DIRECTIONS: Same trailhead as the Lions, Brunswick, Harvey, etc. I took the C12 bus from Horseshoe Bay into Lions Bay.create
SUMMARY: Follow the popular Binkert trail towards the Lions, along the old logging road. Eventually, after passing the Mt. Harvey trailhead, there is the usual turnoff for the Lions. Pass this by and instead continue straight on the remains of the logging road, which is so overgrown and eroded it is usually not recognizable as a former road at all. Follow the trail and the frequent flagging as it traverses the south slopes of Mt. Harvey, through old logging cut blocks. Eventually the trail opens up to grand views of the West Lion, and tops out between Harvey Pass and David Peak. At this point there is a connector to the Howe Sound Crest Trail, marked by a metal sign nailed to a stump.create
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Harvey Basin Trail
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Jul 13, 2019
Took 7 caterpillars, a friendly tick, and a hiking buddy through one hell of an adventure. Ever need a trail where you feel like an explorer in semi uncharted territory? Well this is the hike for you! And also the two groups of poor souls that missed the turn off for the Lions….
With Magnesia Meadows in mind as the goal, I set out with my usual hiking partner who is literally the only individual I know who is insane enough to condemn themselves to some of my adventures.
This hike for us started from the Lion’s Bay parking lot, and we ventured up the popular trails and past the log that marks the turn off for West Lions. Quite swiftly the bushes started snaking more onto the trail, making it narrower. For the first few minutes there is a lovely trail that accompanies the original away from the bushes, but soon one must accept their fate: bushwhacking. Now, maybe you are like me, and you think “oh a few little bushes, no big deal.” No. Initially, yes the trail lightly tickles exposed legs, with maybe the occasional thorn bush being a little more harsh. But these bushes quickly take over the trail, and their touch no longer becomes pleasant.
Steadily they become denser, until you wonder if you even have feet. But careful, there are holes that one can twist an ankle in, mud to slide on, and creeks to stumble into. Eventually the light bushes meshed more with the thorns, and every step was accompanied with a new cut. Now, maybe you are thinking: “oh, but they are just waist high!” Not even close. Hands are very much a necessity to keep these bushes away from my face and to assist with untangelling branches. Yes, untangelling. I noticed a person did this trail a few days ago judging from the snapped branches, but somehow they intertwined once more. There were quite a few moments where my pace would come to a stop and the branches embraced me in a leafy net.
The map we had warns of a section that should be cleared before attempting, but as per usual we pushed on until the bushes towered over us. Now, bushwhacking does not even encapsulate this adventure. Using echolocation, we pushed through the foliage listening to one another’s rustles as a reference to distance. On the bright side the trees banking either side of the trail keep any poor soul tackling this trail from wandering off. There was one sandy section that our foolish thoughts led us to believe that the trail would actually be free of bushes! We wandered off for about 40 seconds before sensing it was a bad decision.
The bushes finally clear up once the trail comes upon what appears to be an old creek bed, or perhaps the remnants of a slide? Now, one gets to be exposed to the sun while they walk along the “old access road” blindly. Fear not, because this trail is designed to challenge you some bugs will also relentlessly attack you at this point. On the bright side, if one slides into the creek just before this section, their feet can dry off on the boulders. The boulders give way to what actually resembles an archaic, reclaimed by nature, forest service road for a brief period of time. I always forget how bipolar the weather is in this range of mountains. One second it is dense clouds with cold biting at the skin, and the next the sun is trying to fry you to a crisp….
The old forest service road ends with a metal sign (that looks equally as old) nailed to a tree redirecting beaten hikers to a steep grind. The vertical climb ends by meeting the howe sound crescent trail. And yes, my hiking companion has a photo of me hugging the sign post with sheer joy on my face. Alas, a moment to catch one’s breath and to stare out at the beauty of the Lions towering over the valley.
The rest of our trip was far easier than the nightmare we subjected ourselves too. Magnesia meadows was worth the sweat and literal blood to get to. The view of Harvey from this angle is absolutely stunning. Harvey’s sheer drop is a lot more noticeable from the meadows, and beautiful Brunswick is still a towering force to be reckoned with. There were only four other people in the area, none of which stopped by the little snow-meltwater lake.
We made the decision not to torment ourselves further with retreating back the way we came. Instead we pushed onwards, following the Howe Sound Crescent trail to Brunswick’s junction and taking the steep grade down.
Dear Hiking Buddy, if you are reading this. I hope I have transcribed our adventure well, and if you happen to forget how exhausting it was, then look at your legs! :)