Percy Creek

Percy Canyon is a long, somewhat physically demanding canyon that makes its way down the slopes of Mount Seymour. This route begins very close to the Mount Seymour ski area, and works its way down almost to sea level. There will be some rock and gravel walking and a lot of scrambling through large boulders. There are lots of downclimbs, some in dry areas, most in water, with tricky footing on slick rock and moss. For much of the trip, you will be walking in a dry canyon, but there will also be swims through a few pools, and rappels through waterfalls. One of the fascinating things about this canyon is how the water keeps disappearing and reappearing throughout. In some spots, if you listen carefully, you can hear the water running beneath the gravel and rocks at your feet.

Access Road: The trail is accessed from Mount Seymour Road, near the top of the mountain. It is best to spot a car lower on the road, to minimize a long, uphill trek at the end of the day.

From Highway 1 westbound, take Exit 22B for Mount Seymour Parkway. You will end up on Fern Street. In 100m, turn right onto Mount Seymour Parkway.

From Highway 1 Eastbound, take Exit 22, toward Lynn Creek/Capilano University. From the off-ramp, turn left on Fern Street. Drive 350m, and turn right onto Mount Seymour Parkway.

On Mount Seymour Parkway, drive east for 4.5 km, and turn left on Mount Seymour Road. (On your left is Parkgate Village Shopping Centre – the Bean Around the World coffee shop is a great place for a get-up-and-go cup of coffee and final supplies for the day.)

Drive 3 km up Mount Seymour Road, entering Mount Seymour Provincial Park, and stop at a parking area on the right side. This is the Baden-Powell Trailhead – spot a vehicle here for the exit (N49 20.295 W122 57.411).

As you continue up the road, a kilometer further on is a switch back to the left (N49 20.655 W122 56.752). On the right side, a trail comes up out of the forest, beside a large tree – this is where you will emerge on the hike out. Unfortunately, there is no parking along here; you will have to walk fifteen minutes back to the car from here at the end of the day.

Once again, continue up the road, for another 7.5km (11.5km from the turn off of Mt. Seymour Parkway) to another switchback to the left (this is the third, and final, left switchback on the road.) On the left side, at the apex of the turn, is a parking lot (N49 21.579 W122 56.875). Pull in here.

From the Trailhead: From the south (downhill) side of the parking lot, cross the road up which you just drove, finding a trail that begins just before the first concrete barricades on the far side of the road (N49 21.537 W122 56.880). Take this trail across Goldie Creek (N49 21.812 W122 56.344), and continue towards Goldie Lake. After about 1.5km (20-25 minutes) turn right on the signed “Dead End Trail” (N49 22.037 W122 56.115). Follow this for about 500m to a wooden bridge crossing the upper reaches of Percy Creek (N49 22.215 W122 55.899). Turn downstream…

Skills required: Rappelling, slippery downclimbing

Rappels: 11 rappels, up to 200'

Exposure Risk: Some slippery downclimbs, moderately exposed

Water: Flow can vary. A few short swims.

Anchor Conditions: Natural anchors, webbing on boulders and trees/logs.

Gear Recommendations: Raps to 200’. You will require wetsuit, helmet, harness, rappel gear, ascending gear, webbing, rapides, dry bag/keg.

High Flow Danger: In high flow conditions, the route is potentially hazardous.

About an hour after completing the long three-stage rappel (you will pass another mandatory and an optional rappel in the meantime) reach the exit trail, on your right. As of the fall of 2012, there was a rope across the creek bed here, almost like a barricade. You can remove wetsuits here (if you haven’t already) and get ready for an intimidating trail out.

Follow the trail, crossing a couple of small creeks, and one or two bike trails that cross your path. Eventually, the trail ends at a T (N49 20.695 W122 56.635); turn left here, and then almost immediately (within about 5m) turn right again, onto a fainter trail. This will contour around a little knoll, and across a small creek. In a couple of minutes, you will once again hit a T junction (N49 20.668 W122 56.686). Turn left (downhill) again.

After another 10m, drop to the right, into a larger creek bed (N49 20.648 W122 56.685). Cross to the other side, and find a trail about 15m in – take this one to the right, and in a moment it will start steeply up the hill. Follow it all the way up and out of the trees.

You are now at the switchback, near the bottom of the mountain (N49 20.655 W122 56.752). Turn left on the road, and walk 15 minutes to the Baden-Powell Trailhead (N49 20.295 W122 57.411), and your awaiting (shuttle) chariot.

The upper part of this route is located within Mount Seymour Provincial Park, and the balance is in the District of North Vancouver. There are currently no known access issues.