Grouse Grind, Vancouver
There are dozens of beautiful hikes around Vancouver, British Columbia. The Grouse Grind isn’t one of them. The short trail gains 2,800 feet in just 1.8 miles, including 2,830 stairs, making it one of the steepest trails anywhere. Which is why mountaineers and fitness freaks use it for training. The problems come when the unprepared take on the Grouse.
Since 1999, three people have died on the trail, and a big percentage of the 80 technical rescues the North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services performs each year take place on the Grind when winded hikers take a tumble, poop out, or lose their way as night falls. The trail is so grisly it often takes 12 rescuers to get a hiker off the mountain.
for those that dont know … the Grouse Grind is in urban metro vancouver … it has a groomed staircase, gondola ride down, nightly patrols, cell phone reception, hordes of school kids running up it, a chalet at the top for a cold beer, etc
you pull into the parking lot … and get your yuppie latte before the hike …

if you want you swipe yr time token to keep track of yr ascent time

theres BIG SIGNS all over the place

people do it in yoga pants and tank tops on the nice groomed stairs

bunch of schoolkids on the 3 min approach to the grind about to go up it …

when you get to the top theres a nice bar for you to "hydrate" at …
the "descent" is taking a gnarly gondola down …

DEADLY !!!
;)

