Summer Activities
“Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” -Henry David Thoreau
Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain is a four season tourist destination located 15 minutes from Vancouver. It is one of the North Shore Mountains in North Vancouver and is Vancouver’s most popular attraction receiving more than 1.2 million visitors each year. Grouse Mountain is open daily from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM 365 days a year.
In October 1894, the first recorded hiking party named Grouse Mountain after they hunted blue grouse on its alpine slopes. At that time, climbing Grouse Mountain was a three or four day journey, as there was no bridge across Burrard Inlet and no road to the base. Hikers had to trek over rocks and through dense forest to ascend the summit. Word of the first ascent spread and Grouse Mountain attracted hundreds of hikers. Among them were Don and Phyllis Munday who built the first log cabin on the mountain. The Munday Alpine Snowpark is named in their honour.
In the summer, the mountain features the Birds in Motion and Lumberjack shows, heli and hiking tours, paragliding, ziplines, summer camps, the Theatre in the Sky, wildlife refuge and a 2.9 kilometre hiking trail known as the Grouse Grind.
Birds in Motion
The Birds in Motion demonstration features two Great Horned Owls, Toba and baby Mortimer, and Barn Owls, Sylvan and Tyto. Birds in Motion also features a Lanner Falcon, a Red-Tailed Hawk, a Harris Hawk, a Turkey Vulture and Bald Eagle.
Demonstrations are given daily at 1:30 PM, 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM from late May to mid September. Birds in Motion is included in the price of an Alpine Experience ticket.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see these magnificent birds up close!
Bald Eagle
Great Horned Owl
Harris Hawk
Lanner Falcon
Turkey Vulture
Eye of the Wind
The Eye of the Wind is the world’s first wind turbine with a glass viewPOD™ at the top of the tower. This vantage point gives visitors a 360-degree view of Metro Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains. Reservations are recommended.
Did you know?
- The Eye of the Wind is 1,273 metres (4176.5 feet) above the City of Vancouver.
- The entire structure weighs 208.313 kgs (458,289 lbs).
- The tower is imbedded 15 metres (50 feet) into solid granite.
- The Eye of the Wind stands 65 metres (215 feet) high.
- Each of the three giant blades weighs 5,530 kgs (12,200 lbs).
- Each blade is 37.3 metres (122 feet) long.
- The blades can reach speeds of 300 kph (185 mph) at their tip.
- Vancouver’s highest recorded wind speed is 100 kph (62 mph).
- The Eye of the Wind can generate enough electricity in a year to service the needs of 400 homes.
- Grouse Mountain’s project partner for the Eye of the Wind is Leitner Technologies of Südtriol, Italy.
- Nine countries are represented in the development of the Eye of the Wind: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, India, Italy, South Korea, and the United States of America.
Grizzly Bears
There are two resident grizzly bears on Grouse Mountain. Grinder was found in 2001 in Invermere, British Columbia when he was wandering alone on a logging road. He was dehydrated, thin, weak and weighed only 4.5 kg. Grinder is high-spirited and has established himself as the dominant bear despite his smaller size. In 2001, Coola was found orphaned on a highway near Bella Coola, British Columbia. His mother was killed by a truck and, of her three cubs, Coola was the only one to survive. He is an easygoing bear who is content to let Grinder take the lead in new discoveries. Coola can usually be found submerged up to his neck in the large pond, carefully feeling around for his underwater bath toys, which are a log, large bone and a favourite rock.
Grouse Mountain Skyride
The Grouse Mountain Skyride is North America’s largest aerial tram system. The Swiss Garaventa tram takes visitors on a one-mile aerial journey to the Alpine Station, 1,127 metres (3,700 feet) above sea level where stunning views of the city, sea and surrounding mountains can be seen.
Lumberjack Show
The Lumberjack Show features champion performers showcasing their skills in an outdoor set of two logging camps from the early 1900s. Johnny Nelson from the Green River logging camp battles Willie McGee from Blue Mountain to determine the top lumberjack. The 45-minute show offers fast paced entertainment and features log rolling, a 60-foot tree climb, two-man peg and raker saws, axe throwing, and an exciting springboard chop. Lumberjack shows are held daily at 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM and 4:30 PM from mid-May to October. Access to the Lumberjack Show is included with the Alpine experience ticket and annual membership. The shows are weather dependent.
See more photos of the Lumberjack Show here.
Paragliding
Grouse Mountain offers tandem paragliding flights from late June to early September. Flights launch from the peak of Grouse Mountain and land in Cleveland Park for an elevation drop of 1,005 metres (3,300 feet).
Peak Chairlift
The Peak Chairlift soars to 1,249 metres (4,100 feet) above sea level transporting riders to the summit and a spectacular view of Metro Vancouver and the Pacific Ocean. The mountain has four chairlifts and 26 runs, including 13 night runs.
Ziplines
The mountain’s dual-line, five-line circuit reaches speeds of up to 80 kilometres per hour. This thrilling tour with lines that are up to 70 metres high offers a breathtaking view of Grouse and Dam Mountains. The tour lasts approximately two hours and can be booked as an individual or as a group. Visit Grouse Mountain’s website for hours of operation, rates and additional tour details.
Getting There
Grouse Mountain provides a free shuttle service to the mountain with the purchase of an admission ticket. The shuttle departs daily from Canada Place in downtown Vancouver in the summer.
BC Transit provides regular bus service to and from the base of Grouse Mountain every half hour. In North Vancouver, take Bus 232 at Phibbs Exchange or Bus 236 at Lonsdale Quay to Grouse Mountain.
For travel from Vancouver, take the SeaBus from Waterfront Station SeaBus Terminal to the Charles A Spratt SeaBus Terminal at Lonsdale Quay and then take Bus 236 to Grouse Mountain. For more information, visit translink.ca.
For travel by car from Vancouver, follow Georgia Street through Stanley Park and across the Lion’s Gate Bridge, then take the North Vancouver exit to Marine Drive and turn left on Capilano Road. Proceed north on Capilano Road for five kilometres (three miles).
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