What was supposed to be a nice, big loop around Eagle Ridge turned into a full-body wilderness massage with bonus route-finding and nostalgic logging debris. I started from Anmore at the end of Leggett Drive and, naturally, couldn’t find the trailhead. So, I did what any rational person would do: I bushwhacked straight into the forest and hoped for the best.
Eventually stumbled upon the Lower SE junction of the Eagle Ridge Trail and somehow ended up on an unmarked trail to the power lines. (Navigational style: chaos.) Continued onto the Lungbuster-Decapitator trail, which is exactly as comforting as it sounds, then up to Cypress Lake.
Cypress Lake sits at the intersection of hiking, mountain biking, motocross, ATVs, horseback riding, and the occasional Jeep appearing on a road it definitely shouldn’t be on. Basically, if it has wheels or hooves, it’s been here.
From there, I joined the White Rock Trail and headed to a stunning lookout with views over Buntzen Lake and the Burrard Inlet. Things got a little more civilized... until I bushwhacked up to Eagle Mountain’s “summit” marked on an old forestry map. Verdict? Not worth it. It’s like climbing into a closet and calling it a penthouse.
The ridge itself was surprisingly beautiful,undulating through old-growth forest, dodging overgrown trail sections, and offering spectacular views: Deep Cove, Seymour, Georgia Strait, Coquitlam Lake, even Mount Baker off in the distance. Truly a buffet of scenery.
Made it to Dilly Dally Peak, which sounds cute but punished me like I owed it money. The descent on the West Trail was brutal: steep, overgrown, covered in deadfall and prickly bushes. Nature was not subtle, it was actively slapping me in the face and stealing my energy.
The 157 Lookout redeemed things a bit with views of Indian Arm and Belcarra Bay. Then the trail started flirting with old logging ruins, deadfalls, busted pavement, random rebar like a forest museum curated by a demolition crew.
Finally popped out at the Powerhouse Road in Buntzen Lake Recreation Area, where I ran back to my car under a full moon, like a woodland cryptid escaping its own bad decisions.
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