Hat Mountain is situated north-west of Mount Brunswick above Lion's Bay. On a clear day, the views of Howe Sound are spectacular but it really offers great views in all directions. There is a large green radio tower situated on the peak itself. The cache is a small, clear Snaplock container large enough for a logbook, pen (but bring one along, just to be safe), and possibly some small items, tags, etc.
Please be sure to return the cache as you found it to keep it protected from the weather.
There are multiple ways to get to Hat Mountain but the direct routes all start at the Lions/Mount Harvey/Mount Brunswick trailhead on Sunset Drive in Lion's Bay. Get there early or there won't be any place to park. Follow the forest road ~2km and take the Brunswick trail heading off to the left. Just past the 3km mark, continue straight on the main trail towards Brunswick Mountain (the left fork offers an alternative route with a rather challenging climb up the north-east face of Hat Mountain but the route via the Brunswick Mountain trail is easier and somewhat shorter). After ~6km from the start (and a lot of climbing), you'll come to a junction with the Howe Sound Crest Trail (HSCT). Go left on the HSCT. In less that 1km, there will be a smaller, flagged trail heading uphill to the left. Follow this trail over a smaller peak (Fat Ass Peak) and onto Hat Mountain itself. Round-trip is ~16km.
Warning! Following the marked trail north-east past Hat Mountain should be undertaken by experienced hikers only. The descents are steep and, at times, exposed. If you are inexperienced, don't even consider it!
I wouldn't recommend this route if the weather is poor as you could easily lose your way in the high mountains and there will be no views anyway.
Inspired by the Bagger Challenge, an annual fun competition where people see how many peaks they can bag in a season. It's a great excuse to get out and enjoy the local mountains. Visit the Bagger Challenge site to get a list of accessible peaks, classifications and more. No peaks in the Challenge require climbing gear but some do require class 3 scrambling (these are clearly identified as such; Burwell is not one of those peaks).
Enjoy the mountains!
Caches in the Peak Bagger series: