Strava Segment Link
This one is our love letter to the Howe Sound, its unforgiving verticality, its infinite shades of green, its blue waters and rocky summits.
Mount Unnecessary is the perfect stage for a finals week. With its steep and relentless gradients and its rooty and technical footing, it's a vertical dance with the West Coast rainforest. This one clocks in at just over 1050 metres of elevation gain. It's a real mountain and a proper day out. We set the finish line at the viewpoint at 1370m of altitude for a reason: the landscapes up there do something to you, and you're going to need a minute anyway.
Do yourself a favour and get up there, whatever pace that looks like. Bring snacks. Sit at the viewpoint for a while. The Howe Sound isn't going anywhere and neither should you, at least not right away.
Wear your grippiest shoes. Don't forget your poles.
Getting there
Park on Oceanfront Road in Lions Bay. Parking is tight up there, so pay attention to the signs.
The best place to park is near the yellow gate, but there are only a few spots up there.
From the yellow gate, follow the gravel road up. After the left turn, look for a narrow trail entrance marked "Erin Moore Trail" and "Mt Unnecessary" on your right. Head up.
0.6km from the gate you'll hit a fork. There's a large wooden sign on your right for Erin Moore Trail — don't go there. Look for the wooden "START" sign and the pink flagging, and head left onto Mt Unnecessary Trail. That's where your watch starts.
The Challenge
The Unnecessary Mountain Trail climbs approximately 1050m from its junction with the Erin Moore Trail to the first big viewpoint at 1360m. The lower section is steep, rooty, and unrelenting. It's a proper West Coast rainforest grind through big trees and overgrown trail that doesn't let up until the terrain opens onto a plateau with the first real views of the Howe Sound. Think Mt. Harvey, but harder and with fewer people.
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Distance: 2.9km
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Difficulty: Challenging
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Elevation Gain: 1050 meters
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Where to Park: Lions Bay
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Surface: Classic Howe Sound Crest Trail vibes, steep and technical forest.
