Hiking Seed Peak near Squamish
Contents
Seed Peak Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 12Km
Elevation Gain: 940m
Highest Elevation: 2,010m
Average Gradient: 15.66%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 6 – 8 Hours
– Moderate: 5 – 6 Hours
– Fast: 4 – 5 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: June – November
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No – But it would make it easier
Scrambling / Exposure: No real scrambling, one short roped section, some steep parts require momentary use of hands with little exposure.
Seed Peak Trail
Note: The above GPX summits Seed Peak before continuing on to Pinecone Peak, then beginning the traverse to Mount Gillespie (before backtracking). Seed Peak is the first summit reached at 2,010m
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°43’07.7″N 122°59’34.2″W
Note: The above coordinates go as far as Google Maps allows along Mamquam FSR. At this point, use your AllTrails map to continue navigating to the end of Mamquam FSR, then drive up the E100 then E110 spur to the very end, around 1,400m.
Seed Peak Overview
Seed Peak is one of a number of summits surrounding the picturesque Pinecone Lake, in Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. This is the most popular peak in the area thanks to its relatively simple ascent. It’s considerably easier than hiking the nearby Pinecone Peak and Mount Gillespie, yet the views are comparably good.
Seed Peak is a lightly trafficked trail, but it has been gaining in popularity in recent years thanks to significant improvements to the E100 / E110 spur road due to logging in the area. These improvements allow most SUV’s to drive a large portion of the FSR, eventually parking at around 1,400m, a rare luxury in SWBC. This reduces the hike distance and elevation gain significantly, allowing hikers to almost immediately reach the subalpine, requiring next to no effort to get worthwhile views.
Even 2WD’s will typically be able to drive the entire Mamquam FSR without issue, and many should make it a good distance up the E100 spur road, which is rarely that steep and has little to no cross ditches until the last few hundred meters. It should be noted that accessibility is frequently changing here due to active logging, so it’s not always a given that the FSR will be in great shape.
Due to the requirement of driving to the end of Mamquam FSR, Seed Peak is a spring or summer only option when the snowline has risen above the FSR. In winter this FSR will be impassable. The stats above assume you are able to park at the very end of the E110 spur at ~1,400m elevation, if you park lower you will have a greater distance and elevation gain, making this hike much harder.
Despite the ability to drive high up the FSR, this is still a challenging hike, with the trail undulating throughout. While the elevation change is a mere 600m from where you might park, the total gain is closer to 1,000m thanks to the many ups and downs throughout the day. The trail overall is fairly well marked and easy to follow, but a map is strongly advised as there are sections you can find yourself off trail.
From the summit, and for much of the hike, the views are fantastic, with amazing views of Pinecone Lake, Mount Garibaldi, Mamquam Mountain, Meslilloet Mountain, Mount Tantalus, Sky Pilot, Mount Robie Reid, Mount Judge Howay, the Lions, Mount Baker and much more.
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Is Seed Peak worthwhile?
Given the ability to park at a significant elevation, without the requirement of a 4×4, Seed Peak is one of few hikes that offers excellent views almost from the get go. Within 1km of parking you will break out of the treeline and the views will be non-stop for the rest of the hike. The views from the summit are fantastic, especially of the stunning Pinecone Lake down below.
More adventurous people are also able to continue their hike, adding on Mount Gillespie or Pinecone Peak, though this would make for a very challenging day. Some people opt to camp in the area and bag a couple of the peaks over one weekend.
How difficult is the hike to Seed Peak?
While a fairly short hike at around 12km, Seed Peak is a pretty challenging day. As mentioned, a lot of the trail is undulating, with some very steep sections both outbound and inbound. The average gradient of over 15% shows this is a pretty steep hike overall. If you have to add any distance/elevation by parking lower down the FSR it gets even harder.
Technically most of the hike is straightforward. You will need to climb up a short rope at one stage, though the exposure is minimal, and there are a couple of very steep sections descending from/climbing back up November Peak, which might require the use of hands. The final climb has some steep parts but for the most part is hiking on boulders.
Seed Peak Route Information
Note that the linked trail begins at the very bottom of the E100 spur road off of Mamquam FSR. Anyone with a 4×4 or even an SUV can drive most, if not all, of the E100/110 spur road to around 1,400m elevation, massively reducing the hike distance and elevation, hence the stats at the top of this page are much less than the stats on the linked trail. A 2WD should at least make it to the end of Mamquam FSR and might even make it up the spur road for a portion.
