Grouse Mountain is at the height of a snow lover's delight right now with fresh powder covering the slopes daily. From downhill skiing, wild life shows, a Grizzly enclosure, skating, and zip-lining, there's no shortage of things to do on Grouse Mountain. Though this spot has been open for years, it's notable because it's an outdoor attraction that's fun to go to any time of the year. There are still a few good weeks of snow filled activities left, and after the snow melts an entirely different world opens up.
Logging show on Grouse Mountain — Photo courtesy of paulhami (Flickr)
In the winter months, Grouse Mountain has four ski lifts running (as weather is favorable) that lead to the top of 26 runs. Some of these runs are open for night skiing, which locals take advantage of after a long day at work.
If you're not a skier, you can breeze through the trails on your own personal chauffeur driven "Snow-Limo". Snowshoeing, downhill tubing, skating and sleigh rides are also fun activities to do up on Grouse when the snow has fallen.
When the flowers have started to bloom and warm air drifts through the city, Vancouverites head to Grouse Mountain to get in a hardcore workout. The Grouse Grind has been dubbed "Mother Nature's Stairmaster" because of it's steep 2.9Km set of rugged stairs that scale the mountain. Over 100,000 people do the Grind annually and it takes on average about an hour and a half to make it to the top.
Zip-lining is open year-round, but may be more enjoyable on a clear warm day. The five line circuit can get you going at speeds of up to 80Km per hour, so be prepared for a thrill!
The Eye of the Wind is a wind turbine that was erected on Grouse Mountain and can generate enough energy to support the entirety of the mountain. This wind turbine has a dual purpose and brings guests up into the observation deck for spectacular views of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.
Helicopter tours around Grouse Mountain. — Photo courtesy of Grouse Mountain (Facebook)
Don't miss the wildlife on Grouse Mountan, either. For one, the Grizzly enclosure is awe-inspiring. Grinder and Coola were orphaned as cubs and have been taken care of by Grouse Mountain ever since.
Grouse Mountain has plenty of other things to do that we haven't touched on, so ride the gondola up and take some time to explore for yourself.
