Parking in the town of Lion's Bay is a constantly changing situation. Watch the signs carefully and be willing to park down the road from the trailhead and walk.
The East Lion is off-limits due to its location in the GVRD watershed.
The Lions from the Cleveland Dam (the Capilano Res...
Description
The two peaks in The Lions formation are in the mountains of Vancouver's North Shore are the highly visible from many locations in the city. The West Lion is the higher of the two at 1646m. The East Lion sits at 1606m.
Both peaks have fourth class scrambles as their easiest routes as well as harder, but very rarely climbed, fifth class lines.
The views are about as good as they get in the coast mountains near Vancouver, and that's pretty good. You can see Vancouver Island to the east, most of Vancouver to the south, many interior peaks to the east and northeast, and Garibaldi peak near Whistler to the north.
It should be noted that there are regular fatalities in this area, averaging more than one per year I believe. Most are due to the fact the standard route on the West Lion is at the very outside edge of what could be called hiking. Add in some moisture and it becomes very dangerous. Lost hikers are also a common occurrence, but they are usually retrieved after spending a miserable night out.
Getting There
The two main approaches are:
1. The Paul Binkert Trail starting in Lion's Bay. This trail starts at about 230m, so the gain to the summit of the West Lion is considerable.
2. Along the Howe Sound Crest trail from Cypress Provinvial Park. Although you start at a higher altitude, this route is long and has lots of up and down.
You could also start from the north end of the Howe Sound Crest trail, but if your goal is an ascent of the Lions, rather than a hike of the HSCT, you're better off with the first two options.
Further details on the approach are best gleaned from books and maps available on line or at local outdoor stores. You wouldn't want to run off into the woods and up big mountains with nothing but a web write-up, would you?
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