Mount Seymour: Pump Peak (First Peak) (2 days / 7 km)
Located in Mount Seymour, this is a solid backcountry option for those wanting to escape the city but not go too far from Vancouver. This hike is about 30-45 minutes away from Vancouver and took us 1 hour 45 minutes on the way up (including rest) and 1 hour 15 minutes on the way down. We snuck this in on Friday night after work and I would highly recommend it!
This hike starts off in Mount Seymour parking lots and follows the Mount Seymour trail to Pump Peak (aka First Peak). You can choose to continue to Tim Jones (aka Second Peak) or to Mount Seymour Peak (aka Third Peak), but we chose to keep it easy and not explore the other peaks.
At 7 km round trip and 450 m elevation gain, I would rate it an easy-moderate hike. It’s a great option for beginners and/or those wanting a local backcountry option.
Trip Completed: August 2024
Trip Summary
Location: Mount Seymour, British Columbia.
Traditional Territory: This route takes place on the traditional territory of Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam, Squamish (Source).
Maps & Resources
Guidebook: No guidebook was used.
Map: We downloaded the offline map for the trail from AllTrails which was fairly accurate.
Interactive Map: Click here to view and modify this route using the interactive Route Planner
Permits & Reservations
Campsite Reservations / Permits: No reservation or permit is needed. Wilderness camping is permitted north of Brockton Point. Specific campsites are not designated.
Know Before You Go
Season: Any time from July – October should work. When we went in mid-August, there was no snow and nighttime temperatures were quite nice (hovering around 12-15 degrees).
Cell Reception: Had cell reception pretty much the whole time – except for a few spotty patches on the drive up.
Water: No – only small, murky ponds. Would recommend a really good water filter or bringing all your water in with you. For reference, I am a 5’2” female and I used a total of 2.75L for a 15-hour trip (starting the trail at 5:30 pm on day 1 and getting back to the parking lot at 8:30 am on day 2). This included water for drinking and making tea/hot chocolate. We did not use any water for cooking meals and chose to pack in sandwiches instead.
Wildlife: There are black bears in this area so keeping your campsite clean and properly storing food/scented items will be critical. We didn’t see any signs of large wildlife when we went.
Waste: No facilities for human or food waste. Please pack out all your garbage.
Outfitters & Shuttles
Outfitter: We didn’t use an outfitter.
Shuttle: We didn’t use a shuttle.
Trip Report
Day 1: Trailhead to Pump Peak (3.5 km)
Driving to trailhead: We left Vancouver at 4:15 pm and started the trail at 5:30 pm. The trailhead is located at the most northern point of Parking Lot #1, but you need to park in Parking Lot #2 if you plan to keep your car there overnight. It’s a little tricky to find, but the AllTrails map is accurate.
Trailhead to Pump Peak (Campsite): Follow the signs at the trailhead to get on Mount Seymour Trail (make sure you don’t accidentally take the trail on the left to go to Dog Mountain). The terrain is pretty rocky so it’s a bit more challenging than a dirt switchback, but still pretty manageable. The elevation starts off pretty reasonable as well. Most of this hike is covered, so that helped to reduce sun exposure on a hot summer night.
Follow the trail for about 1.5 km on a gradual incline, before you need to descend abruptly and make a Z (a sharp right then a sharp left) to get onto Manning Ski Run. Make your way up Manning Ski Run for about 200 m and then stay left to continue back onto Mount Seymour trail. There are a few viewpoints along the way so be sure to soak up the views.
Continue making your way along this trail, passing a junction where another trail leads to Elsay Lake. Once you pass this point, the trail narrows significantly and you start the steep climb to the top. Be careful with foot placement and handholds here, as there are some pretty large rocks you need to climb.
The elevation starts to get more intense as you make the final push up to the summit but is so worth it. You can follow orange tags along the way to ensure you stay on the path. Once you reach the peak, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views of the city, Stanley Park, Grouse Mountain, and on clear days, even Mount Baker.
It took us 1 hour 45 minutes total from trailhead to the peak, including breaks and time spent scoping out a spot.
Campsite: There are no official camp spots so take your time to find a flat area to pitch your tent. We camped to the right of Pump Peak, about 10 minutes away from the summit. We saw about 4 other groups that night, with some camped on the peak and some camped further away. Either way, you’ll be treated to gorgeous views of sunset and sunrise, with both city and mountain ranges in the background.
The weather was warm enough that we slept without the rainfly, however, it was a hazy night so we didn’t get the best views of the stars.
| Distance | 3.5 km |
| Elevation Gain | 343 m |
| Campsite Reservation | No reservation needed. |
Day 2: Campsite back to Trailhead (3.5 km)
Pump Peak (Campsite) to Trailhead: Around 5:30 am, we woke up and made our way from our campsite to watch the sunrise. We were joined by a few day hikers and a few other groups who had camped overnight – but overall, it wasn’t too busy.
The bugs however were really bad so I would caution you to be prepared with bug spray and/or bug nets. After sunrise, we enjoyed our breakfast and coffee, took down our site, and made our way back to the trailhead going the same way we came up.
All in all, it took us 1 hour 15 minutes to get back to the parking lot.
| Distance | 3.5 km |
| Elevation Gain | 0 m |
| Campsite Reservation | NA |
Reflections
What Went Well
Overall it was a great hike up to Pump Peak. The path is pretty straightforward and well-marked with orange tags. We were lucky to find a beautiful camp spot and that it was relatively peaceful on a Friday night. We had great views of the sunset, despite it being hazy from distant forest fires. And the warm weather was an absolute delight.
What Didn’t Go Well
The bugs weren’t bad on the trail itself, but at night they got pretty bad, and then they got even worse in the morning. Bug spray and a bug net helped some, so pack those if you have them. Despite all this, all of us left with quite a few mosquito bites – they were sneaky and attacking our ankles!
Author Bio
Angela is an avid beginner hiker and loves trips that have a high reward-to-effort ratio. She moved a few years ago from Ontario to BC, where she has fully immersed herself in that west coast life. Outside of hiking & backpacking, she enjoys skiing, running, reading, and cooking dinner for friends.