The Grouse Grind

Mother Nature's Stairmaster

The Grouse Grind

Please note: The Grouse Grind is closed for annual maintenance. Reopening November 11th. You can take the BCMC trail instead.

For current Grouse Grind trail hours, please check Metro Vancouver's website.

The Grouse Grind® is a 2.5-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain, commonly referred to as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster".

If you are hiking up the Grouse Grind, purchase a Download Ticket for your Red Skyride or Blue Grouse Gondola trip down the mountain. Downhill hiking is not permitted.

For mountain access hours and current conditions, please check Today on Grouse prior to your visit. The first download for hikers is daily at 7:30am.

Buy Download Tickets

Cooperatively supported by Grouse Mountain Resort and Metro Vancouver Regional Parks, this trail is challenging. Keep in mind that there are a wide range of mountaintop trails that might better suit the average hiker. For more trail information and operating hours, please visit the Metro Vancouver website.

Grouse Grind Safety tips

TRAIL FACTS

Length: 2.5 kilometres (1.55 miles)

Elevation Gain: 800 metres (2,624 feet)

Base: 290 metres above sea level (951 feet)

Summit: 1,090 metres (3,576 feet)

Total Stairs: 2,830

Average Time: On average it takes up to 2 to 2.5 hours to complete the hike.

Grouse Grind FAQ

Grind Timer Program

A Grind Timer card is a great way to track your training and accomplishments on the Grouse Grind. Swipe your card at the Grind Timer at the base of the Grouse Grind, and again at the top of the trail, and your name and time will appear on the monitor at Alpine Guest Services in the Peak Chalet. You can also check your results when logged in on our website and app.

Buy a Grind Timer

The Grind Community on Facebook

The Grouse Grind Facebook page is a great place to meet and keep in touch with other hikers. There is a discussion board, photos and resources for hikers. This is also where you can find updates regarding changes in hours of operation for Grouse Mountain Resort.

History

Hikers were first recorded on Grouse Mountain in 1894 when a hunting party shot a blue grouse bird and named the mountain in the bird’s honour. However, it wasn’t until the 1920s and early 1930s that Grouse Mountain saw the first big wave of adventurous hikers. Thousands of people flocked to the face of the mountain each year looking to reach the cabins located in the Grouse Mountain village at the foot of what is now known as The Cut ski run.

Today's Grouse Grind® was first developed in 1981 by mountaineers looking for a challenging and convenient workout to sustain them for their longer hikes. Seeking a steeper route than the British Columbia Mountaineering Club, known today as the BCMC Trail, they began following well-worn animal paths in the rough, completing the new trail in the winter of 1983.

Modern-Day Revival

A revival began in the early 1990s, when the trail was appropriately named the Grouse Grind® in conjunction with the first ever Grouse Grind Mountain Run®, one of Western Canada’s premiere trail challenge. The trail has become part of the fabric of Vancouver with more than 100,000 hikers taking on the challenge of the rugged terrain and steep climb each year. The slope of approximately 56% (30°) starts at the Valley Station of Grouse Mountain and finishes at the Peak’s plateau. In 1996, the original cast of builders, along with a number of enthusiasts from the B.C. Federation of Mountaineering Club and Grouse Mountain, rebuilt the trail ensuring optimum safety and enjoyment for the high volume of hikers, while maintaining the highest level of environmental protection from erosion.