The Grouse Grind

Grouse Grind  |  At the end of September when we were still enjoying the extended Indian summer here on the lower mainland, we herded a few of the older juniors from our high performance group and a few instructors for a hike up the Grouse Grind. This is a 2.9km trail up the face of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver. It is also referred to as the "Mother Nature's Stairmaster." Indeed! No stairmaster training in the gym can substitute for the real thing.

On this Grouse Grind, one has to contend with steep slopes and high altitude. If one has an acrophobia, negotiating some of the narrowest pathways can be a fear fighting challenge. The trail stats show the 2.9km trail to have an elevation gain of 853m from the base which is about 274m above sea level. The mountain top is 1,127m off sea level. There are 2830 stairs to the top. Whew!

On the way to the top we encountered one nose bleed from our group and without enough tissues to handle it we turned to the hikers that passed us by. Almost 50 hikers moved past us before someone offered a pack of tissues. If you have not done it yet and wanted to do this Grind, it would be wise to pack a pack of tissues together with a spare t-shirt, a towel and a bottle of water. Additionally a pull over or a light jacket will offer a great comfort at the end.

Everyone in our group managed to complete the hike up to the summit within the recommended one hour and a half average time. Most of us were first timers on this Grind. It was a good hike, maybe we can have another one the same time next year.

Another group picture with the full image of the bear
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