The Lions (peaks) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Lion |
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 West Lion
Location in Greater Vancouver Regional District
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,654 m (5,427 ft) |
| Prominence | 369 m (1,211 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Parent range | Howe Sound Group |
| Topo map | NTS 92G/06 |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1889 H. Bell-Irving; Chief Joe Capilano; Squamish First Nations |
| Easiest route | class 3–4 scramble |
| East Lion | |
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East Lion
Location in Greater Vancouver Regional District
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,606 m (5,269 ft) |
| Prominence | 121 m (397 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | British Columbia, Canada |
| Parent range | Howe Sound Group |
| Topo map | NTS 92G/06 |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1903 W. Latta; J. Latta; R. Latta |
| Easiest route | class 4 scramble |
The Lions are two pointy mountains in the North Shore Mountains near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Squamish people call them "Ch'ich'iyúy Elxwíkn," which means 'Twin Sisters'.
The West Lion is about 1,646 m (5,400 ft) tall. The East Lion is about 1,606 m (5,269 ft) tall. You can see them from many places around Metro Vancouver. They are a famous symbol of Vancouver, like the Lions Gate Bridge which is named after them. Even the city's BC Lions football team is named in their honor.
Contents
What Are The Lions Made Of?
The Lions are made of a very old type of rock called hornblende diorite. This is one of the oldest rocks found on the West Coast of Canada.
Hiking and Climbing The Lions
You can hike up to the ridge between the East and West Lion peaks. There are two main trails to get there. One is the Binkert Trail, which starts from Lions Bay. The other is the Howe Sound Crest Trail.
The Binkert Trail is very popular. It takes about four hours to hike from Lions Bay to the ridge. You will climb about 1,280 m (4,199 ft) in height. Most hikers stop at the ridge.
Climbing to the very top of the East or West Lion peaks is much harder. It requires special rock climbing gear and skills. The East Lion peak is also in a protected area that helps supply drinking water to Vancouver. Because of this, climbing the East Lion is not allowed.
First Climbs of The Lions
The first recorded climb of the West Lion happened in 1889. A group of hunters were following goats and ended up on top of the mountain! They were guided by Squamish First Nations Chief Joe Capilano.
One of the hunters, Doctor Henry Bell-Irving, asked Chief Capilano if one of his young people could run from the bottom of the West Lion to the top and back. The youth did it in less than 20 minutes!
A more certain first climb was on August 11, 1903. Climbers Atwell King, George Martin, and Arthur Tinniswood Dalton reached the top. They took a boat from Vancouver and then hiked through thick bushes. Atwell King said the view from The Lions was "infinitely more magnificent" than other mountains he had seen.
The East Lion was thought to be impossible to climb because of its steep rock face. But in 1903, John Latta and his two brothers decided to try. They brought a rope but didn't really know how to use it. They climbed by holding onto small plants growing from cracks in the rock. The Latta brothers also climbed the West Lion on their way back down.
The "Twin Sisters" Story
The Squamish people have a special name for these two peaks: "Ch'ich'iyúy Elxwíkn," meaning 'Twin Sisters'. These mountains are very important to them. They mark a peace treaty, tell family stories, and have spiritual meaning.
One story says that the Sky Brothers, or Transformers, turned twin sisters into these mountains. This happened after the sisters married twin brothers from the Haida people. This marriage helped end a war between the Squamish and Haida nations. Families from both groups who made this peace treaty still live in the Squamish and Haida Nations today.
Another version of the story tells of Haida raiders, who were enemies of the Squamish. Among them were twin brothers, sons of a Haida chief. They were supposed to guard canoes but climbed a ridge to see a Squamish village. At sunrise, they saw twin sisters. The Haida attacked, but the twin sisters were saved and became wives to the Haida brothers. The sisters were sad and convinced their new family to make peace with the Squamish. The Squamish agreed. The Creator then turned the sisters into immortal mountains to remember their peacemaking.
Around 1890, a judge named John Hamilton Gray (New Brunswick politician) suggested calling the peaks "lions" because they looked like lions resting, similar to the lion statues in Trafalgar Square in London.
Gallery
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The Lions from North Vancouver through a telephoto lens.
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The Lions from nearby Unnecessary Mountain, showing the difference in height between the two peaks
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The ridge, or "saddle" leading to the West Lion
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The West Lion, seen from the ridge. Its base is at an elevation of 1525 m.
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The East Lion, seen from the ridge
