St. Mark's Summit
9/18/2026
I’ve been enjoying visiting summits along the Howe Sound Crest Trail, and this was no exception.
The trail was easy to follow directly from the Cypress lodge, and I couldn’t help but get a tiny bit rattled as a I passed a big “Bear in Area” sign while I was alone in the dark with a headlamp that was rapidly running out of battery. Thank goodness for cell phone flashlights!
The early part of the Howe Sound Crest Trail had clearly had work done on it recently, and it was remarkably wide and well graded. This allowed me to make quick progress as I blew through Strachan Meadows and began switchbacking up to a minor highpoint on the ridge. At this point, there was enough light that I could ditch my flashlight.
Eventually I reached a sign that read “End of improved trail. Trail is steep and technical beyond this point.” Intrigued, I pressed on, and the trail did take on a more rugged flavor on the way to the summit. There were some sections that were covered in a thick web of tree roots that called for cautious footing. Regardless, it was still a well-marked trail, and I cruised into the summit area exactly at sunrise.
There are some cool rock outcroppings that make for excellent viewpoints down to Howe Sound near the summit, and I took some time to admire the awesome view. Reaching the treed true summit required a short bushwack, and there were no real views, so I tagged the high point and went back down to admire the view for a bit longer.
The way out was quick, and I started to see a steady stream of hikers as I got closer to Cypress. This area is popular for good reason.
6.7 miles / 1745 feet of gain
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