Tuesday 21 July 2015

Grouse Mountain, Vancouver, BC

I went to Grouse Mountain this afternoon.  I caught the free shuttle bus from Canada Place (it is a 25 minute drive).

Taken from Canada Place, Grouse Mountain is to the middle/left

Exceeding 1,200 m (4,000 feet) in altitude at its peak, is the site of an alpine ski area, Grouse Mountain Resort, which in the winter season overlooks Greater Vancouver with four chairlifts servicing 26 runs. In the summer, Grouse Mountain Resort features lumberjack shows, a birds of prey wildlife demonstration, a scenic chairlift ride and a 2.9 km (1.8 mi.) hiking trail known as the Grouse Grind, as well as helicopter sightseeing. Year-round operations include a 100-seat mountaintop theatre and a wildlife refuge. 

They have a few packages, depending on what you want to do.  I bought the Ultimate Experience which got me to the very top and gave me access to the Eye of the Wind, a wind turbine.  Things like parasailing, ziplining, helicopter rides, etc. are extra.


To get to the first level, you can either do the Grouse Grind (a 2.9 km/1.8 miles climb of 1,127 metres/3,700ft and a total of 2,830 stairs) or take the six minute tram ... I took the tram.

And we're off!

There are a couple restaurants and stores once you get to the top.


There is a map with all the activities so you know where to go.  Included in the cost on the first level are lumberjack shows, birds in motion, beehives, a couple grizzle bears (when I went to see them, they were lazing behind some trees), etc.


I wanted to get to the very top so I headed to the gondolas that would take me there.

And I'm off!
I will admit that I was SCARED and had my eyes
closed for a lot of the time ... I was happy to get to the top

The scenery along the path to get to the Eye of the Wind was fabulous!


And there is the Eye of the Wind, which rises 65 metres from its base to the top of the tower.  This is the world’s first and only wind turbine that allows you to stand in a clear glass viewPOD at the top of the tower, three metres from its massive, rotating blades.  You take an elevator to the top and the pod rotates.


You can see down down down through part of the floor.


The views were fabulous!


I got on the gondola and headed back down.  Obviously I wasn't as scared ... I was taking pictures.

A selfie even!
I was happy to get to the bottom and off that gondola

It was a lot of fun. Definitely a "must do" if you are in Vancouver.

4 comments:

Swordsman said...

Looks like fun. No zipline for you?

Teena in Toronto said...

No zipline for me!

Teresa said...

What a beautiful place to spend a day.

Hailey and Zaphod and their Lady said...

Years ago we went up Grouse Mountain too. It is very beautiful.