3 Summit Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Lake · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The three summits of Patton lookout, Coliseum, and Burwell are accessed via a linkup of the Seymour and Lynn Valley trailways. The start and end of the run are easy, with the 13 km in the middle being steep, challenging, and technical. The reward for all your hard work climbing out of the Seymour Valley is access to these three summits, all in close proximity, and boasting incredible views of the entire North Shore mountain range, Washington, Vancouver Island, and the Howe Sound.

The section in the middle is steep and not very runable. Exceptional power hiking practice!

Park at the LCSR parking lot and run down the Homestead Trail on the northeast side of the parking lot. Join Fisherman's Trail and enjoy the gentle, rolling doubletrack as it runs along the Seymour River, heading north. At 6 km, the Fisherman's Trail ends; take Hydraulic Connector 1 km west to join the paved Seymour Valley trailway for 3 more km. This paved trailway is marked with distance markers; at ~600 m past the 9 km marker there is a gravel road that switchbacks west and upward into the forest. Take this gravel road for 1 km along Stoney Creek until it ends. The Stoney Creek Trailhead is clearly flagged at the end of the gravel road; take this steep trail upwards toward the Patton Peak lookout.

There is a rocky junction marked with a cairn shortly before the Patton Peak lookout; the trail right leads to the granite deck of Patton Peak, and the trail left continues toward the Coliseum summit. The views (and break) at Patton Peak are worth the stop—enjoy the first of many great views to come!

From the Patton Peak junction, the trail continues to climb toward the Coliseum summit. There is a second junction at the col between the Needles and Coliseum mountain. The right arm continues to the Coliseum summit and clearly continues climbing. The left arm at the junction descends to Norvan Falls Trail.

Shortly after the second junction, the forest gives way to the strange white granite slab that gives Coliseum its name. Expansive views of Vancouver shortly follow from the Coliseum summit.

Mount Burwell is 1.5 km directly north from the summit of Coliseum Mountain. Follow sporadic flagging and cairns through the granite terraces before gaining the summit, which is marked by a pile of rocks. This section of "trail" is otherworldly and makes the challenge of the steep climb from the valley below worth the effort.

Descend the way you came to past the Coliseum Mountain to the second junction at the col. Take the right arm down the ridge then into a gully which leads into the Lynn Valley. The descent here is sporadically difficult, with frequent tree, mud and root obstacles which slow progress. Shortly before the Norvan Falls Trail junction there are some gigantic trees, including the nearby Norvan's Castle—the largest western hemlock in western Canada, which seems to have narrowly escaped logging as is evidenced by the enormous stumps just a few meters farther down the slope.

The trail levels and joins the fast and fun Norvan Falls Trail. Follow this trail (or any of the well mapped variants) back to the LCSR parking lot.