For those with a capable vehicle the trail begins at the very end of the E110 spur road off of Mamquam FSR. As of the time of writing, the beginning of this trail is a mess, with logging operations leaving fallen trees strewn across the trail, combined with deadfall, meaning you will have a choice of either clambering up and over the fallen trees, or bushwhacking around them all to find the actual trail. It will only take 5 minutes or so, just make sure to have a map downloaded to ensure you’re going the right way. Once you find the trail it’s smooth sailing from there, it’s only the first couple of hundred meters that is bad.
In under 1km from the start of the hike you will already be out of the treeline and into the subalpine, with views practically immediately. This is also essentially the end of any shade for the rest of the day, so prepare accordingly.
After following the trail for a kilometer or so more you will reach a boulder field. The trail ascends the ridgeline through a very unobvious junction that many people tend to miss, continuing along the boulder field before realizing they went the wrong way. Try not to miss this junction as we ultimately ended up climbing a very steep heather gully to regain the ridge, but you will need to backtrack if you want to stick to the trail.
After following the ridge for a few hundred meters you will reach a rope climb, which is straightforward and has little exposure. The trail will continue at a moderate gradient and soon enough you will reach the first peak of the day, November Peak, marked by an obvious summit cairn. From here you will get a great view of Seed Peak, Pinecone Peak, Mount Garibaldi and Mamquam Mountain. Seed Peak won’t look too high, but unfortunately you have to descend quite a bit before getting there.
From November Peak you will note an undulating ridge to the east, ultimately connecting to Seed Peak. This is the route you will be following, which unfortunately means a fairly sizable descent, before climbing back up the other side. First you will start with a 70m descent, before climbing back up a small bump along the ridge. You’ll then descend a further 120m to a notch between November Peak and Seed Peak. This descent will involve some pretty steep terrain which might require you to use hands at times.
From the notch you’ll have around a 200m climb back up to the other side of the ridge, which is mostly simple but very steep. You’ll soon have some peek-a-boo views of the beautiful November Lake down below, but unfortunately you never get a clear view of the lake.
Eventually you will top out at a bench on the ridge, where there should be a tarn at around 1,775m where you will almost certainly want to refill your water, take a break and potentially cool off. Depending on the time of year water might be limited for the remainder of the hike, though you might run into snow patches.
From this tarn you should now see Seed Peak, which is only a couple of hundred meters higher. You’ll note a fairly obvious ridgeline leading up to Seed Peak, which is what you will want to follow. Beyond the tarn the terrain becomes more challenging, and the route finding more complex. The general route is obvious though and you should have no problem figuring out a safe way.
Continuing along the ridge you’ll note the sheer scale of this region, with some daunting terrain all around. You’ll pass by a huge snow filled bowl with tarns in the middle (good water source in a pinch, but a bit of a descent to reach), and Mount Gillespie will loom large for the remainder of the day to the south east.
Continuing along the ridge, the remainder of the hike to Seed Peak will be across a combination of talus slopes, loose dirt and heather. There will be a faint trail at times leading to the peak, but for the most part you can just decide whatever route you prefer. There is no real exposure anywhere up to the summit, it’s just a broad ridge.
Eventually you will reach Seed Peak, where the views will be stunning, especially towards Pinecone Lake and Mount Gillespie. On a clear day you will have views for miles, including Mount Judge Howay, Mount Robie Reed, Mount Baker, the Lions, Sky Pilot, Meslilloet Mountain, the Tantalus range and countless more.
After enjoying the views, grabbing some food and resting, you simply head back the way you came. Unfortunately you still have to face a steep climb back up to November Peak on the return journey.
When should I hike Seed Peak?
As noted this whole area is really only accessible in spring and summer when the snowline has risen above the FSR, allowing you to drive as high as possible. In spring you may be stopped further down the FSR by snow, but in summer you should be able to drive to 1,400m or so in a capable vehicle.
Many people like to hike Seed Peak in spring when the FSR is clear of snow but the hike itself is a smooth snowy pleasure. Personally I enjoyed this area in early-mid summer when the trail is mostly snow free, but the water sources are still available. In late summer, if the snow has fully melted, water management will be key, especially on a hot day.
Top Tip
Bring plenty of water, and especially the ability to carry a lot of water. There aren’t many places to fill up throughout the day in late summer especially.
As noted there is little to no shade anywhere along the hike, so be prepared for constant sun exposure.
If you are up for a real challenge it is possible to combine Seed Peak with Mount Gillespie via the connecting ridge between the two, though Mount Gillespie is a more technical hike requiring some scrambling and route finding. You can also continue to Pinecone Peak, but that’s an even more laborious hike only for the most experienced of parties. Some people opt to find a way down to Pinecone Lake.
Camping in the area is somewhat popular, especially if you intend to hit a couple of peaks. Seed Peak has a few good spots to camp on, as does the ridge between Seed Peak and Mount Gillespie.
