Comments

Shannon from North Vancouver writes:

I hiked this on Aug 13th. Took a slightly different approach to the Mt Fromme trailhead from the top of Prospect via Cascade Trail, Executioner Ascent, then St George's. I descended via the alternate route to Mountain Highway (south leg). Round trip was 5 hrs (4.5 hrs moving time, 0.5 hrs breaks).

Too buggy on the summit to stay for long. There were several places for the dog to access clean looking water, notably at a culvert crossing on Mountain Highway. There are many trail markers; however, it's important to have a GPS map to ensure that you are on the CORRECT trail to your destination. I brought a back-up power source and needed to use it as my battery became quite low from having to constantly check that I was on the right route.

I went into this hike with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by the upper portions of the route. The trail above 900m is through beautiful older forest with hemlock trees and blueberry bushes. Not too many other hikers on this route. If you're looking for a peaceful hike with a healthy amount of elevation and easy parking on the North Shore, then check this one out.

Posted: August 15, 2022 03:52:12 PM PST

A.A. from Vancouver writes:

If it hadn't been a cloudy day, I wouldn't have known it: The trees block the sky for the majority of this hike.

The trail gradually climbs but is nothing strenuous for a seasoned hiker. It intersects several times with a gravel road, the Baden Powell Trail and BMX tracks along the way, which can make it confusing. There also seems to be more trail markers on the way down than the way up. As long as you pay close attention to the directions or an offline map, you should be fine.

The terrain is an invariable mix of dirt and roots. There are times when the trees thin out--as though a sulking giant had dragged his knuckles on the way up--and that's unfortunately widened the trail beyond what is necessary. I suspect that could partly be due to the area's popularity with BMX bikers, of whom I saw several (yet I did not encounter even one other hiker in approximately four hours).

If you need a few hours to breathe forest air in solitude but aren't terribly fussed about surrounding views, this is fair half-day option.

Posted: July 24, 2020 08:12:34 PM PST

Amir from Vancouver writes:

There an angry wasp swarm close to the peak, where the trail becomes steep. Listen for the buzzing, cause you wont see them coming (Aug 18, 2019).
Other than that, a really great hike!

Posted: August 19, 2019 11:20:01 PM PST

John Smithy from Chicago writes:

Still packed with snow, would not recommend.

Unhikable with polls.

Posted: June 21, 2019 08:23:46 PM PST

Katie from North Vancouver writes:

Challenging and fun hike! Underpopulated which is nice, quiet and beautiful views.

Posted: July 13, 2018 07:29:10 PM PST

Jugdish from Vancouver writes:

I did this hike on June 24, 2018 and there was still some snow at the very top. The path is largely dry, I hit the first couple patchy snow banks starting at altitude 1000m, and then the peak was still snow-covered. I'd recommend hiking boots over trail runners, but was fine without any snow-specific gear.

Trekking poles would come in very handy for the descent.

Posted: June 29, 2018 09:38:25 AM PST

Jillian from Halifax writes:

I'm planning to check this out for the Canada day weekend, is there still snow at the top?

Posted: June 28, 2018 08:13:10 AM PST

Alex from Vancouver writes:

Hiked up Mount Fromme yesterday, May 6th, 2018.

Starting at alt. 900m, the trail is entirely covered in snow. I would recommend to follow carefully the orange markers for the final part and bring good shoes and gaiters. Awesome view from the top.

In general, from start to end, orientation can be a bit tricky. The trail description helped us a lot. My only regret is the total lack of lookout along the way. The view from the top is amazing though.

Posted: May 7, 2018 04:47:43 PM PST

Vafuzi from Vancouver writes:

Mount Fromme is a great hike, but very poorly marked and one definitely needs to download the directions before getting into this trail. I would call it intermediate if you don't do the loop, we just hiked it on October 15th. a little snowing and slippery at Peak and coming back through the loop was a bit harder than what I thought. Overall, I loved the fact that there was almost no traffic on the trail and you would only see the odd group of mountain bikers on the way. View is not great, but Lake Barb was a treat and a great stop point. Once again, figure out your tracks before heading out as it gets tricky at times. It took us 5 hours in a sunny day with snow on the ground:)

Posted: October 16, 2017 10:20:21 AM PST

Cara from Vancouver writes:

These directions were extremely useful and I'm glad I'm saved them on my phone! Paying attention to markers on your way up and keeping the directions handy will make this hike go very smoothly, especially on your way back! Nice and quiet hike with nice views on top.

