Grouse Mountain Vancouver, BC, Canada – History, About and What To Do There

Grouse Mountain is only 15 minutes from downtown, it is considered one of Vancouver’s premier attraction that offers up a great outdoor experience. Most of Grouse Mountain’s summer and winter activities are free after you purchase a Grouse Mountain Admission ticket.

History
The first hikers recorded in history to reach the peak in October 1894 named Grouse Mountain. In the late 1800′s, climbing Grouse Mountain was no easy task, and took nearly three or four days to complete, back then there wasn’t a bridge to cross Burrard Inlet and no paved street to the base of the Grouse Mountain. The rugged crew of hikers dredged deep  snow, climbed over rocks and of course fought their way past the dense forest. Grouse Mountain was named after Blue Grouse which was a breed of birds that were plentiful in the mountains, and this was what the band of hikers hunted while trekking to the summit.

After this first climb up Grouse Mountain and word spread the mountain started attracting hundreds of avid and adventurous hikers. Don and Phyllis Munday was one of the those adventure seeker and he built the first log cabin on the mountain. The Munday Alpine Snowpark to this day bears their name in honor of their contributions to mountaineering.

Activities

Skyride – Above the tall Douglas fir trees you can take in the beautiful view of the city of Vancouver, Pacific Ocean, Gulf Islands, and white snow peaks of the mountainside. The Skyride is on of North America’s largest aerial tramway system. You can take pictures on the way up or once up top at the The Observatory you have a wonderful dinner.

Hours of Operation
The Skyride operates 365 days a year, departing every 15 minutes from 9am-10pm.

Wind Turbine Tours
– This is the world’s first and only wind turbine that allows you to stand in a clear glass view POD at the top of the tower, 3 metres from its gigantic  rotating blades. Get a 360-degree views of Grouse Mountain’s surrounding environment.

Hours & Price
Daily 10am-7pm, departing the Fire Pit area in the Alpine Plaza every hour.

Family (2 Adults, 2 Youth) – $59.95
Adult/Senior/Youth – $19.95
Child (12 & under) – Free*

Refuge for Endangered Wildlife – This is a wilderness sanctuary on Grouse Mountain where endangered animals can explore and play, it is a refuge where they can be safe and secure. There is also a research, education and conservation centre on the mountain and it’s all included in your General Admission ticket.

Lumberjack Show – The Grouse Mountain’s Lumberjack Show puts together a great crew of lumberjack performers displaying their skills.  The set for the performance is a set features two logging camps from the early 1900s, where Johnny Nelson from the Green River logging camp prepares to battle Willie McGee from Blue Mountain to determine the top lumberjack. This is a 45-minute fast paced show that  features log rolling, a 60-foot tree climb, two-man peg and raker saws, axe throwing, and springboard chop.

Showtimes (May long weekend-September)
45-minute shows at 12:00, 2:30, 4:30

Birds in Motion – Grouse Mountain, in cooperation with the Canadian Raptor Conservancy, invites you to witness some of nature’s finest birds to demonstrate their flying abilities.

Birds in Motion Demonstrations Hours
Daily at 1:30pm, 3:30pm and 5:30pm (late May to mid September).

Helijet (helicopter) Tours – Get high up in the sky and enjoy the awe inspiring views from above the peaks of Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains in a helicopter ride of your lifetime. Helijet offers breathtaking tours that begin at The Peak of Vancouver.

Available Helicopter Tours
Crown Mountain Tour
An 8-minute aerial tour that will take you over the crater of an extinct volcano and the peaks of Goat and Crown Mountains.

The Lions Peak Tour
A 15-minute flight that extends the Crown Mountain Tour, you will be flown over the Capilano Valley before climbing through the peaks of the Lions.

Coastal Scenic Tour
An exciting 20-minute journey over Vancouver’s Coastal Mountains and it’s breathtaking city coastline. The tour includes Grouse Mountain, the Lions Peak Mountains, Cypress Bowl, English Bay, Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver.

Grand Glacier Tour
An awe-inspiring 25-minute flight over Vancouver’s closest glacial icefield; Meslilloet Mountain. The scenery includes Goat, Crown and Cathedral Mountains, Pallisade Lake and Indian Arm before circling Meslilloet Mountain’s Glacier.

The Ultimate Flying Experience – Tandem Paragliding offers flights launching from the Grouse Mountain Peak and landing in Cleveland Park for an elevation drop of 3,300 feet.

Hours & Price
Flights available daily, 10am-6pm (late June-September) with flights departing on the hour.

Pre-Booked Flights
$229 (inc. General Admission)
$199 (Members)

Mountain Ziplines – Our dual-line, five-line circuit gives you an adrenaline-pumping tour across the peaks and canyons of Grouse and Dam Mountains. The tour lasts about two hours and can be booked as an individual or as a group.

What the tour includes
The zipline experience will give you a unique perspective of Grouse Mountain, combining heart-pounding thrills with an exploration of BC’s old-growth forests. Along the way our fun and friendly guides will look after your safety, and share stories with you that will leave a lasting impression. And then you’ll strap yourself in and…zoom. Make sure to enjoy every second of this jaw-dropping scenery. Because it goes by fast. Crazy, awesome fast.

Hours & Price
Tours available everyday, from 10am-7pm with tours departing every 30min.
$105 (inc. General Admission)
$75 (Members)

The Grouse Grind – The Grouse Grind® is a 2.9-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain, commonly referred to as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster.”

This trail is very challenging. Keep in mind that there is a wide range of mountaintop trails that might better suit the average hiker.

Trail Facts
Length: 2.9 kilometres (1.8 miles)
Elevation Gain: 853 metres (2,800 feet)
Base: 274 metres above sea level (900 feet)
Summit: 1,127 metres (3,700 feet)
Total Stairs: 2,830
Statistics: Annually, over 100,000 people hike the trail.
Average Time: On average it takes up to an hour and a half to complete the hike. For novice hikers, two hours is recommended.
Participants: Hikers range in age from 7 to 90, with an equal male/female split.

…and more like dining, Theatre in the Sky, scenic activities and shopping.

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One Response to Grouse Mountain Vancouver, BC, Canada – History, About and What To Do There

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