If you’re new to Vancouver and looking for an outdoor adventure near the city, look no further than Grouse Mountain. Easily accessible via public transit or by car, Grouse Mountain has tons to offer in the way of activities, views, and unique experiences. Nestled beside one of my favourite parts of town, North Vancouver, Grouse provides a nature sanctuary to tourists, locals, and wildlife alike.
When you arrive in the main parking area, you’ll see the main way up and down the mountain is a large gondola ride. In some parts of the world, gondolas may be pretty common, but to many who visit Vancouver, the lift up to Grouse is a novel experience all on its own!
If you’re a fan of winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding, you’ll find Grouse to be a perfect destination to hone your skills. Even if it’s raining buckets in Vancouver, skiers will still faithfully flock up to Grouse knowing that they’ll be met with a winter wonderland. If you really like to ski, you can become a ski instructor through Grouses CSIA Level 1 Certification course. So many opportunities present themselves at this incredible place.
One of my favourite surprises, when I visited during winter holidays, was their two friendly REINDEER! How much more magical can it get?? We weren’t expecting to see any resident wildlife other than perhaps a few birds, so when we spotted the reindeer we did a double take and just had to say hello. There is also a skating rink set up in the winter months, as well as an incredible sledding hill! We had a few close calls and SO much fun.
When you go to a mountain in the winter most people want to ski, but honestly the sledding was my favourite part! It’s not overrated and somehow they have created the perfect sledding hill for thrills.
There’s also a “light walk” adorned with beautiful white lights that takes you through a forested loop where you can go as slowly or briskly as you like, perhaps leaving snow angels along your way. If you need a break from the cold, the cafe and restaurant up on Grouse is the perfect place to regroup with a hot cup of tea (etc).
In the summer Grouse provides a stunning vantage of the city of Vancouver, as well as refreshments at its cafe and restaurant. There is lots of space to roam and explore the mountain, with an impressive wind turbine known as “The Eye of the Wind” that can be spotted from miles away.
Although skiing slows to a halt during the summer months, the ski lifts are still open to be used by the public (the pandemic may affect this). One of the most noted attractions at Grouse is their two resident grizzly bears! If you’re lucky Coola and Grinder will come out of their cozy forested home to say hello and grab a snack of veggies left on the ground by staff. The grizzlies at Grouse are gentle giants, but make sure to keep your hands to yourself when admiring them.
You can check the Grouse mountain website to note if the bears are in hibernation or not, as this will greatly affect your chances of seeing them!
There are lots of spots to sit, rest and take in the view of BCs most beloved city, Vancouver while you visit this mountain retreat. The paths are wide and there are wildflowers, trees, and carved wooden statues that add to the dreamy atmosphere.
For any avid hikers out there, the gondola is technically not the only way up to Grouse; you can also do what’s known as the Grouse Grind. The Grouse Grind is a difficult 2.5km hike up to the Grouse mountains attractions. However, you’ll need to purchase a FREE ticket down the mountain via the gondola as downhill hiking is not permitted. The gondola ride down is a wonderful reward and victory to any who make it up the grind!
Overall I’d rate Grouse Mountain highly for being a perfect place to host family outings, nature photoshoots, romantic dates, educational talks, and more. If you haven’t been yet, I hope you get the chance to go soon! Let me know via the contact page if I missed anything or if you have any questions.
Thoughts to Writings 
One thought on “Grouse Mountain”