I love coming up to Grouse Mountain in the winter. It’s not as crowded or expensive as the other mountains, and the bus stops right to the bottom of the Skyride. The mass of tourists that flock to the Grouse Grind in the summer are mostly gone, and I often find myself alone for stretches of time while I’m snowshoeing. It’s so peaceful up there.
The Snowshoe Grind starts where the Grind, closed for the winter, ends. It’s a trail that runs about 4 km up Dam Mountain, with minimal elevation gain. It’s not particularly difficult, but if you don’t have experience wearing snowshoes, you’ll expend a bit more energy figuring it out. You can rent snowshoes up there or at MEC in Vancouver.
The trail is really well marked, and steeper sections are roped off for safety. It’s tempting to slide down, and you’ll see people doing this – but be careful. You slide faster than you think and I’ve fallen over the edge more than once, which could potentially be very dangerous.
The view from the top is incredible, even with cloud cover and be on the lookout for ravens. They frequent this area and will come quite close if you are quiet.
The Skyride ticket is a bit pricey, so I suggest planning other activities on the mountain. There’s a chalet with shopping, restaurants and the Theater in the Sky, and of course skiing and snowboarding.
