Summary:

Length: 2.2km

Elevation gain: 752m

Time:  1h 49 mins total

Starting point: Grouse Mountain parking lot

The famous Grouse Grind. If you’re looking for an afternoon of outdoor Stairmaster, this is the hike for you. I did this hike for the sole purpose of being able to say I did it (some people race up the steps to get a competitive time – I had no interest in this). You go up 2830 stairs (nearly 800m) in a mere 2.5 kilometres. In the beginning, I was regretting my decision to do this trail, but once I had accepted my fate, it wasn’t so bad. There are lots of places to stop at regular intervals among the flights of stairs. The view from the top is okay: you can see distant mountains, the ocean, and the city. However, it’s partially blocked by the gondola. Speaking of that, you MUST take the gondola down (which costs $20), since you are not allowed to take the Grouse Grind steps down the mountain. At the summit, I enjoyed taking pictures in front of the “I survived the Grouse Grind” signs, and I visited the gift shop. All-in-all, if you know what you’re getting yourself into, this hike is enjoyable and it gave me a great feeling of accomplishment.