West Knob-Donut Rock-Eagle Bluff Loop

February 8, 2023

Distance: 15km round-trip

Elevation gain: 1234m

Time required: 6-7 hours total

I've been to Eagle Bluff in Cypress Provincial Park many times. It is a relatively short easy day hike that offers great views of the Howe Sound. However, this time I wanted to reach a couple of lesser-known viewpoints along with Eagle Bluff in a clockwise loop. As you will read, that did not actually end up happening.

I started in Horseshoe Bay on the Baden Powell Trail. This takes you towards Whyte Lake, which is a small and popular swimming hole located in Whyte Lake Park. I didn't make the small detour over to the lake but it would only take an additional 10 minutes to reach it.

I continued on the Baden Powell trail until reaching a junction. Going straight continues on the BP, while going left takes you to West Knob. I chose this direction. The climb up to West Knob isn't overly difficult. However, it is the part after West Knob that gets a bit dicey.

The trail towards Donut Rock very steeply climbs up the west side of Black Mountain. What made it so difficult was the snow and ice, which started at 800m. Thank goodness I had my microspikes. I couldn't have done it without them. There was one particularly tricky section that had a rope assist but the rope was frozen beneath the ice. So like the climber I am, I managed to scramble up the ice. The trail was not the most clear and I had to rely on GPS to keep me on track. To top things off, there was a lot of post-holing happening which made my journey slow and labour-intensive. I resorted to the strategy of crawling up the mountain. It probably looked a bit ridiculous, but hey, it prevented me from constantly sinking into knee deep snow and getting my feet incredibly wet.

The view of Bowen Island from Donut Rock

From Donut Rock, it is only about 100m to re-join the Baden Powell. As my intention was to do a clockwise loop, I continued south on the BP to Eagle Bluff.

Overlooking Horseshoe Bay and the Howe Sound from Eagle Bluff

Panoramic shot of the same view

At Eagle Bluff, I met a curious raven who was undoubtedly looking for food.

As I was readying to leave, my phone slid out of my backpack and starting sliding rapidly down the mountain. I chased after it, thinking it was a fruitless but wanting to try nonetheless. Miraculously, a little ways down the cliff, I found my phone lodged in the snow. I was beyond shocked. It was a miraculous recovery. It is not the first time I have lost and found my phone while hiking, nor will it be the last. I am convinced there are trail angels that watch out for me.

Cell phone secured, I realized that daylight was fading and the fog was rolling in. I had to made a difficult decision whether to continue on my BP loop as originally planned or trek over to Cypress lodge and try and find a way back to my car in Horseshoe Bay. Given that was trail was difficult to find even with GPS and I really didn't want to descend down what I had just climbed up, I decided to hike to the lodge. This didn't take too long and the trail was well-groomed.

Mount Strachan from near Cabin Lake. The Lions is visible in the back left.

Once reaching the lodge, I begged around in the parking lot for about 45 minutes until this wonderfully nice couple agreed to drive me back to my car. They were heading in the opposite direction to Burnaby but Horseshoe Bay was only 6km from the base of the mountain so they agreed to take me there. I was beyond grateful. I knew I would eventually find someone to drive me. People always come through.

Hiking and being in the backcountry is all about adapting. Often times, our trips don't go as planned. Hiking has taught me how to problem-solve, think on my feet, and stay flexible. These are very important skills that are applicable to all areas of life. I'm continuously learning and always being humbled by nature. I truly believe everything we need to know in life can be learned through nature.