Anyone do the Grouse Grind yet? (North Vancouver)

[arbustur]

I went for the first time two weeks ago, during the hot spell. Before tackling it, I did some reading about the trail and the ones in the neigbourhood. It was much harder than I had imagined, but I was able to get to the top in about an hour. Considering that this is a wilderness trail, there were lots of people wearing inappropriate footwear, such as sandals and flip flops. There is a sign at the top that says "Down Hill Travel is Prohibited", but I saw people coming down. Its likely that these people didn't make it all the way and had to descend. I didn't take the Skyride down and had planned to use the Skyline trail, but I couldn't find the trailhead. Instead, I used the BCMC trail, which runs about 600m parallel east of the grind. The actual BCMC trailhead is really close to Grind and it's really easy to miss. If you plan to use it, go to the left (east) of the Grind and look out for the entrance, which is marked by two trees with small orange markers nailed to it. Carefully follow the markers down the trail and after sometime you will end up at a junction with a sign post. Take the Baden Powell trail westward (turn right) and you will eventually hook up with the Grouse Grind trail and back to the entrance and parking lot. This is not a heavily used trail and I only encountered one hiker that was going up. It was really relaxing, but not much of view. I am planning to head back up sometime later this month.

[arbustur]

Go to this site and scroll down to the Grouse Mountain section and you will see a list of accidents that involved injuries and fatalities for the Grouse Grind.

Alpine Accidents In Canada

[champ91]

Go to this site and scroll down to the Grouse Mountain section and you will see a list of accidents that involved injuries and fatalities for the Grouse Grind.

Alpine Accidents In Canada

i believe the recentl fatality on the grouse grind was due to a heart attack rather than environment hazzard, so if you are not in shape, don't do it.

[DVDManiac]

Saw a guy in a suit a few years back...felt sorry for him yet a little amused.

[John1]

There was a bottleneck going up on a weekend and a really old guy was slowing everyone down. He was using a handrail rope to help pull himself up. All his weight was on the rope. It looked like he was climbing a mountain face or something. His wife was behind him and tried to help push him up. She had a cane (not a walking stick). That is my favourite GG memory.

I have never seen a suit, but I did see someone in high heels! I think she made it up too (I passed her around the 3/4 mark!)