Friday, August 28, 2009

Grouse Grind - My Birthday Outing!

Wed was my Birthday - to celebrate we chose to climb the Grouse Grind - the steep climb up Grouse Mtn. Here are the stats of the climb!

Length: 2.9 kilometres (1.8 miles)
Elevation Gain: 853 metres (2,800 feet)
- Base: 274 metres above sea level (900 feet)
- Summit: 1,127 metres (3,700 feet)
- Total Stairs: 2,830
Statistics: Annually, over 100,000 people hike the Grind™.
Average Time: On average it takes up to an hour and a half to complete the hike.
For novice hikers, up to two hours is recommended.
Participants: Hikers range in age from 7 to 90, with an equal male/female split.

There is nothing like it to keep your heart rate up. The fastest I have done it in is 49minutes. My usual time is around 55 minutes. There is a pub and out door patio during the summer months, and a high end dining room at the top year round. Many tourists take the cable car up to the top of Grouse. The view is "the top of Vancouver" The experience is fantastic and includes 2 rescued Grizzly Bears - Coola and Grinder. A spectacular site to see! 2 Wolves also rescued have an area at the base of the mountain. I like to do this climb once/week during the spring/summer/fall. It closes for the winter. I hope to go back here on Monday.

Planning this weekend outings as I type!

5 comments:

  1. Happy belated birthday, Caroline.

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  2. Hi,
    Loved reading about Grouse Mountain, I did it several times while I lived in Vancouver, I think in about an hour. In fact I love reading your blog to remind me about Vancouver and hear more about it. Meant to talk to you after the prize giving of the WHW race but didn't see you.
    Caroline Gibson
    (mrspacepusher)

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  3. Thanks Caroline - glad you enjoy it! When were you in Vancouver? Do you plan to come back? We too wish we had the opportunity to speak with more people after the prize giving and at the Ben Nevis pub. Funny thing we both have husbands called Neil (Neal) and we both are Carolyn's (Caroline)!

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  4. Hi,
    I was in Vancouver from July 96 to Sept 97 before I started uni and then again from June 2001 to Aug 2002 before I did my post grad! I worked as a nanny the first time, living down at 59th and Prince Edward St, just off Main St and the second time I worked in a restaurant in Gastown - Water St Cafe (is it still there do you know) and lived just off Commercial Drive. Absolutely loved Vancouver and still think about it every day. If I had not met Neal while doing my post grad I would have been straight back out there!

    Would love to go back and show Neal everywhere but there are so many other places I want to go to! Was daydreaming about going for xmas and going snowboarding as well but did too much this summer to afford it and one of the things I had wanted to ask you was if there would be enough snow at xmas. I seem to remember doing most of my snowboarding from Jan to Mar.
    Caroline

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  5. Wow Caroline...you really have lived here and experienced Vancouver! Yes the Water Street Cafe is still there and popular as ever. The last few years at Christmas there has been a large amount of snow on the local mountains and in the valley and city! We were in Edinburgh for the last 3 years at Christmas so missed the heavy snow fall here in Vancouver. This Christmas the family is coming here so we are hoping again for a White Christmas. You will be watching the 2010 Winter Olympics with special interest as Vancouver and Whistler are the hosts! Lots of buzz locally with the upcoming Olympics!

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