The trail is quite busy until Saint Marks Summit, after which the foot traffic thins out significantly. There are few spots to refill water along the trail, so bringing a lot is recommended, especially if planning for an overnight stay.
Howe sound crest trail starts off very easy from a technical standpoint but is quite steep. It's mainly hard packed gravel and a pretty smooth surface. Before you hit Mark's summit the smooth trail ends and it becomes very steep. It also get more muddy from snow melt.
Continuing on, the trail gets even rougher. The ascent in the forest between Saint Marks summit and Unnecessary Mountain is both technical and extremely steep, but not exposed to the point that you have to worry about falling. There are big drops, large rocks, large tree roots, and ropes to climb/repel.
**Class 1-2 Scrambling.*
**There are ropes to climb and descend, though the scrambling will be done without ropes.*
Difficulty, Distance, and Elevation:
Very Hard, 23.5 km trail (out and back), 1870 meters of elevation gain
Meeting At: Cypress Creek Lodge (at the back, closer to the trails)
Parking: Yes
Transit Access: No
Carpool List:
[Carpool Link](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rC9awgx8or6Cn_MeRp7knUW6dBG33dEgEz93-FsPcl4/edit?usp=sharing)
Recommended Gear:
1. Hiking Boots or Hiking Shoes
2. Hiking Pack or Backpack
3. 6-8 or more liters of water + Lunch + Snacks + 2nd Lunch + 2nd Snacks
4. (Optional) Sun Glasses, Sun Screen, and Hat
5. (If raining): Rain Jacket
6. (Optional, if raining): Waterproof Pack Cover, Rainpants
7. Headlamp + Spare Set of Batteries + Fully Charged Cellphone