Posted: September 28, 2017 08:43:17 PM PST

Timothy from Surrey writes:

First quarter or third (therefore last quarter or third when you are most tired) has large amounts of loose rock.
Pay attention to description about outside corner of road. Since road bends right, outside corner is on the left while the turn that you make within a very short distance of leaving the road is to the right. Also the wooden sign doesn't become visible until you have entered the trail from the road.

Posted: July 30, 2017 11:55:51 AM PST

Karine P from Vancouver writes:

Did this hike yesterday (July 15th). Still a bit of snow about 10 minutes from the summit. I've done the trail a number of times, and this part got kind of confusing. Be very careful and keep an eye out for markers and flagging. Otherwise, an enjoyable hike, as always! Definitely one of the more quiet trails on the North Shore.

Posted: July 16, 2017 07:35:32 AM PST

laustyle from Richmond writes:

Hiked this trail yesterday July 14th. Still some snow near the top as mentioned below. We got a little lost in the snow as the markings were hard to see on the return trip. The snow was melting so it was hard to retrace footsteps. Make sure you look for the next marking before continuing as many paths looks like part of the trail. Recommend waiting one more week for all the snow to melt as my foot sunk in the snow a few times. Very quiet trail, only saw three groups and another two at junction points of other trails.
Can't really see the city but you get a view of the surrounding mountains. Lots of gravel and branches in first section of the trail, then dirt, then mix with bugs around. I didn't get any data on my phone on the way up. Overall not too hard just confusing to find your way.

Posted: July 15, 2017 09:23:22 PM PST

joe from burnaby writes:

Completed this hike on July 6th, a Thursday.(me and son) Still snow at the top and you have to walk on it
for about 50 metres or so. The trail markings, are still visible throughout the trail, but you must pay attention as they are not always easy to see, if u r not looking diligently you will make some wrong turns.

Bugs a problem near the last section of the trail.

On the way up, saw only 2 other people and one dog.Please bring back what you take in, saw a few
food wrappers from granola bars etc...

Nice view, still, tall trees provide some obstruction.

Cheers

Posted: July 10, 2017 12:57:14 AM PST

Lee from Vancouver writes:

Date: Monday July 2, 2017
Time 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM (4.5 hours)
Weather - sunny, warm
Details: started hike from top of St. George's, Notth Vancouver
4 people and 1 dog!
2 people with hiking boots, 2 people with running shoes.

Trail conditions: dry in all parts with only a few soggy patches here and there.
Snow still at the last 15-20 minutes near the top.
Be careful to those that wear runners!
Overall as described, steep in sections, loose rock and or hiking on tree roots.
Well marked on tees all the way up and down with the exception of the section around the Baden Powell trail intersection , down from the old Grouse Mounrain section. Where there is bike trails. On the way down we started going down a different trail and had to bush whack eat a hundred feet or so to find the proper St. George's trail.

Overall a good hike, a good workout on the wO up with nice views up too and bugs!
A bit of knee grinder on the way down but all worth it!

Posted: July 4, 2017 10:13:02 PM PST

Brad from Vancouver writes:

Great hike; lots of vertical climb and a solid workout. Some of the trail was a bit tricky to make out, though the directions on here helped a lot when we felt like we were going the wrong way. As of June 11th, 2017 there is still snow at the top, and we weren't able to make it all the way up. Some of the snow is passable with good shoes; we followed footprints through the snow for a good half hour before eventually turning around. Looks like the snow might stick for several weeks yet. Still, a great hike even if you can't make it all the way to the top.

Posted: June 13, 2017 10:24:37 PM PST

Steve from Vancouver writes:

By my GPS watch the trail is 6K one way, making for 12K round trip not 10.

Hiked up on May 7, 2017. Trail is clear of snow until after the second crossing of Old Mountain Highway. After that it is all snow which is rotten in sections. Crampons aren't totally necessary, but be ready for some post-holing, especially if you hit the snow after noon. Great trail overall, the dog loved it too. Would have been nice to know the true distance going in, though.

Posted: May 7, 2017 04:02:25 PM PST

Jelena from Burnaby writes:

Great workout and beautiful nature! No people at all, so if you need privacy go for it. The trail is steep in the last part of it, but it is very doable. And the view from the top of the mountain can not be bad anyways!

