply follow the ridge and climb up the final summit, which might involve a brief climb utilizing the trees around. Take care on the summit, especially in winter, as the eastern side is a sheer drop.
The views from the summit are panoramic, with breathtaking views of Mount Harvey, the Lions, Brunswick Mountain, Mount Hanover, Sky Pilot Mountain, the Garibaldi Massif, Cathedral Mountain, Mount Robie Reid, Mount Judge Howay and countless more. The summit is a small area with probably only enough room for one small party.
After resting up you can simply return the same way that you ascended, or alternatively you can create a looped hike by rejoining the HSCT and following it towards Mount Harvey. There will be a steep ascent to gain the Mount Harvey col that might be challenging for some (turn back if so), but if you can get up it the trail simplifies beyond as you walk in the direction of David Peak. Around halfway between Mount Harvey and David Peak there is a connecting trail that you can descend on the south side of Mount Harvey that will ultimately rejoin the gravel trail you began the hike on. You can hike out from here. This loop will add a good amount of distance and time so plan accordingly if you intend to try it.
When should I hike Magnesia Peak?
Magnesia Peak is more scenic in the winter but certainly a more involved and complicated trip. In the summer this route is more popular thanks to the Baggers Challenge, in the winter it is very rare that anybody hikes Magnesia Peak, but some groups certainly do. If you are in an experienced and prepared party I would definitely suggest a winter ascent as the scenery is stunning in snow, if not then the summer is fine too, you just might have to contend with more bushwhacking, though it shouldn’t be too cumbersome at all.
Top Tip
If going in the winter I would suggest bringing all the necessary equipment, even if you may not need it. That being snowshoes, microspikes, crampons and an ice axe. You’ll also want to ensure favorable avalanche conditions and preparedness due to the overhead concern from Mount Harvey.
Much of the hike is in the shadows of Mount Harvey, in the winter especially you might not see the sun until the very end of the hike, so prepare accordingly for a brisk day if so.
