Huge crowd hikes up Metro Vancouver mountain to break Guinness World Record

Over the Labour Day long weekend 1,566 people trekked to the top of Cypress Mountain together, breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest group hike.

Outdoor enthusiasts came out in droves on a sunny long weekend Saturday to break the Guinness World Record for most people hiking simultaneously.

The “World’s Biggest Hike” event was put on by New Zealand-based outdoor apparel brand Kathmandu as a festive way to launch in Canada.

A total of 1,566 people hiked the four kilometres up West Vancouver’s Cypress Mountain from base to the Sky Chair, according to Kathmandu.

That smashes the previous record for most hikers at once – 815 in Kurdistan, Iraq in 2023.

“We knew that whether it was rain, hail, or shine that Vancouverites would get out and support the event,” Nick Russell, GM of Kathmandu Canada, told CTV News.

The world record attempt also raised more than $25,000 for good causes. Merch sales at the event go towards Take a Hike Foundation, North Shore Rescue and the BC Parks Foundation.

Participant Jillian Weaving said she came out to support North Shore Rescue, and brought her grandsons along because they wanted to make the Guinness Book of World Records – an achievement she can already boast because she participated in the “largest human image of a maple leaf” on Grouse Mountain.

Asked what the most fun part of the day will be, her grandson Hadrien Ravenaz said, “I like when it’s rocky and stuff so that might be fun if we can find that.”

“Being able to go on a hike surrounded by a bunch of people in nature will be amazing,” her other grandson, Alexander, told CTV News.

“It’s nice for the community to come together,” participant Philip Mercado said. “We didn’t expect as many people to come out, but it’s really nice to see people partaking in something that’s healthy.”