Posted: October 10, 2016 08:35:03 PM PST

Karine P from vancouver writes:

Always a great hike! Completely clear of snow.
I was curious what the hike from Grouse Mountain (via the Baden Powell) would seem like, so I tackled that today! It took me 3 hours to get up (using an alternate steeper route to reach the summit), and three hours back. I approximate 14km roundtrip. Very doable!
Be cautious as the St Georges Trail and Peer Gynt Trail are not super well marked, and mountain bike trails weave through it. The path is pretty well worn, though. When descending and getting back on to the St Georges Trail, make sure that the wooden post on the gravel road says "St Georges Trail", as there is a wooden post just before it (unlabeled) with pink flagging which IS NOT the trail and will lead you to a very steep descent to the Baden Powell.

Posted: July 30, 2016 08:33:23 PM PST

Cam from Burnaby writes:

Trail Report: The route is completely clear of snow and in fairly good condition. The view at the top isn't quite as spectacular as something like the chief but it's still very good and a much less busy than most other trails. If you're planning to do it, I would highly recommend printing off the directions listed above as there are a few places where it would be easy to make a wrong turn and get lost.

Posted: July 17, 2016 06:10:54 PM PST

Mike from Burnaby writes:

@Louise Domenach There is just a bit of snow remaining near the top but it's not much and is still hikeable. There are lots of trail markers along the route but what makes this route a bit trickier is it combines several different trails. There's also a bunch of mountain biking trails in the area too, although you'd be best not to use those and stay on the hiking trails mentioned in the description above.

Your best to take a printout of this trail description just in case.

Posted: June 17, 2016 01:27:35 AM PST

Louise Domenach from Vancouver writes:

Hi everyone,

I would like to do this trail but I am scared to loose myself. Can anyone tell me if there is clear markers there ?
Thanks a lot !

Posted: June 16, 2016 09:33:29 PM PST

Ben from Richmond writes:

Superb trail. Very excellent. Even on a magnificently sunny Sunday morning, hardly ran into anybody coming up or down. Snow was still on the ground near the very top, but hardly an issue. View at the top of the mountain ranges was well worth the considerable effort. No such thing as too much water; after the Mountain Highway switchbacks the only wild water is snow melt, and it's a thirsty trip.

On the descent did the exact same thing as G.B. from van, below, and got hilaaaaaaaaaariously lost. I had a decent map and it didn't save me, although it did make it easy to extricate myself. If you take the "alternate trail" from the summit to the access road, you either have very good footing or you get the pleasurable experience of skidding down 200 vertical metres of mountain. Then the high-difficulty mountain biking routes are such a hassle that I actually cut cross-country and followed a creek for a while. Not recommended. But worth a second trip, and hopefully I'll figure out what to do.

Posted: June 5, 2016 09:03:42 PM PST

Tracy Davies from Vancouver writes:

Did this hike May 23rd. Great choice for a rainy day! Minimal snow left at the top, no crampons or snowshoes needed.

Posted: May 24, 2016 11:32:59 PM PST

Natasha from Vancouver writes:

Did the hike this Saturday (April 2) and it is definitely doable without snowshoes now. There's snow for the last ~1/3 of the hike and it's deep, but fairly well-packed. We postholed at most half a dozen times.

Remember to bring sunglasses if it's sunny out - the snow makes it very bright at the top!

Posted: April 6, 2016 07:16:39 PM PST

Chelsea from Vancouver writes:

We just went up today (March 18th, 2016) and it was fun but you definitely need snowshoes! We knew there would be snow but thought it would be closer to the top. It started about halfway and was deep! We kept falling through the snow but had packed lots of food and had enough daylight so were determined to keep trying to make it to the peak. We never did as close to the top it became impossible from the snow being to deep and unpackable. Almost went to far down on the way down but luckily Google Maps saved the day as you can zoom in and see the trail names and where your car is parked. Traversed and found the trail we had come up on. 5 hours round trip. Only saw a few people near the bottom. Can't wait to try it when it's clear in the summer.

Posted: March 19, 2016 12:08:17 AM PST

Tak McT. from Vancouver writes:

I've been on a hiking binge all season as of this past March with a co-worker.

We didn't want to drive too long out of Vancouver to have a nice hike, so we decided to "take it easy" for once and do a local hike.

I forgot to time our hike this time, but I think we did it the hike round trip in about around 4hrs.

