North Vancouver backcountry trails closed for the winter

Norvan Falls: The best way to describe North Vancouver’s Norvan Falls trail is peaceful – and flat. Beginning and ending at Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, the 14 km trek’s halfway point is a waterfall that hikers will hear before they see. (Photos: CTV Vancouver’s Katelyn Verstraten).

The backcountry of Lynn Headwaters Regional Park in North Vancouver is officially closed for the cold season.

As of Tuesday, Oct. 29, the backcountry region spanning all routes beyond Norvan Falls and areas in the Grouse subalpine, beyond Dam Mountain and Thunderbird Ridge, is off limits for outdoor enthusiasts, said North Shore Rescue on Sunday.

The popular hiking routes will reopen in 2025, when the weather permits and the conditions are safe.

“It’s not a maintained trail in the winter and it does get into some steeper terrain on rocky, boulder fields. It can be really icy back there,” said Scott Merriman, North Shore Rescue team leader.

“Unless you’re prepared to be travelling in winter terrain with mountain area equipment, it's not a place that you should be.”

A casual hiker attempting the popular hiking routes during wintertime “can get themselves into trouble pretty quickly,” Merriman added.

A change in seasons doesn’t have to equate to hanging up the hiking boots, however. Merriman recommends a number of other trails that are safe and enjoyable to navigate even as the weather turns, including those on “the front side of the mountains” and others in the Seymour and Cypress parks.

Merriman noted that the closures are a good opportunity to warn hikers about the potential dangers that come with taking to the mountains at this time of the year.

The time change – the clocks fell back one hour Sunday to mark the end of daylight-saving time for another year – often “catches hikers off guard,” he said.

Those venturing out over the coming weeks should bear in mind nightfall will be arriving an hour earlier than they are used to, he said, and so trail lengths and hiking equipment should be tailored to suit the changing conditions.

The shift in weather brings with it its own set of hazards, added Merriman.

“We have seen our first snowfall of the year on the local mountains now, so it's pretty easy for conditions to change from what is experienced in the city to what is experienced on the trails,” he said.

“Starting your hike on running shoes and then getting into snowy, slippery terrain is definitely not the situation that we want people to be getting into.”

Merriman recommends hikers carry out their due diligence and conduct research of the trail’s conditions before embarking on their trek, considering micro spikes and snowshoes, and bringing the essentials needed for this time of year, such as waterproof clothing, navigation devices, light, a fully charged phone and plenty of food and water.