Cypress Peak

Cypress Peak (2,081 meters) is tucked away in the Squamish Valley. It’s close enough to Vancouver to make a nice day trip, but it is remote enough to offer a good dose of solitude. This summit is a classic scramble of Southwest BC, and it offers stunning views at a price that is neither too technical nor severely punishing.

The network of logging roads to access the area is in rough condition, so a four-wheel drive vehicle is advisable, although two-wheel drive vehicles frequently make it to the trailhead. The first part of the trail is on a deactivated logging road with deep ditches. It goes for 3 kilometers until it ends and gains a little elevation. There are even a few nice views along the way.

At the end of the road, descend toward the creek and a talus field following the flags. The flags are few and far between, so be attentive. You can still reach the talus without following the flags, but it will involve some nasty bushwhacking.

The ascent starts from the pile of talus. The trail goes straight up a chute of talus that has occasional sections of shrubs and crosses a creek a few times. This can be a bit annoying in the late summer season, so some people prefer to do it in spring or early summer to have this section covered with snow and enjoy a nice glissade on the way down. This section has the occasional cairn, and the path should be obvious when there is no snow.

Permanent snow will typically start before the col that is visible through most of the ascent. This will make travel much faster and enjoyable. What appears to be a col will reveal itself to be a basin that allows for great views of the summit.

From the true ridge above the basin, the summit is obvious and the route up is impressive. It is mostly a Class 2 scramble route, but it has occasional Class 3 moves with moderate exposure. Those moves can be avoided by keeping to the climber’s right, but that will involve losing some elevation. There are two spicier sections close to the col, and once they are passed, the rest of the route is much easier than it looks.

The summit is rather small and only has room for a few people. As is the case for most mountains in the Squamish Valley, the views are outstanding in all directions. Photogenic mountains such as Black Tusk, Fee, Garibaldi, and Tricouni are easily visible from the summit. The return is via the same way.