- follow instructions from this site if you don't have a GPS unit. Lots of trails that criss-cross along each other. Make sure you keep track of where you exit when you get onto the main gravel roads (twice). You'll need to remember them when you are descending the trail.
- Understandable that people get lost when coming down as my friends and I were asking each other "this way?" a few times. We just kept to the St. Georges trail on the way down and it kept us on track.
- I did the trail in runners, but once you're close to the peak, the trail/roots were quite damp, making the trail slippery. The high steps on the trail also made for some slippery conditions where mis-steps were more probable. Boots are recommended, but again, I did them in runners. My feet got a little wet from the running water on the trail.
- Not the most spectacular views when completed, but quiet and secluded.

Posted: September 17, 2015 04:45:03 AM PST

Megan from Calgary writes:

Completed this hike today (Wednesday). Very quiet trail, only saw 2 other people the entire time we were out.

Trail itself is alright, there are portions with lot of loose rocks and tree stumps/roots in the way. Initial 1/3 of hike is almost steady uphill, later 2/3 more gradual incline. Going to the peak the trail is relatively well marked and instructions given on the website are clear (follow them!).

View from the top is nice, but I wouldn't recommend this hike for the view alone. No real spots in the shade at the top, but lots of room to sit on the rocks for a nice lunch.

The descent of this trail...was a nightmare. Going up it doesn't seem hard to follow the trail but in reverse there are many, many winding trails and it's incredibly easy to get lost. Be VERY familiar with the trail going up, or plan LOTS of extra time to find your way back. By the end of the hike I just wanted to get out of there - incredibly frustrating, especially since there are so few sign posts.

With my small dog we completed the trail in about 3.5 hours (2 hours up, 1.5 hour down, plus additional 1/2 hour plus trying to find our way out).

Decent trail, but I wouldn't recommend it based on mediocre views (compared to other hikes) and troublesome return trip.

Posted: August 19, 2015 08:36:55 PM PST

Leah Timmermann from Vancouver writes:

Nice hike completed yesterday in great sunshine with an enjoyable breeze.

We found the trail difficult to follow (missed the "rope" entirely) and tacked on an additional few kilometers of walking before finding a second and very steep small forest path to the summit.

Saw signs of bear scat but no bears. The berries are out in full force too, so be bear aware.

Lots of mountain bikers out as it was the weekend.

Great views of Grouse and Crown mountain from the summit.

Posted: August 10, 2015 10:32:21 AM PST

anon from Burnaby writes:

Did the hike with a few friends on a very rainy day. We got pretty soaked throughout- not a lot of coverage from trees. It was my first hike and I might have chosen an easier one if I knew what I was getting into. However, it was no problem for my friends, who were all fit and used to hiking. The hardest parts about this hike were navigating on the way back (you can't make one wrong turn, and there are many opportunities to do that) and descending when it was so slippery/muddy. The view at the top was completely covered in fog. It's loooong- you keep thinking by the 2/3 point that you're almost there, almost at the top- and you still have a long way to go! The last portion is also even trickier and steeper to climb. Descending the mountain was torturous for my ankles. Not only was I slipping and sliding, but I rolled my ankles on nearly every step down- there are some really uneven areas- and going down busts your kneecaps if you don't have good technique. Proper hiking shoes would really make a difference for this one. If it's a cloudy/rainy/murky day, I would suggest choosing a different trail just because this one is so long and endless. The peak is also way colder than the inside of the forest- you would regret not bringing a jacket or two. It's kind of sad if you get lost because it leads straight into many other Vancouver trails near the bottom- you could be hiking forever ! Not the best for beginners, but enjoyable if you know how to hike.

Posted: July 27, 2015 08:46:02 PM PST

Courtney from Delta writes:

Did this today with a friend. Definitely a quiet trail, we only saw 4 other human beings the entire hike. I had screen shots of the trail instructions on my phone and everything was pretty easy to find. However, the directions kind of make it seem like there are 3 parts to this hike but what it doesn't say is that after you cross Old Grouse Mountain Road for the last time, the second half of your hike begins - and it is looooong. We kept thinking, almost there, just around the corner - not really. So that was kind of depressing when we were starving but it is peaceful at the top. On the way down we lost the markers somehow. We have no idea where they went. We stood in between 2 orange markers and then there were no more. So we ended up taking the "Executioner" mountain bike trail down, which was not ideal but we didn't really have another choice at that point. In total, start to finish with about an hour break and getting lost, it took us 7 hours. We chose this hike because it is one of the few options on the North Shore right now that isn't bug infested. It was okay. St George's trail was quite nice. Some bugs in the first 1/3 of the hike and a couple of annoying flies at the top but i managed to get away with only 1 bite, which is pretty good for me. Take LOTS of water.

