| North Shore Mountains | |
|---|---|
 North Shore Mountains fromQueen Elizabeth Park inVancouver | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Brunswick Mountain orSky Pilot Mountain |
| Elevation | 1,788 or 2,031 m (5,866 or 6,663 ft) |
| Parent peak | Pacific Ranges |
| Coordinates | 49°24′25″N123°12′40″W / 49.407°N 123.211°W /49.407; -123.211 |
| Geography | |
 Location of the North Shore Mountains | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
TheNorth Shore Mountains are amountain range overlookingVancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Their southernmost peaks are visible from most areas in Vancouver and form a distinctive backdrop for the city.
The steep southern slopes of the North Shore Mountains limit the extent to which the municipalities of Metro Vancouver'sNorth Shore (West Vancouver, theDistrict of North Vancouver, theCity of North Vancouver and the Village ofLions Bay) can grow. In many places on the North Shore, residential neighbourhoods abruptly end and rugged forested slopes begin. These forested slopes are crisscrossed by a large network of trails including theBaden-Powell Trail, theHowe Sound Crest Trail, the Binkert/Lions Trail and a wide variety ofmountain biking trails.[1]
The North Shore Mountains are a small subrange of thePacific Ranges, the southernmost grouping of the vastCoast Mountains. They are bounded on the south byBurrard Inlet, on the west and north-west byHowe Sound, and on the north and north-east by theGaribaldi Ranges. To the east the bounds are defined byIndian Arm (a branch of Burrard Inlet). The ridge running north from Mount Seymour has its own name, theFannin Range, while much of the Howe Sound-flanking portion of it is known as theBritannia Range. There is debate whether the Britannia Range is part of the North Shore Mountains as there are no official boundaries of the North Shore Mountains.
Although not particularly high, these mountains are rugged and should not be underestimated. Severe weather conditions in the North Shore Mountains often contrast dramatically with mild conditions in nearby Vancouver. This is especially true in winter, but even in summer, large precipices are hidden very close to popular hiking trails and it is very easy to get lost, despite being in sight of the city. Those who venture into the North Shore Mountains for whatever reason should be well prepared at any time of year.[2]
Three deep river valleys divide the North Shore Mountains. These are, in order from west to east:
The Capilano and Seymour rivers emanate from the massiveMetro Vancouver watershed area administered byMetro Vancouver. The watershed extends deep into the North Shore Mountains region, but is strictly off-limits to all unauthorized human activities. TheLynn Headwaters, a deepcirque valley drained byLynn Creek, is a very popular regional park administered by Metro Vancouver.
There are two provincial parks in the area,Cypress Provincial Park andMount Seymour Provincial Park. Both feature reliable road access, downhill ski areas, and extensive trail networks. NearbyGrouse Mountain features a downhill ski area and tourist attractions which are accessible by the Skyride, anaerial tramway. A very popular hiking trail, theGrouse Grind, climbs up the steep flanks of Grouse Mountain from the tramway parking lot. Before the Grouse Mountain Skyride was built, a chairlift operated from Skyline Drive at the head of North Vancouver's Lonsdale Avenue, and the ski area itself could be accessed via Mountain Highway, which now has a gate at its upper end in the Lynn Valley neighbourhood.
In the Seymour River valley, the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve features over 100 km of trails including a paved bicycle path called the Seymour Valley Trailway that winds into the mountains for 10 km to Seymour Lake.[3] It is frequently used for recreation, and occasionally for TV and film productions such asStargate SG-1.
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There are dozens of individual mountains in the North Shore Mountains. The list below is incomplete.
Rising above the eastern shore of theHowe Sound, the crests of the mountains are protected byCypress Provincial Park and are accessed by the 29 km Howe Sound Crest Trail.
The southwestern tip of the North Shore mountains that are visible from Vancouver and a popular destination for recreation. It is the namesake ofCypress Provincial Park.
Located centrally in the range between Capilano Valley and Lynn Valley, its peaks are highly visible throughout Metro Vancouver.
This range begins as just a narrow ridge between Lynn Valley and Seymour Valley, but nonetheless features some large and prominent peaks.
TheFannin Range is the easternmost part of the North Shore Mountains that extends from the western shore of the glacial fjordIndian Arm to headwaters of theIndian River.[5]Mount Seymour Provincial Park andIndian Arm Provincial Park occupy its south-eastern drainage, while its north-eastern drainage is provincial crown land. Its entire western drainage is part of theSeymour Watershed.
TheBritannia Range is the northernmost part of the North Shore Mountains, although some lists consider it to be a separate range. It is officially bounded by the Stawamus River in the north, the Seymour River in the east, and Deeks Lake in the south.[7]
Municipalities ofMetro Vancouver | |
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| Population over 500,000 | |
| Population over 100,000 | |
| Population over 50,000 | |
| Population over 10,000 | |
| Population under 10,000 | |
| Unincorporated areas | |
| International | |
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| National | |
