We’ve done this hike a couple times with Whiskey but what makes it so strange this year is that Cypress Mountain has no snow! The ski mountain is bare this year and I’ve never seen it like this, especially in January.
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| The Cypress Ski slopes in January |
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| Not much snow on the trails either, but a little slippery |
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| beautiful mist on a snow covered pond |
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| Whiskey blends in, this is her land! |
Eagle Bluffs is a great short hike if you are ok with a steady incline. The elevation is only 350 meters and is over pretty quickly. Once you reach the top of the elevation climb, there is a nice view from Black Mountain and then you head through a meandering trail to Eagle Bluffs for a beautiful view of the city. It’s a great 3-4 hour hike from the Cypress parking lots but be warned you’ll need to get a free yellow “hiking pass” to walk past the ski area during the ski season (you can get the pass at the old lodge where the buses pick up and drop off).
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| A little stream of melting water |
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| Vancouver’s mountains are gorgeous |
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| pausing for a break on top of Black Mountain |
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| A view from Black Mountain |
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| the trail is sometimes also the stream |
Normally I wouldn’t attempt this hike in winter because of the incline and the snow (well maybe with snowshoes), but there was barely anything this year and with only a couple slippery bits, we could easily accomplish it in hiking boots.
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| markers and trail is very easy to follow |
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| breathtaking view from the Bluffs |
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| the city from the mountain |
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| Whiskey just wants to play with the snowboarders |
We had a bit of trouble keeping our curious Vizsla off the ski slopes, as the hike follows the ski slope up. Be sure to keep your dog on-leash if there is any traffic! Whiskey was exceptionally bouncy today and must have ran 3x times the path going up and down like it was nothing. This must be an “extra bouncy” stage of puppy-hood.
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| At the peak with my Vizsla girl! |
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