Hiking The First Pump Peak on Mount Seymour, BC
Panoramic Sub-Alpine Hike Thirty Minutes from Downtown Vancouver
For most of the year, Mount Seymour is a popular privately-owned ski and snowsport area. Once the snow finally melts, hikers flock to North Vancouver's Mount Seymour for the remarkable panoramic views of Vancouver and the surrounding BC Coast Mountains.
The sweeping views from the summit can be enjoyed relatively easily. The round trip to the first peak is only 7 kilometres (4.35 miles) with less than 200 metres (656 feet) of elevation gain.
Like the Stawamus Chief, Mount Seymour has three separate peaks for hikers to enjoy. The peaks are known as “Pumps” with the Third Pump Peak being the true summit of Mount Seymour at 1,449 metres (4,754 feet) above sea level. All three Pumps are accessible from the main Mount Seymour Trail.
The Mount Seymour Trail
According to the BC Parks website, there are fourteen different trails on Mount Seymour. The lower trails are used for both hiking and mountain biking whereas the trails on the upper mountain are exclusively for hikers. The Mount Seymour Trail is the most obvious choice for summit-seekers as it is the clearest path to all three Pump Peaks.
The trail begins at the north corner of the main ski area parking lot. Look for the BC Parks signage (maps are usually available here). From the sign, head to the left and follow the trail up the hill. Avoid the first obvious fork to the left and continue into the forest. Once in the forest, use the orange markers on the trees and rocks to keep you on track. The trail is well worn but first-timers can quite easily lose the trail. If this happens, do not panic – retrace your steps back to the trail and look for the orange markers.
After an about an hour of hiking, the trail opens up and the First and Second Pump Peaks become visible. Keep the peaks in sight and follow the trail as it continues down into the sub-alpine wilderness. Eventually, the trail snakes around the base of the First Pump Peak before working its way up to the summit.
On a clear day, hikers will be rewarded with the stunning panoramic views of greater Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Garibaldi, Golden Ears and the Indian Arm.
For those hikers wanting to scale the other two Pump Peaks, continue along the Mount Seymour Trail. Expect to add an extra hour per peak to your overall round trip time.
Safety Considerations on Mount Seymour
The alpine areas of Mount Seymour are potentially quite dangerous due to the area's abundance of cliffs and susceptibility to inclement weather. Even in the summer months, thick cloud and fog can move in to the alpine area very quickly. In such a situation, it is not uncommon for disoriented hikers to mistakenly walk off one of the many sheer cliffs on the Mount Seymour Trail.
Beginner hikers may feel safer attempting this trail on a sunny weekend during the late summer or early autumn. This is the busiest time of year for hiking traffic making it easy to ask a descending hiker for directions or for information about the conditions further up the trail.
Further Information
- It is a short thirty minute drive from downtown Vancouver, up the Mount Seymour Parkway to the main parking area and the trailhead.
- The best time to hike is in the late summer and early fall but this depends largely on the amount of snowfall still left on the mountain – check with BC Parks for updated trail conditions.
- Flies and mosquitoes are very common on Mt. Seymour in the warmer months. Be sure to bring repellent.
- More experienced hikers may try to scale the steep rocky face of the Pump Peaks. Do not attempt this without appropriate hiking footwear.
View from Mount Seymour Trail
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View to the West from Mount Seymour Trail
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