The Grouse Grind

I promised to talk about various hikes that I do, and what better way to start off than with the first hike I did in the Vancouver area?

The Grouse Grind is a 2.9 km staircase/hike up Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver. It is called "The Grind", because it is a gruelling, grind of a hike. People challenge themselves with it, they time their ascent, and they even have a "grind timer", which will record your time and post it for all the world to see. 1 hour is pretty standard, 1.5 hours isn't bad, 45 minutes is very good, and 30 minutes is legendary (I just made up these ratings, they aren't official or anything).

At the top of the mountain is a chalet, a ski hill, and a number of attractions and shows which rotate seasonally. (eg. a lumberjack show, which I have never actually seen, and some bears in an enclosure). Due to the high volume of visitors climbing up The Grind, downhill travel is officially prohibited (this rule isn't strictly enforced) instead one must take the gondola down for the price of $10.

On a sunny day, the entire way up is packed with people.

My Rating:

1/5 stars. This hike is too busy and touristy to be very enjoyable, on top of that, it's hard work for not a lot of gain. I mean, the view is decent, but so is the view from Cypress mountain, Lynn Peak and Mt. Seymore, which are right there anyway. I would only suggest this mountain to someone who felt like a cardio challenge. If you want a real hike, try Mt. Seymore.

By the time you're here, most people have no desire to make the trip down anyway.

The view is seriously impaired by the gondola supports.