Howe Sound Crest Trail Hiking Guide: GPX files
Kraig Adams, kraigadams.com

These are my own GPS recordings of two days on the Howe Sound Crest Trail,
British Columbia, on July 18 and 19, 2023: from the Cypress Mountain ski area
over St. Mark's Summit and Unnecessary Mountain to my camp on the ridge below
the West Lion; then, the next morning, along the crest over Thomas, James and
David Peaks, past Magnesia Meadows, Brunswick, Hanover and Deeks Lakes, and
down to Highway 99 at the Porteau Road trailhead. They show the way I actually
walked. All timestamps have been removed.

howe-sound-crest-day-1.gpx        Day 1: Cypress Mountain, the Bowen Lookout
                                  turnoff, St. Mark's Summit, Unnecessary
                                  Mountain and my camp below the West Lion
                                  (6.3 mi / 10.2 km)
howe-sound-crest-day-2.gpx        Day 2: Thomas, James and David Peaks,
                                  Magnesia Meadows, Brunswick Lake, Hanover
                                  Lake, Deeks Lake and the Highway 99
                                  trailhead (13.0 mi / 21.0 km)
howe-sound-crest-full-route.gpx   Both days in one file, plus waypoints for
                                  the places named in the guide.

stats.json                        The numbers for each day, and how they were
                                  worked out.

My app didn't pause on either day, so each day is one track. My GPS reads a
little longer than BC Parks' figure (29 km one way).

HOW TO LOAD THEM

AllTrails: on a computer, sign in at alltrails.com, create a new map and use
Import to upload the file. The map then shows up in the app on your phone.
Downloading it for offline use needs a paid AllTrails plan.

Gaia GPS: on your phone, open the file from Files, email or AirDrop and choose
Gaia GPS, or on gaiagps.com choose Import. Then download the map area for
offline use.

Garmin: in Garmin Connect (web), go to Training, Courses, Import, and pick the
file. Save it as a course and send it to your watch.

Organic Maps: first download the free offline map for British Columbia. Then
open the GPX file on your phone and choose Organic Maps. It shows up in your
bookmarks and tracks list and works fully offline.

Download offline maps in Vancouver; BC Parks says the phone signal on the
trail is unreliable, and the markers are intermittent north of the Lions.
There's no reliable water between Strachan Meadows and Magnesia Meadows.
Overnight parking at Cypress is only allowed in Lot 3B. Use this as a guide,
not a guarantee.

Copyright 2026 Kraig Adams. For your personal use. Please don't share or resell.
