Unnecessary Mountain gets its peculiar name from the fact it once was part of the route to reach The Lions whereas now the route avoids it. This now, unnecessary mountain, no longer needs to be climbed to reach The Lions. Unnecessary is part of the amazing Howe Sound Crest Trail in Cypress Provincial Park and is one of the many beautiful peaks to be climbed if desired on the 29 kilometre trail.
Very challenging & rewarding hike!Short, but steep trailSensational views at the summit!On the Howe Sound Crest TrailDogs & camping are welcomeRelatively quiet, yet beautiful hikeAccessible with snowshoes in the winter
Unmaintained trail from Lions BayEasy to lose the trail due to few signsToo challenging for most hikers
Black Mountain 
Brunswick Mountain 
Burnaby Lake 
Burnaby Mountain Coliseum Mountain Crown Mountain Cypress Falls Deeks Peak Deep Cove Deer Lake Dog Mountain 
Goat Mountain Goldie Lake 
Grouse Hollyburn Mountain Kitsilano Beaches Lighthouse Park Lynn Canyon Lynn Peak Mt Elsay Mt Fromme 
Mt Hanover Mt Harvey Mt Seymour Mt Strachan Mystery Lake Pacific Spirit 
Rice Lake St Mark's Stanley Park The Lions Unnecessary
Among the hiker friendly mountains (from Cypress north) on the Howe Sound Crest Trail are: Mount Strachan, St Mark`s Summit, Unnecessary Mountain, The Lions, Mount Harvey, Mount Hanover, Brunswick Mountain and finally Deeks Peak. As Unnecessary lays in the middle of the Howe Sound Crest Trail, it has its own trail from Lions Bay which makes it a manageable day-trip. The trail is well marked but very steep and overgrown. It is sometimes compared, as so many other North Shore trails often are, to the Grouse Grind. Harder, better views and no people, is the usual description. Unnecessary Mountain is comprised of three summits, all three are reachable without technical skill. The summit furthest north is where the original trail to The Lions is located. The Howe Sound Crest Trail now goes around the east side of Unnecessary Mountain.
The trailhead to Unnecessary Mountain is in the cute little town of Lions Bay. From downtown Vancouver the drive takes 35 minutes with light traffic and can take an an hour with busy traffic. From Vancouver head north on Highway 99 towards Lions Bay and take the Oceanview Road exit (2nd Lions Bay exit you will see). Follow Oceanview Road until it ends at a gate near a water tower. There is a small parking area here. Walk past the gate up the old road that curves to the left. Look for the trail on your right, that is the Unnecessary Mountain trail that rises steeply.