Posted: June 29, 2015 10:28:46 PM PST

G.B. from van writes:

Did a solo hike today. Full sunshine. No snow.

The directions on here were very clear going up. On the way down, I advise you to follow the same path and be extra careful when you clear the mountain highway and are back on st. georges trail. I somehow managed to end up on the Air Supply trail which lead me back to mountain highway/service road. I turned on mobile data/gps on my smartphone and after a little bit of calibration, gmaps said I was at SFU... probably a tower location, I found I can take the Oil Can biker trail and work my way back. Definitely going to purchase a map.

One other note, I don't suggest taking the alternative trail down that's next to the peak. At first, I somehow ended up at the little lake which didn't have a trail going through it, so I turned around. I found the other trail that goes to the service trail (easy to miss). I had to turn back from this trail due to lack of markers and/or that I was going the wrong direction. Trail was very narrow but it's a good one to go through for 100 meters or so because there's a nice view of the Windmill on grouse. (You can also hear the loud speaker of grouse).

However, with all that, the peak made it completely worth it.

1.5 hours up. 0.5 rest. 2 hours down, but would have been 1.

Posted: June 27, 2015 08:12:48 PM PST

Yumi from Surrey writes:

This hike is underrated but maybe that is a good thing. We went on a Saturday and there were only a handful of people. I would keep the trail directions handy because some junctions can be confusing and making one wrong turn will lead you on the wrong trail. The trail gets a bit steep near the end and the top is very secluded and quiet since we were surrounded by mountains, which was really nice.

Posted: June 24, 2015 03:55:01 PM PST

Nick from Vancouver writes:

A great morning hike. We completed this hike on the morning of June 20th in about 4 hours at a moderate pace. The trail is beautiful and well marked, but I would recommend printing off the directions from this site as there are a couple junctions that could easily throw you off.

95% of the hike is on hiking only trails, but you will cross some of the mountain bike trails on the way up.

Considering we did this hike on a Saturday in June it was extremely quiet - we only saw about 10 people the entire time.

Posted: June 20, 2015 04:21:47 PM PST

M. from Vancouver writes:

Did this hike on Sunday, May 24th. No snow anywhere to be seen. No problem going up with runners. The lower part of the trail is not easy to follow (I actually got lost on the way down), but this description is extremely helpful. I suggest you bring a printout or have it handy on your cell.

Posted: May 24, 2015 07:45:40 PM PST

Anna from Vancouver writes:

Did this hike on May 7th. Beautiful trail. The description given here is really helpful for keeping on track. Beyond the peak where this trail leads, there is another peak which has a terrific view of Grouse and the water. If you follow the path on the right, you can get to this peak. It's only a 10-15 minute hike away and it is worth it.

Posted: May 10, 2015 06:55:59 PM PST

Sarah from Richmond writes:

Hiked this trail on May 6th. The air was comfortably cool under the trees. The trail was pretty wet towards the tail end of the hike - definitely doable in running shoes, but be prepared to get your socks a little wet. There were patches of snow/leftover hail at the peak. We were rewarded with a beautiful view of the mountains. We brought a printout of the trail description and had no problems navigating.

Posted: May 8, 2015 09:21:02 PM PST

Karine P from Vancouver, BC writes:

We did this hike this morning, and it was very enjoyable! Met only a handful of people going up and down... definitely a hidden gem. The last third of the trail was fairly muddy, and there were a few inches of snow at the top, so it was a little slippery heading down. It was also very cloudy at the top, so we couldn't see much but it was a great workout! Will definitely do it again in clearer weather! I would highly recommend printing out the trail directions or having your phone handy; some parts were a little confusing. But overall, great hike!

Posted: April 11, 2015 04:17:34 PM PST

Matt McDonagh from Vancouver, BC writes:

Lovely trail that is quite private - a hidden gem on the often heavily travelled North Shore. Good amount of public parking at the end of St. George Ave - no resident permit necessary. The trail could be better marked so I do recommend familiarizing yourself with the directions ahead of time and perhaps even bringing a print out or a phone as cellular service is existent along the trail! The elevation gain is good - a bit more than the Grouse Grind. I hiked the trail mid-March. Good conditions. No snow at all. It was a bit muddy but that was after a few days of heavy rain. The trail is well covered by tree canopy right up until the end. Good challenge and good views of Mt. Seymour and Grouse Mountain.

Posted: April 1, 2015 09:59:37 PM PST