You can also hike in from Horseshoe Bay via Whyte Lake (a great spot to swim afterwards) and it takes about the same amount of time.

My first place after moving to Vancouver was at the corner of Robson and Cardero in the tower above the Blenz. Staring out at the sky and mountains from the window, I managed to take quite a few pictures of the view over the course of a year.

Vancouver has interesting and moody weather. This time of year when the cherry blossoms signal the start of Spring, it’s always a welcome relief to have longer, warmer and sunnier days. This is my tribute to life in the coastal rainforests of BC.

The morning fog hanging over the Stanley Park and Coal Harbour after a week of dense fog in the city.

The perfect shade of blue sky on a clear, crisp summer day.

Different shades of clouds as the mysterious haze gradually colours over the blue sky.

A bright morning reveals a fresh dusting of snow on the North Shore Mountains.

After a fresh dump snow at sea level, the city of Vancouver grinds to a halt.

An inversion of clouds hangs below the North Shore Mountains and above the city of North Vancouver.

After a big storm, clouds blanket the North Shore Mountains and begin to burn off in the sun.

More misty mountaintops after a winter storm.

One of the few summer sunrises I managed to catch (I’m not a morning person). I love the outline of mountain’s ridgelines against the morning sky.

The November gloom sets in as the rainy season begins. The city remains socked in by gray clouds for most of the next 4 months. When the clouds occasionally break and the rains stop, the mountaintops are often dusted in fresh snow and Vancouverites pour out in the streets to get some Vitamin D.

In the winter dense fog can completely cover the city, dramatically reducing visibility.

One of my favourite things about Vancouver is how the clouds break up at in the late morning or afternoon after a storm. Then they bunch up on the North Shore Mountains, often creating explosive looking cloud pillars thousands of feet high.

If you want directions and specifics for each hike, I recommend using Vancouver Trails.

1. Dog Mountain

A surreal view of Vancouver's natural harbour as the sun sets.

Photo Credit: Kyle Pearce

The Dog Mountain bluffs have the best-hike-to-view ratio in the Lower Mainland. I try to do this hike every few weeks since it is a quick 25 minutes drive from downtown and it only takes about 1 or 2 hours. Plus, it is an easy hike in the snow. The trailhead is by the Bear’s Paw at the far end of the Mount Seymour parking lot.

2.  Stawamus Chief

The myseterious crouching Stawamus Chief seen from the Squamish Marina.

Photo Credit: Kyle Pearce

The Stawamus Chief, or “The Chief”, is the second largest granite monolith in the world. There are three domed summits you can hike to, all accessed by a trail that starts near Shannon Falls. The lowest dome takes about 3 hours and the highest dome takes 5 hours (all times are return trips). If you’re a little crazier, you can climb one of the many routes on the front face, which is a world-famous rock climbing destination.

3. St. Mark’s Summit

A spectacular view over the entrance of Howe Sound. You can see Bowen Island on top left and the mountains of Vancouver Island fade into the clouds in the distance.

Photo Credit: Realaworld

St Mark’s summit is an intermediate hike that starts by the Cypress Mountain day lodge. It winds 11 km along the Howe Sound Crest Trail. It takes about 5 hours to the summit and back.

If you want to hike the entire Howe Crest Sound Trail it takes 2 days to hike the full 32 km. There are many other mountains along the trail that have much better views like the Binkert Lions, Unnecessary Mountain and Mount Harvey, but St. Mark’s Summit is the easiest hike.

4. Mount Cheam

The view of the Fraser River from one of the peaks of Mount Cheam.

Photo Credit: Ryan and Sabina

Mount Cheam is the highest peak in the Fraser Valley but also one of the easiest thanks to a logging road that gets you within a one-hour hike of the summit. The road is snowed-in for most of the year so the best time to go is between July and October. The road can be accessed from Chilliwack Lake road and you will need a 4×4 vehicle.

5. Mount Shuksan

The late summer view of Mount Shuksan reflected in the calm waters of Mirror Lake.

Photo Credit: Kyle Pearce

This is the huge peak you see skiing at Mount Baker. Between the months of the June and October, this is a difficult but rewarding hike offering views of Vancouver in the distance, Mount Baker and the Cascade wilderness to the south.

In the summer and fall you can drive up to Artist’s Point in Mount Baker Recreational Area and there is lots of hikes that can be done in a few hours. The scenery in this area is outstanding.

6. Garibalidi Lake

The view of the aqua blue waters of Garibaldi Lake from Panorama Ridge.

Photo Credit: Grant Mattice

Garibaldi Lake is an incredible hike. While it can be done in a day, it is better to spend a few days at the beautiful campground along the southern shore. It takes about 3 hours to hike to the campground and from there you can hike to Panorama Ridge, the Battleship Islands, Black Tusk, Cheakamus Lake and the amazing wildflowers in the Black Tusk meadows (best seen between the middle of July and middle of August).

7. Diaz Vistas

The view of Indian Arm and the city of Vancouver in the distance.

Photo Credit: David J Laporte

The Diaz Vistas trail is a nice 4-6 hour hike along the ridgelines above Indian Arm and Bunsen Lake in Belcarra Regional Park. On the way back down, it is worth stopping at Bunsen Lake or Sasamat Lake for a swim.

8. Crown Mountain

When I saw this photo it just blew me away. Local boy and two-time Stanley Cup champion Andrew Ladd fulfilling his dream to watch the sun rise on Crown Mountain with the Stanley Cup.

Photo Credit: Mark L. Johnson

Crown Mountain is one of the most distinctive peaks visible from Downtown Vancouver. The trail starts just beyond the Grizzly Bear refuge on Grouse Mountain and it takes about 5 hours to the peak and back. It’s a lot better than taking the crowded Grouse Grind.

The pyramid-like peak in the top left of the picture is Cathedral Mountain, the highest peak in the North Shore Mountains.

9. Mount Seymour

The epic backcountry terrain on Mount Seymour.

Photo Credit: Grant Mattice

Mount Seymour is a 5-hour hike from the Mount Seymour Ski Resort parking lot. It’s the most fun to do it in the winter when you can ski, slide or snowboard back down. There are usually lots of interesting  and friendly people in the Seymour Backcountry hiking, building jumps and even camping on the ridge lines overlooking the city of Vancouver.

10. The Binkert Lions

The view of the Binkert Lions on the Cypress approach.

Photo Credit: Panoramio

These distinctive twin peaks in the North Shore Mountains are a strenuous 8-hour hike from the village of Lions Bay. You can also hike to the Lions from the Howe Sound Crest Trail.